Result: Benefits valued at $27 million
Year: 2008

Cincotta v. California Emergency Physicians Medical Group

Lieff Cabraser served as class counsel for nearly 100,000 uninsured patients that alleged they were charged excessive and unfair rates for emergency room service across 55 hospitals throughout California. The settlement, approved on October 31, 2008, provided complete debt elimination — 100% cancellation of the bill — to uninsured patients treated by California Emergency Physicians Medical Group during the 4-year class period. These benefits were valued at $27 million.

No claims were required, so all of these bills were cancelled. In addition, the settlement required California Emergency Physicians Medical Group prospectively to (1) maintain certain discount policies for all charity care patients; (2) inform patients of the available discounts by enhanced communications; and (3) limit significantly the type of collections practices available for collecting from charity care patients.