Hansen v. Group Health Cooperative

Providers filed a class action in state court alleging that GHC violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act by using the Milliman Care Guidelines for mental healthcare coverage. After GHC removed to federal court, the district court denied Providers' motion to remand and granted a motion to dismiss in part. The district court then declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Providers' claims as to GHC's administration of non-Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) plans, and remanded that part of the case back to Washington state court.The Ninth Circuit reversed, holding that Providers' claims did not fall within the scope of, and so were not completely preempted by, section 502(a)(1)(B) of ERISA. The panel reversed the district court's exercise of subject matter jurisdiction in dismissing these claims, and remanded with instructions for the district court to return the entirety of this action to the Washington superior court. View "Hansen v. Group Health Cooperative" on Justia Law