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Massachusetts Fines Health Insurers

November 13, 2006
Three health insurance companies have run afoul of Massachusetts state law, facing charges they failed to provide required benefits.

Attorney General Tom Reilly filed three settlements with UniCare Health and Life Insurance Company, New England Life Insurance Company, and John Alden Life Insurance Company.

Reilly charged the companies sold health insurance policies to Massachusetts consumers that included policy provisions that violated Massachusetts' mandated benefit laws.

AG Reilly has previously settled with three additional health insurers, Fallon Community Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and GenWorth Life and Health Insurance Company, for allegedly including similar provisions in their health insurance policies.

The Attorney General also brought a suit relating to these issues against Mega Life Insurance.

Massachusetts law requires that insurance companies that sell health insurance in Massachusetts provide a set of benefits, including certain infertility treatment, outpatient contraception, mental health parity, and specific treatments for diabetes.

It also requires that companies not exclude coverage of any preexisting conditions.

The insurers agreed to change their behavior going forward, pay statutory penalties, and reprocess all consumer reimbursement claims for the mandated services.

"We are dedicated to ensuring that Massachusetts citizens get all the health benefits they are entitled to," Reilly said.

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