Subrogation Under Georgia's Lumenos Health Insurance Plan
Subrogation/Right of Recovery
This section describes the Plan's right to seek reimbursement of expenses that are paid by the Lumenos plan on behalf of you or your covered dependents (referred to in this section as a "Covered Individual") if those expenses are related to the acts of a third party (for example, if you are involved in an automobile accident). The Plan Administrator may seek reimbursement of these expenses on behalf of the Plan from any recovery you may receive from the third party or another source, including from any insurance proceeds, settlement amounts or amounts recovered in a lawsuit. The terms of the Plan's reimbursement rights are described below:
- If a Covered Individual incurs expenses covered by the Plan as a result of the act of a third party (person or entity) you may receive benefits pursuant to the terms of the Plan. However, the Covered Individual shall be required to refund to the Plan all benefits paid if the Covered Individual recovers from any other party (such as proceeds from a settlement, judgment, lawsuit or otherwise as a result of the act). The Covered Individual may be required to:
- Execute an agreement provided by the Plan Administrator or the Claims Administrator acknowledging the Plan's right of recovery, agreeing to repay any claims paid by the Plan, pledging amounts recovered by the Covered Individual from the third party as security for repayment of any claims paid by the Plan, and to the extent provided below, assigning the Covered Individual's cause of action or other right of recovery to the Plan. If the Covered Individual fails to execute such an agreement, by filing claims (assigning benefits or having claims filed on your behalf) related to such act of a third party, the Covered Individual shall be deemed to agree to the terms of this reimbursement provision;
- Provide such information that the Plan Administrator and/or the Claims Administrator may request;
- Notify the Plan Administrator or Claims Administrator in writing by copy of the complaint or other pleading of the commencement of any action by the Covered Individual to recover damages from a third party;
- Agree to notify the Plan Administrator or Claims Administrator of any recovery.
The Plan's right to recover the benefits it has paid is subject to reduction for attorney's fees or other expenses of recovery. The reduction is limited to the lesser of the actual attorney fees and other expenses or one-third of the Plan's lien. The Plan's right of recovery shall apply to the entire proceeds of any recovery by the Covered Individual. This includes any recovery by judgment, settlement, arbitration award or otherwise. The Plan's right to recover shall not be limited by application of any statutory or common law "make whole" doctrine (i.e., the Plan has a right of first reimbursement out of any recovery, even if the Covered Individual is not fully compensated) or the characterization of the nature or purpose of the amounts recovered or by the identity of the party from which recovery is obtained.
The Plan shall have a lien against the proceeds of any recovery by the Covered Individual and against future benefits due under the Plan in the amount of any claims paid. The lien will attach as soon as any person or entity agrees to pay to or on behalf of a Covered Individual that would otherwise be subject to the Plan's right of recovery. If the Covered Individual fails to repay the Plan from the proceeds of any recovery, the Plan Administrator may satisfy the lien by deducting the amount from future claims otherwise payable under the Plan.
If the Covered Individual fails to take action against a responsible third party to recover damages within one year or within 30 days after the Plan requests, the Plan shall be deemed to have acquired, by assignment or subrogation, a portion of the Covered Individual's claim equal to the amounts the Plan has paid on the Covered Individual's behalf. The Plan may thereafter commence proceedings directly against any responsible third party. The Plan shall not be deemed to waive its rights to commence action against a third party if it fails to act after the expiration of one year nor shall the Plan's failure to act be deemed a waiver or discharge of the lien described above.
The Covered Individual shall cooperate fully with the Plan in asserting claims against a responsible third party and such cooperation shall include, where requested, the filing of suit by the Covered Individual against a responsible third party and the giving of testimony in any action filed by the Plan. If a Covered Individual fails or refuses to cooperate in connection with the assertion of claims against a responsible third party, the Plan Administrator may deny payment of claims and treat prior claims paid as overpayments recoverable by offset against future Plan benefits or by other action of the Plan Administrator.
In addition, the Plan has a right to recover benefits that were paid in error (e.g., benefits paid to an ineligible person) or benefits that were obtained in a fraudulent manner, as determined by the Plan Administrator. Benefits may be recovered by either direct payment to the Plan by you or a beneficiary (through voluntary payments or legal action) or by an offset of future benefits equal to the amount of the overpayment.
Resources:
- » The Language of Health Insurance Companies & Claims
- » The Language of Hospitals, Health Insurance Claims & More
- » The Sample Explanation of Benefits Statements Table
- » Sample Explanation of Benefits Statement for Providers
- » The Language of Health Insurance Claims & Reimbursement
Articles:
- » A Smattering of Health Insurance News from Around the Nation
- » Massachusetts' Health Care Mandate a Success? Also, Online Health Records and Other News
- » Online Health Records in the News Again, Aetna Supports Health Insurance Reform and Health Care's Failures
Gerogia Consumers Guide to Health Insurance:
- » Introduction to the Georgia Health Insurance Consumer Guide
- » A Summary of Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Verification of Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Georgia Health Insurance Summary Notice
- » Important Georgia Health Insurance Phone Numbers
- » When Georgia Health Insurance Coverage Begins
- » When to Enroll in Georgia Health Insurance
- » Georgia Health Insurance Coverage Changes
- » Ending Georgia Health Insurance Coverage
- » Georgia Health Insurance Retirees & Employees Near Retirement
- » What Happens to Your Georgia Health Insurance if You Return to Active Service
- » How Georgia Health Insurance Benefits Work
- » Georgia Health Insurance Benefits Guide
- » More Information on Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Georgia Health Insurance Benefits Information
- » Further Information Regarding Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Georgia Health Insurance Network Mental Health Care and Substance Abuse Treatment Information
- » Georgia Health Insurance Prescription Drug Information
- » Georgia Health Insurance Exlusions from Coverage
- » Exlusions from Georgia Health Insurance Coverage
- » More Exclusions from Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Coordination of Georgia Health Insurance Benefits
- » Georgia Health Insurance Information on Subrogation
- » General Information Regarding Georgia Health Insurance
- » More General Information on Georgia Health Insurance
- » Georgia Health Insurance General Coverage Information
- » When Georgia Health Insurance Coverage Terminates
- » Georgia Health Insurance Definitions
- » More Definitions Regarding Georgia Health Insurance
- » More Relevant Definitions Discussing Georgia Health Insurance
- » Even More Useful Georgia Health Insurance Definitions
- » A Final Page of Georgia Health Insurance-Related Definitions
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