Dive Brief:

Aetna and Optum have finalized an almost $8.4 million class settlement over allegations that the two companies used so-called “dummy codes” to hide administrative expenses in patients’ medical charges, driving up their out-of-pocket costs.

The settlement approved Thursday by the Western District Court of North Carolina requires Aetna to pay $4.6 million and Optum to pay $200,000 into a settlement fund covering patients and health plans for the overpayments. Aetna has also agreed to pay almost $3.6 million in attorneys’ fees

The settlement brings an almost decade-long case to a close.

Dive Insight:

Sandra Peters, a retiree with Aetna health insurance, filed the complaint in 2015 alleging that Aetna and Optum Health, Optum’s care delivery unit, failed to uphold thei

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