HMO Denies Coverage to Pregnant Women
Here is a trial that is worth keeping an eye on. Should we be surprised that an HMO would look to fatten its pockets by denying claims made by pregnant women and the seriously ill?
"A health maintenance organization that prosecutors charge discriminated against pregnant women and seriously ill people went on trial in federal court Wednesday, with the State of Illinois and the U.S. government seeking to reap tens of millions of dollars in a major whistleblower lawsuit.
Amerigroup Corp. quit doing business in Illinois this year, but from 1996 to 2005 the HMO company received hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid funds to provide health-care services to needy patients.
From 2000 to 2004, Amerigroup's subsidiary, Amerigroup Illinois Inc., took in $243 million in government funds but paid out only $131 million for patient health-care costs, David Adams, a lawyer representing Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan's office, said in his opening statement."
Read the full article in the Chicago Tribune.