Jones v United Behavioral Health

Jones v United Behavioral Health (U.S. Dist. Ct Northern Dist. of Cal, case no. 19-cv-06999-RS, March 11, 2021).  Judge Richard Seeborg approved a class certification in a legal case similar to Wit vs. United Behavioral Health. This case addresses the “putative class members” who fell outside the bound of the Wit’s class definition.  Judge Seeborg notes:

Specifically, while the Wit class period ended June 1, 2017, UBH continued the offending practices from Wit for some eight months thereafter. Plaintiff’s claims accordingly stem from the same sort of coverage requests, denied by UBH under the same policy regime, in the period spanning June 2, 2017 (the day after the Wit class period closed) to February 7, 2018 (the day UBH changed policies). Advancing arguments already credited in Wit, plaintiff now seeks Rule 23 class certification. For the reasons set forth herein, the motion is granted.

In certifying the class, Judge Seeborg dives into some of the issues regarding the Wit case and the elements of certifying a class (such as commonality, typicality and adequacy).