Health Net ordered to pay $9 million after canceling cancer patient's policy

Huge win for people nationwide

From The LA Times

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Patsy Bates, a breast cancer patient whose medical coverage was canceled by her insurer, was awarded more than $9 million today in a case against Health Net Inc., one of the state's largest for-profit insurers.

The punitive damage award is the first of its kind and has prompted the giant medical insurer to scrap practices that have recently come under fire.
By Lisa Girion, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer - February 23, 2008

One of California's largest for-profit insurers stopped a controversial practice of canceling sick policyholders Friday after a judge ordered Health Net Inc. to pay more than $9 million to a breast cancer patient it dropped in the middle of chemotherapy.

The ruling by a private arbitration judge was the first of its kind and the most powerful rebuke to the state's major insurers whose cancellation practices are under fire from the courts, state regulators and elected officials. Full Story