Physicians have proposed the American Medical Association consider filing a class action lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group and its Optum and Change Healthcare subsidiaries following the latter's data breach in February.
Physician members allege Optum and Change Healthcare, which processed about 50% of all medical claims as of March, received unjust enrichment by continuing to collect premiums while the breach caused cash flow issues and care interruptions for many providers across the country, according to a resolution before the AMA House of Delegates, one of many recently introduced.
Related article: Change Healthcare seeks to combine 2 dozen breach lawsuits
The resolution also alleged that Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based Optum has acquired physician practices and providers that were severely impacted by the breach and could not afford to stay open without a buyout.
It proposes a lawsuit seeking damages from the alleged unjust enrichment, which would be distributed to "practices whose retained payments allowed them to generate interest and investment profits."
The resolution was introduced by Dr. Barbara McAneny, an oncologist from New Mexico and former AMA president.
If the AMA decides to go forward with the legal action, it would join dozens of other lawsuits against Change Healthcare, Optum and UnitedHealth Group following the breach. UnitedHealth in April attempted to consolidate lawsuits filed against it and its subsidiaries.
UnitedHealth Group, Change Healthcare and Optum did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
