Quest Diagnostics, CCS Unlawfully Demand Payment for Debts Covered by Workers’ Comp, Lawsuit Says

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims Quest Diagnostics and debt collector Credit Collection Services have violated several Florida laws by attempting to collect medical debts from injured employees.

According to the 13-page case, Florida’s workers’ compensation statute prohibits healthcare providers from attempting to collect payments from employees who were injured “in the course and scope of their employment.” Moreover, the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act prohibits creditors from claiming, attempting or threatening to enforce a debt that they know is not legitimate, the suit notes.

Per the case, Quest and CCS have violated these statutes by “routinely and systematically” attempting to collect payment from injured employees whose medical services were fully covered by workers’ compensation.

The plaintiff, a Broward County, Florida resident, says she was injured in the course and scope of her employment and sought medical care, part of which was provided by Quest, a conglomerate of clinical laboratories that offer lab testing services across the United States, Mexico and Brazil.

According to the case, Quest and CCS were both informed by the plaintiff’s workers’ compensation carrier, BroadSpire, that it had covered the woman’s medical debt.

“Defendants therefore had actual knowledge that the debt was covered by Workers’ Comp,” the complaint contends.

The defendants nevertheless jointly attempted to collect the medical debt from the plaintiff directly instead of submitting the bill to BroadSpire as instructed, the suit claims. The case says Quest and CCS repeatedly mailed collection letters and called the plaintiff, demanding payment in full even though they knew the debt was “illegitimate.”

According to the suit, Quest has previously been sued “for the exact same allegations contained in the instant Complaint” yet has continued to “engage in this illegal conduct.”

The lawsuit looks to represent Florida residents to whom, at any time within the past two years and until the date of class certification, Quest, CCS or a third party acting on their behalf sent a bill for medical-related fees that arose from a workers’ compensation claim.

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