Patchett v. Lee
Indiana Supreme Court
60 N.E.3d 1025 (2016)
Relevant factsFree
After Patchett (defendant) caused a car accident injuring Lee (plaintiff), Lee's medical bills totaled over $87,000, but under his government-sponsored Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) coverage, his providers accepted just over $12,000 as full payment; the trial court excluded evidence of this discounted reimbursement as potentially confusing to the jury, and the court of appeals affirmed, prompting Lee's further appeal.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant in a personal-injury suit may introduce evidence of discounted reimbursements negotiated between the plaintiff's medical providers and his health insurer, so long as insurance itself is not referenced.