FARM BUREAU GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY v BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN
Docket No. 322423
Court of Appeals of Michigan
Submitted November 4, 2015. Decided November 17, 2015.
314 MICH APP 12
Approved for publication January 7, 2016, at 9:00 a.m.
The Court of Appeals held:
The trial court erred by denying Blue Cross‘s motion for summary disposition and by granting summary disposition in favor of Spectrum. Under the terms of Spectrum‘s participation agreement with Blue Cross, once its request for preapproval of services had been denied, Spectrum assumed financial responsibility for the services it rendered to Klein, and Blue Cross had no obligation to reimburse Farm Bureau. Although there were mechanisms in place for Klein or Spectrum to contest Blue
Reversed and remanded for entry of summary disposition in favor of Blue Cross and in favor of Farm Bureau in relation to its claims against Spectrum.
Willingham & Coté, PC (by Kimberlee A. Hillock and Torree J. Breen), for Farm Bureau General Insurance Company of Michigan.
Jesse A. Zapczynski for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Miller Johnson (by Richard E. Hillary, II, and Robert J. Christians) for Spectrum Health Continuing Care and Spectrum Health Rehab and Nursing Center.
Before: GADOLA, P.J., and HOEKSTRA and M. J. KELLY, JJ.
PER CURIAM. Defendant Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (hereinafter, Blue Cross) appeals as of right the order denying its motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10) (no genuine issue of material fact) and granting summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10) to plaintiff Farm Bureau General Insurance Company of Michigan (hereinafter, Farm Bureau) against Blue Cross. Farm Bureau cross-appeals that same order, which denied its motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10) against Spectrum Health Continuing Care and Spectrum Health Rehab and Nursing Center (hereinafter, Spectrum) and granted Spectrum‘s motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10) against Farm Bureau. This
I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
On October 22, 2011, Julie Klein was in a serious automobile accident and sustained grave injuries. At the time, Klein was covered under a Blue Cross health insurance policy and a no-fault coordinated automobile insurance policy with Farm Bureau that was designated excess and only paid for services not covered by Klein‘s health insurance policy. Spectrum is a skilled nursing facility, and it is under contract with Blue Cross as an approved facility subject to a participation agreement with Blue Cross. Klein received treatment at Spectrum following her automobile accident. Although Blue Cross initially approved and paid for 14 days of treatment at Spectrum, Blue Cross subse-
Relevant to this dispute, under the terms of Klein‘s policy, Blue Cross will not pay for “custodial care.” However, the policy does provide benefits for “skilled care and related physician services in a skilled nursing facility” at a participating skilled nursing facility, for a period of time that is “necessary for the proper care and treatment of the patient up to a maximum of 120 days per member, per calendar year.” The policy also states that a “service must be medically necessary to be covered,” and that the medical necessity determination would be made by
physicians acting for [Blue Cross], based on criteria and guidelines developed by physicians for [Blue Cross] who are acting for their respective provider type or medical specialty, that:
—The covered service is accepted as necessary and appropriate for the patient‘s condition. It is not mainly for the convenience of the member or physician.
In addition, Klein‘s policy with Blue Cross states that Blue Cross will not pay for “[t]hose [services] for which you legally do not have to pay....” The policy also contained a limitation on the ability of Klein to bring legal suits against Blue Cross, as follows:
Legal action against us may not begin later than two years after we have received a complete claim for services. No action or lawsuit may be started until 30 days after you notify us that our decision under the claim review procedure is unacceptable.
1. Noncovered services, unless the service has been deemed a noncovered service solely as a result of a determination by a Physician acting for [Blue Cross] that the service was not Medically Necessary, in which case, Facility assumes full financial responsibility for the denied claims. Facility may bill the Member for claims denied as Medically Unnecessary only as stated in paragraph 2., below;
2. Services determined by [Blue Cross] to be Medically Unnecessary, where the Member acknowledges that [Blue Cross] will not make payment for such services, and the Member has assumed financial responsibility for such services in writing and in advance of the receipt of such services[.] [Italics added.]
In addition, under Addendum F of the agreement, Spectrum agreed to cooperate with Blue Cross in the
In this case, Klein was admitted to Spectrum‘s facility on November 28, 2011. Spectrum sought precertification from Blue Cross, and Blue Cross approved Klein‘s stay at Spectrum‘s facility for 14 days. However, Blue Cross stated that precertification would again need to be sought for any length of stay at Spectrum‘s facility beyond 14 days. Near the conclusion of Klein‘s initial 14-day stay, Spectrum sought further precertification from Blue Cross for an additional 14 days. Blue Cross denied this request after its reviewing physician, Dr. Lopamudra Patel, determined that these services could not be considered medically necessary because Klein was not functioning at a level that would allow her to benefit from skilled nursing services at that time. Patel informed Spectrum that precertification could again be sought in two weeks, and that if Klein‘s condition had improved, then precertification may again be authorized. Blue Cross sent a letter to Klein‘s family informing them of its decision and Klein‘s right to appeal, and Blue Cross also informed Spectrum of its denial.
