|
• QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CLASS ACTION LITIGATION • QUESTIONS REGARDING SETTLEMENT BENEFITS • QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROOF OF CLAIM FORM • QUESTIONS REGARDING OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION AND CLASS COUNSEL
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CLASS ACTION LITIGATION What is this litigation about? A class action lawsuit was filed against Tenet Healthcare Corporation. The complaint that was filed against Tenet alleges that Tenet Hospitals charged patients who did not have insurance coverage and certain patients who did not have adequate insurance coverage the hospitals full, non-discounted, or Gross charge rate. Plaintiffs allege the charges were excessive and unconscionable. To review a complete list of all the hospitals covered under this settlement, please click here. Who is Tenet Healthcare Corporation? Tenet Healthcare is a health care services company in the United States. During the Class Period, through its subsidiaries, Tenet owned and/or operated general acute care hospitals located in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. To review a complete list of all the hospitals covered under this settlement, please click here. Did the judge find Tenet Healthcare Corporation guilty? No. Tenet has vigorously denied and continues to vigorously deny all of the claims, denies any and all allegations of wrongdoing, and believes that the class action has no merit, they have agreed to enter into this Settlement to put to rest all controversy and to avoid further expense and burdensome, protracted and costly litigation which would be involved in defending this Class Action and any future actions, without in any way acknowledging fault or liability. How do I know if I am a Class Member? If you were a patient of Tenet Healthcare-Affiliated Hospitals between June 15, 1999 and December 31, 2004 and either did not have insurance coverage or had health insurance at the time of treatment, but made (or were asked to make) co-payments or deductibles based on a percentage of the Gross Charge, then you are a Class Member. Gross Charge is the hospital’s full, non-discounted rate. The uninsured are typically the only patients who are charged and asked to pay for hospital services at the Gross Charge rate. Do I have to pay for legal services if I participate in this class action? No. Under the terms of the Settlement, Tenet has agreed to pay all administrative costs and Class Counsel's attorney fees. Participating in the Settlement will be of no cost to you.
QUESTIONS REGARDING SETTLEMENT BENEFITS What do I need to do to participate in the proposed settlement? If you are a Class Member and you paid out-of-pocket for medical treatment and would like to participate in the proposed settlement, you were required to complete and submit the Proof of Claim Form to the Settlement Claims Administrator so that it was postmarked no later than January 11, 2006. The deadline to file a claim has passed. If you are a Class Member and received medical treatment but did not pay for that treatment and wish to receive a revised bill, you should call 1-877-668-8736. DO NOT submit a claim form if you want a revised bill. Why would I want a revised bill? A revised discounted bill may help repair your credit rating. Class Members can obtain Claim Forms by calling 1-800-280-8427 or by clicking here. Once a Class Member has submitted a Claim Form, no further action is required. The Claims Administrator will contact the Class Member once his or her claim has been adjudicated, or if additional information is needed in order to process the claim. The deadline to file a claim has passed. What am I going to receive if I participate in the Settlement? If you are a Class Member and you would like to participate in the proposed settlement, you were required to complete and submit the Proof of Claim Form to the Settlement Claims Administrator so that it was postmarked no later than January 11, 2006 (Deadline has passed). If you were an uninsured patient at a Tenet Healthcare Hospital who paid out-of-pocket for treatment during the time period June 15, 1999 to December 31, 2004 you may be entitled to a cash refund. Please be advised, this refund applies to hospital charges only, not physician charges. In order to be eligible for a settlement payment, you were required to complete and submit a Proof of Claim Form so that it was postmarked no later than January 11, 2006 (Deadline has passed). If you owe a Tenet-affiliated Hospital money and were uninsured when you received treatment during the period June 15, 1999 to December 31, 2004 you may qualify for a discounted hospital bill. In order to find out if you might be entitled to a revised bill from Tenet, under the terms of the settlement, you should call 1-877-668-8736. In addition, Tenet has agreed to pay all administrative costs and Class Counsel's attorney fees. Participating in the Settlement will be of no cost to Class Members. How much will my refund or discounted hospital bill be? If you are a Class Member who may be eligible for a refund payment, the percentage of Tenet Hospital’s full, non-discounted charge varies depending on the year you received the treatment. Examples of how benefits will be calculated can be found on pages 2 and 3 of the Notice. To review the Notice, please click here. In order to be eligible for a refund payment, you were required to complete and submit a Proof of Claim Form so that it was postmarked no later than January 11, 2006 (Deadline has passed). If you are a Class Member who may qualify for a discounted hospital bill, Tenet will provide you with a discounted hospital bill that is based on the threshold levels indicated in the Settlement. Examples of how the discounts will be calculated can be found on page 3 of the Notice. To review the Notice, please click here. If you believe you are entitled to a revised bill from Tenet, under the terms of the Settlement, you should call 1-877-668-8736. What if I do not agree with the settlement? Individuals who disagree with the terms of the settlement were required to file an objection with the Court not later than June 10, 2005. This deadline has passed and no additional objections will be accepted. What if I don’t want to participate in the settlement? If you did not wish to participate in the settlement, you had the right to opt-out of the Class by filing a Request for Exclusion postmarked no later than June 10, 2005. If you elected to opt-out of the Class, you are not eligible to receive any benefits under the Settlement Agreement. Further information regarding opting-out of the Class can be found on page 5 of the Notice. To review the Notice, please click here. When will I receive my benefit? A Fairness Hearing was held on August 5, 2005. The Court's decision to grant Final Approval of the Settlement was appealed, and that appeal was recently resolved. The Settlement Administrator is in the process of completing the Claim evaluation process. As soon as the Claim evaluation process is complete, settlement benefits will be mailed. Please check this site periodically for updated information.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROOF OF CLAIM FORM Do I fill out a Proof of Claim Form if I have not paid my hospital bill yet? No. If you received medical treatment, but did not pay for that treatment, you may be eligible for a discounted hospital bill. In order to request a determination of whether you are eligible for a revised bill, you should call 1.877.668.8736. I don’t have some of the information being asked for on the Proof of Claim Form, what do I do? You should fill in each section of the Proof of Claim form to the best of your ability. No. If you paid out-of-pocket for medical treatment more than once during the period June 15, 1999 to December 31, 2004, it is only necessary to complete and submit one Claim Form. No. If you paid out-of-pocket for medical treatment at more than one of the hospitals covered under the Settlement during the period June 15, 1999 to December 31, 2004, it is only necessary to file one Claim Form. However, in Section II.4 of the Claim Form, please indicate all Tenet-affiliated hospitals where treatment was received and the date of treatment. You should provide documentation that establishes your legal status with respect to the patient (e.g., legal guardian, executor, personal representative, etc.). Examples include (but are not limited to) power of attorney or will. The Claim Form asks for the Date of Treatment. Do I list all dates I received treatment? You should provide date on which medical treatment was initiated – i.e., date of admittance.
QUESTIONS REGARDING OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION AND CLASS COUNSEL Who is representing me in this class action? The Court has appointed the following law firms as Class Counsel. Class Counsel is:
Under the terms of the Settlement, Tenet has agreed to pay all administrative costs and Class Counsel's attorney fees. Participating in the Settlement will be of no cost to you. I have more questions and would like to speak with one of the attorneys, where can I call? Questions for Class Counsel should be in writing. Class Counsel also have a website: www.hbsslaw.com. Steve W. BermanIvy D. Arai Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP 1301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2900 Seattle, WA 90101 |
|
|