Arizona Supreme Court

United Behavioral Health v. Maricopa Integrated Health System

August 25, 2016

Summary

The court held that Medicare’s mandatory administrative review process preempts contractual arbitration of providers’ disputes over whether Medicare Advantage inpatient services were medically necessary and covered. It also held that the court deciding arbitrability must not resolve Aurora’s standing or other merits defenses, and remanded the ERISA-related arbitrability question for that limited determination. The court affirmed the stay of Medicare-related arbitration in the Aurora case and ordered a stay in the MIHS case.