Neither Klein nor Spectrum sought a review of Blue Cross‘s decision. Further, no subsequent precertification approvals for Klein‘s treatment were sought from Blue Cross after the two-week period had elapsed. At no time did Klein acknowledge in writing that she was assuming financial responsibility for continued treatment involving denied claims for noncovered services. Nonetheless, Spectrum continued Klein‘s treatment, and Spectrum made the decision to simply bill Farm Bureau for the services provided to Klein after December 12, 2011. Farm Bureau paid these claims under
After paying these claims, Farm Bureau filed the instant action against Blue Cross and Spectrum. All three parties moved for summary disposition. Relevant to the present appeal, Farm Bureau argued that Blue Cross was responsible for providing primary medical care to Klein, meaning that Spectrum should have looked to Blue Cross, not Farm Bureau, for payment of Klein‘s medical bills. According to Farm Bureau, it was entitled to a return of sums paid from either Spectrum or Blue Cross. In contrast, among other arguments, Blue Cross maintained that, under the terms of its participating provider agreement, Spectrum had assumed financial responsibility for Klein‘s treatment so that Klein had no legal responsibility to pay and, under the terms of Klein‘s policy, Blue Cross could not be held liable for services for which Klein did not have to pay.
The trial court concluded that Spectrum was entitled to payment for services rendered to Klein, and that Blue Cross was responsible for the payment of these bills. The trial court thus granted summary disposition to Spectrum on Farm Bureau‘s claim, stating that “it appears that the dispute really lies between Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the secondary insurer, Farm Bureau.” The trial court then granted Farm Bureau‘s motion for summary disposition on its claim against Blue Cross and required Blue Cross to reimburse Farm Bureau, ruling that, as the primary in-
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
This Court reviews the grant or denial of summary disposition de novo. Maiden v Rozwood, 461 Mich 109, 118; 597 NW2d 817 (1999). “A motion under MCR 2.116(C)(10) tests the factual sufficiency of the complaint.” Id. at 120. A motion under MCR 2.116(C)(10) is properly granted if the evidence fails to establish a genuine issue of any material fact. Allison v AEW Capital Mgt LLP, 481 Mich 419, 424; 751 NW2d 8 (2008). “There is a genuine issue of material fact when reasonable minds could differ on an issue after viewing the record in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.” Id. at 425.
The interpretation of an insurance contract is a question of law that is reviewed de novo. Henderson v State Farm Fire & Cas Co, 460 Mich 348, 353; 596 NW2d 190 (1999). “[I]nsurance policies are subject to the same contract construction principles that apply to any other species of contract.” Rory v Continental Ins Co, 473 Mich 457, 461; 703 NW2d 23 (2005) (emphasis omitted). “The primary goal in the construction or interpretation of any contract is to honor the intent of the parties[.]” Klapp v United Ins Group Agency, Inc, 468 Mich 459, 473; 663 NW2d 447 (2003) (quotation marks and citation omitted). Contractual language is given its ordinary and plain meaning, Royal Prop Group, LLC v Prime Ins Syndicate, Inc, 267 Mich App 708, 715; 706 NW2d 426 (2005), and courts must “give
III. ANALYSIS
The present dispute involves the interplay between a health insurance policy and a coordinated no-fault insurance policy. Specifically, the parties agree that, as a general proposition, Blue Cross was primary in terms of liability for Klein‘s medical expenses. Nonetheless, on appeal, Blue Cross argues that the trial court erred by granting Farm Bureau‘s motion for summary disposition because Blue Cross had reasonably denied Klein‘s claims on the basis of Blue Cross‘s determination of medical necessity in keeping with the plain language of its policy. In contrast, Farm Bureau maintains that Blue Cross, as Klein‘s health insurer, was primarily responsible for the payment of Klein‘s medical expenses, including the expenses at issue. Alternatively, both Farm Bureau and Blue Cross also argue that, by virtue of its provider agreement with Blue Cross, Spectrum assumed financial liability for Klein‘s expenses that were denied by Blue Cross in connection with the preapproval process as not being medically necessary. Accordingly, Blue Cross and Farm Bureau maintain that they have no obligation to pay these medical expenses. For the reasons discussed below, we conclude that Spectrum assumed liability for the expenses at issue and that, in these unique circum-
Under
In this case, it is undisputed that Klein had a coordinated no-fault policy with Farm Bureau and that, as a result of this coordinated policy, Blue Cross
In our judgment, these provisions are clear and unambiguous, and they are dispositive with respect to Spectrum‘s entitlement to payment from both Farm Bureau and Blue Cross. That is, with respect to Farm Bureau, the effect of Spectrum‘s participating provider agreement is to relieve Klein from responsibility for paying for Spectrum‘s services, and, because Klein has no legal responsibility for the medical costs, Farm Bureau has no obligation to pay for these expenses under
However, under the terms of Spectrum‘s provider agreement, once its request for preapproval of these services had been denied as not being medically necessary, Spectrum contractually assumed financial liability for the services rendered, and it was contractually prohibited from attempting to bill Klein individually for these services unless Klein assumed responsibility in writing, which she did not do.3 Spec-
Reversed and remanded for entry of summary disposition in favor of Blue Cross and for entry of summary disposition in favor of Farm Bureau in relation to its claims against Spectrum. We do not retain jurisdiction.
GADOLA, P.J., and HOEKSTRA and M. J. KELLY, JJ., concurred.
