>Aetna sues 9 N.J. doctors for “unconscionable” fees
Lawsuits claim that the out-of-network physicians charged as much as $50,000 for an inpatient consultation.
By ALICIA GALLEGOS, amednews staff. Posted May 16, 2011.
Aetna Inc. has accused nine New Jersey doctors of charging excessive fees for out-of-network services. Four are countersuing, alleging that the insurer is guilty of fraudulent billing practices.
The lawsuits are the latest development in a debate among insurers and health care professionals over “usual, customary and reasonable” rates for out-of-network doctors.
Aetna sued the physicians between July and November 2010, claiming that they had charged “unconscionable” fees for services and threatened to balance-bill patients if not paid.
Cardiologist Benjamin Hannallah, MD, of Watchung, N.J., charged up to $48,980 for an inpatient consultation in 2009, an increase of more than $47,000 from his 2007 rate, according to one of the lawsuits. The average Medicare charge for an inpatient consultation is $358.12, according to 2010 data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Cardiologist Karan Nejad, MD, of Hackensack, N.J., raised his fee for seeing critically ill hospital patients from $2,040 in 2007 to $15,000 in 2008, another lawsuit claims. The average charge for the first hour of a critical care visit is $520.76, according to CMS data.
Gynecologist-obstetrician Waleed Abdelghani, MD, of Hackensack, who assisted in two cesarean sections, allegedly charged $30,000 for each surgery, while in-network surgeons were paid about $2,000 for the same procedure, Aetna said. Standard pay for a surgeon assisting a C-section is $1,400, Aetna spokeswoman Cynthia Michener said.
https://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/05/16/prsb0516.htm
