Class Action Status

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Aetna lumbar disc replacement (L-ADR) coverage settlement

Brian Hendricks and Andrew Sagalongos v. Aetna Life Insurance Company (consolidated with Andrew Howard v. Aetna Life Insurance Company)

Also known as Aetna L-ADR settlement; Hendricks v. Aetna; Atticus Administration

The lawsuit was about Aetna denying single-level lumbar disc replacement as experimental until February 2023.

Copied from the official notice. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.

Open File by Monday, Dec 28, 2026 (by mail).

You could get
Future surgery coverage Up to $55,000 for the surgery.
Source
“up to a maximum amount of $55,000”

From the administrator site: Official Aetna Future Surgery Claim Form for current members (Exhibit F, PDF on official site). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
You need
Papers needed Needs the code from your notice Claimant ID and last name (to open the claim page on the settlement site) Takes work: describes the claim form only
Source
“Aetna member ID number: ... Aetna coverage group name or employer name (if applicable): ... Requesting Provider name: Requesting Provider NPI: Requesting Provider phone number: Requesting Provider fax number: ... One way is to ask your surgeon to complete the Surgeon Certification below on this page. The second way is to ask your surgeon to give you a signed letter of medical necessity, which you must then submit with your completed form.”

From the administrator site: Official Aetna Future Surgery Claim Form for current members (Exhibit F, PDF on official site). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
Who can file
Denied L-ADR by Aetna 2016-2023 and now an Aetna member
Source
“If Aetna denied your precertification request or post-service claim for single-level lumbar artificial disc replacement surgery (L-ADR) on the ground that L-ADR was “investigational” or “experimental,” and if you have not had an L-ADR surgery, you may use this form to request relief under the Hendricks-Howard class action settlement for a future L-ADR surgery. ... If you do not currently receive health coverage through Aetna: You can seek relief under the settlement, but you must start with a different form. You must first submit the Former Aetna Member Claim Form. ... If you are eligible, you then have 180 days from eligibility notice mailing to submit this form to Atticus Administration at the address below.”

From the administrator site: Official Aetna Future Surgery Claim Form for current members (Exhibit F, PDF on official site). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.

Where
Anywhere in the U.S.
Source
“Hendricks Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from August 7, 2016 through February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an abuse of discretion standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice." Howard Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from March 4, 2019 February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an de novo standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice."”

From the administrator site: Official FAQ page (read through the site's WordPress pages feed). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.

Time to file
About 20 minutes
Source

Our estimate of how long the official claim form takes. The notice does not say.

From the official site: ladrsurgerysettlement.com. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.

File free on the official site
Official site: ladrsurgerysettlement.com

Free. The official site never charges.

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Quick answers

How much is the Aetna lumbar disc replacement (L-ADR) coverage settlement payout?

Future surgery coverage. Up to $55,000 for the surgery.

Where is the Aetna lumbar disc replacement (L-ADR) coverage settlement claim form?

On the official site, www.ladrsurgerysettlement.com. Filing is free. The last day to file is Dec 28, 2026.

Open the claim form on www.ladrsurgerysettlement.com

When will the Aetna lumbar disc replacement (L-ADR) coverage settlement pay?

Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.

For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.

Is the Aetna lumbar disc replacement (L-ADR) coverage settlement legit?

The settlement administrator (the company that handles claims) is Atticus, and the official site is www.ladrsurgerysettlement.com. Real notices point there; if a link in a message goes anywhere else, do not use it.

The official site never asks you to pay to file.

How to check a notice or a text

Compare yourself to the official class definition

You may be included if Aetna denied single-level L-ADR as experimental or investigational, 8/7/2016–2/8/2023 (from 3/4/2019 if de novo).

It covers people in ERISA plans insured or administered by Aetna who were mailed the Notice.

It covers, for the open form, people with no L-ADR yet who are current Aetna members or former members found eligible.

Check each condition yourself. The boxes are only for you; nothing is sent or stored.

The court’s exact words

Hendricks Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from August 7, 2016 through February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an abuse of discretion standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice." Howard Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from March 4, 2019 February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an de novo standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice."

