NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pollock Cohen LLP and Walden Macht Haran & Williams have filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of patients against Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of New York. The lawsuit alleges the health insurance company perpetrated fraud by publishing an inaccurate directory of doctors who supposedly accepted BCBS insurance but, in fact, did not. These misleading directories – known as "ghost networks" – cause patients significant financial harm because patients in need of treatment must go to out-of-network to get care and incur substantial expenses. They also cause significant delays in people finding essential care and often abandoning care because they cannot find in-network doctors who actually accept the insurance.

The lawsuit focuses on access to mental health care for both adults and children. In the complaint, two class representative plaintiffs share their struggle to find appropriate care and detail their stories about calling dozens of doctors listed in the BCBS directory who supposedly accepted their insurance but did not.

After hearing these stories, attorneys for the plaintiffs conducted an extensive "secret shopper" study and called 100 doctors listed in the directory who supposedly accepted the BCBS insurance. Only seven out of the 100 actually accepted the insurance and would take new patients. The rest either did not accept the insurance, were not mental health providers, did not accept new patients, or were unreachable.

"We knew ghost networks were a problem, but we had no idea it was this bad," said Steve Cohen of Pollock Cohen, one of the lead attorneys representing the plaintiffs. "Both the New York State Attorney General and the United States Senate have conducted similar secret shopper studies. But neither investigation was as extensive as the one we conducted on behalf of these plaintiffs. And the findings were just shocking – it is nearly impossible to find doctors who accept this insurance."

"People in desperate need of medical care are intentionally being misled by their insurance company," said Jacob Gardener, a partner at Walden Macht Haran & Williams and co-counsel for the plaintiffs. "It costs these patients not just money but precious time to find necessary care. And that is for the lucky ones: just imagine the anguish parents must go through when they cannot find affordable, qualified care for their children."

The complaint was filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York by Steve Cohen of Pollock Cohen and Jacob Gardener of Walden Macht Haran & Williams. Click for complaint.

About Pollock Cohen LLP
Pollock Cohen LLP is an impact-driven litigation firm that delivers unusually effective plaintiff-side legal representation. We are known for our ability to solve client problems—with strategy, creativity, and thought—both inside the courtroom and outside the four corners of a legalistic approach. We thrive on  representing plaintiffs in cases that are impactful and meaningful, and where we can make a difference. For more information, visit http://www.pollockcohen.com. 

About Walden Macht Haran & Williams LLP
Walden Macht Haran & Williams LLP is a premier litigation boutique that handles high-stakes civil and criminal cases Based in New York, they are known for their work on high-profile complex commercial disputes, appeals, white-collar defense and investigations, monitorships, and corporate compliance matters. Walden Macht Haran & Williams strives to do good. For more information, visit https://wmhwlaw.com/

Contact:
Steve Cohen
SCohen@PollockCohen.com
(917) 364-4197

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SOURCE Pollock Cohen LLP