Koehler v. Aetna Health, Inc., No. 11-10458 (5th Cir. 2012)
Annotate this CasePlaintiff appealed the district court's summary judgment dismissing her suit to recover health insurance benefits under an employee plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. 1001-1461. Aetna, a Texas health maintenance organization (HMO), provided and administered the plan's health insurance benefits under an agreement giving Aetna discretion to interpret the plan's terms. Aetna refused to reimburse plaintiff for care she received from a specialist outside of the Aetna HMO to whom she had been referred by a physician in the HMO. Aetna denied her claim because the referral was not pre-authorized by Aetna. The district court found as a matter of law that Aetna did not abuse its discretion in denying coverage. The court found, however, that the plan was ambiguous and the need for pre-authorization was not clearly stated in Aetna's summary description of the plan. And under the circumstances of the case, it could not be said as a matter of law that Aetna did not abuse its discretion in denying coverage.
The court issued a subsequent related opinion or order on June 15, 2012.
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