From the administrator site: Official FAQ page (read through the site's WordPress pages feed)

This checklist is for guidance only and can be wrong. Only the court's definition decides. Read the official wording before you file.

How to file

  1. Find the code from your notice

    • Claimant ID and last name (to open the claim page on the settlement site)

    No notice, or lost it?

  2. Gather what you need

    You will need supporting documents.

    • Your Aetna member ID and coverage group name or number, if any
    • Your surgeon's signed certification on the form, or a signed letter of medical necessity
    • Your surgeon's name, NPI, phone and fax number

  3. File online, or by mail

    At www.ladrsurgerysettlement.com, by Dec 28, 2026. Filing is free.

    Or mail a paper claim form to:Hendricks and Howard v Aetna Life Insurance Co., c/o Atticus Administration, PO Box 64053, Saint Paul, MN 55164

    The deadline note says: “Current Aetna members: submit the Aetna Future Surgery Claim Form by December 28, 2026, by mail to the address on the form.”“The form does not say whether that is a postmark or a receipt date, and no time of day is stated.”

  4. Save your confirmation

    Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again.

Confirm with the administrator before you act.

After you file

Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.

For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.

See what is known about payments in other settlements

Also ending this week

Case details
Case
Brian Hendricks and Andrew Sagalongos v. Aetna Life Insurance Company (consolidated with Andrew Howard v. Aetna Life Insurance Company)
Court
United States District Court for the Central District of California
Case number
2:19-cv-6840-AB (consolidated with 2:22-cv-01505-AB)
Administrator
Atticus
Full payout terms
Coverage for a future L-ADR surgery, up to $55,000Current Aetna members who were denied single-level L-ADR and have not had the surgery can submit a new coverage request. If the planned surgery is authorized, they have 180 days to have it, then can be reimbursed for documented out-of-pocket costs or have Aetna pay the surgeon directly, up to $55,000. Reimbursement claims for past surgeries closed September 29, 2026.
Effort
Hard, about 20 minutes
Other dates
Opt-out (exclusion) deadline
(passed) source document
Objection deadline
(passed) source document
Final approval hearing
(passed) source document
Final approval granted
From the administrator site. Order not read.The settlement website's home page and Important Dates page give this date; the final approval order was not read. Source: administrator site
The court’s exact words

Hendricks Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from August 7, 2016 through February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an abuse of discretion standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice." Howard Action: "All persons: (1) covered under Aetna Plans, governed by ERISA, self-funded or fully insured, (2) whose requests for single-level L-ADR were denied from March 4, 2019 February 8, 2023 on the ground that L-ADR is experimental or investigational, and (3) whose denials will be subject to an de novo standard of review by the district court, and (4) who are mailed the Notice."

Quoted from the official notice. Read the notice for the full definition.

Our notes: The case was about Aetna's alleged practice, until February 8, 2023, of denying single-level lumbar artificial disc replacement (L-ADR) as experimental or investigational under ERISA-governed plans it insured or administered. There are two classes: Hendricks (denials from August 7, 2016) and Howard (denials from March 4, 2019, reviewed de novo), both through February 8, 2023, and both limited to people who were mailed the Notice. The court granted final approval on June 5, 2026. Two of the three claim deadlines have passed: former Aetna members (August 31, 2026) and reimbursement for past surgeries (September 29, 2026). The form still open is the Aetna Future Surgery Claim Form for current Aetna members who have not had the surgery, due December 28, 2026; former members already found eligible have 180 days from their eligibility notice to file it. Read the FAQ and the form for the full rules.

Sources and checks (6)

Every fact people act on was copied from the official source and compared with it. How we check

What changedLast change Oct 27, 2026
  • Tightened who-may-be-included wording after a final independent read. source document
  • Fact check fixes. The class definition now shows both classes (Hendricks and Howard), not only Hendricks. The who-may-be-included lines now give the review-standard date rule (denials from March 4, 2019 count when reviewed de novo) and say former Aetna members found eligible can also use the open form. source document
  • Page created. The current Aetna member future-surgery claim form is open until December 28, 2026; the former-member and reimbursement deadlines have passed. source document
Questions

I already filed. What now?

Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again. Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval; once it does, the payment status page shows what is known.

File free on the official site Opens www.ladrsurgerysettlement.com