W.W. Grainger Suit Says Aetna Drained Health Plans, Hid Misdeeds

Industrial supplier W.W. Grainger Inc. filed a lawsuit saying Aetna Life Insurance Co. mismanaged its self-funded health plans by approving false and excessive claims and pocketing money that should have gone to medical providers.

Aetna took money from Grainger “under the guise of claims administration” but put only a fraction of that money toward workers’ medical claims, keeping the rest for itself, the company said in its complaint. Aetna approved false and fraudulent claims and engaged in “active deception” to conceal its misdeeds, including limiting Grainger’s audit rights, providing false or inaccurate claims reports, and preventing Grainger from accessing ...