Insurance Lawsuits Surface in Las Vegas Hepatitis Outbreak

LAS VEGAS — A hepatitis outbreak caused by the reuse of vials and syringes at two Las Vegas endoscopy centers was last spring linked to nine confirmed cases of hepatitis C and another 80-plus cases of hepatitis B, C and HIV, and is now attracting insurance-related lawsuits, according to news services such as Fox 5 News, a Las Vegas station.

Several lawsuits have been filed as a result of the outbreak and not all are against the doctor and facilities involved. In one case, a patient is suing a local insurance company who she said forced her to go to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas Now reported.

Alynna Griffiths, 71, said not only would her insurance company, PacifiCare of Nevada, only cover procedures at that endoscopy center, the insurance company will now only refer her to the very doctor who performed the procedures who she said gave her hepatitis C, Las Vegas Now continued.

Months ago, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Southern Nevada Heath District investigation of the outbreak lead to the closure of five facilities. Dr. Dipak Desai, the owner of one of the sources of the outbreak, the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, voluntarily stopped practicing medicine and will not continue until the investigation is comple. Five of the nurses from the same center recused their licenses.

To read the Las Vegas Now article, click here.

To read a related story from the Las Vegas Sun that ran in spring of 2008, click here.

To read the Fox News story, click here.