October 27, 2011

Trimed Med. Supply, Inc. v Clarendon Natl. Ins. Co. (2011 NY Slip Op 52014(U))

Headnote

The court considered the appeal from an order denying a defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint in an action by a medical supplier to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits. The defendant had submitted an affirmed peer review report which stated that there was a lack of medical necessity for the supplies at issue. The court found that the defendant's showing that the supplies were not medically necessary was not rebutted by the plaintiff, and that the defendant had timely denied the claim based on a lack of medical necessity. The main issue decided was whether the defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint should have been granted, and the court held that it should have been granted, reversing the lower court's decision. Consequently, the defendant's cross-motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint was granted.

Reported in New York Official Reports at Trimed Med. Supply, Inc. v Clarendon Natl. Ins. Co. (2011 NY Slip Op 52014(U))

Trimed Med. Supply, Inc. v Clarendon Natl. Ins. Co. (2011 NY Slip Op 52014(U)) [*1]
Trimed Med. Supply, Inc. v Clarendon Natl. Ins. Co.
2011 NY Slip Op 52014(U) [33 Misc 3d 135(A)]
Decided on October 27, 2011
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.
Decided on October 27, 2011

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

APPELLATE TERM: 2nd, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., WESTON and RIOS, JJ
2010-1416 RI C.
Trimed Medical Supply, Inc. as Assignee of NATALIE NEVINS, Respondent,

against

Clarendon National Ins. Co., Defendant.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Richmond County (Katherine A. Levine, J.), dated April 17, 2008. The order, insofar as appealed from as limited by the brief, denied defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed, without costs, and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, defendant appeals, as limited by its brief, from so much of an order as denied its cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

In support of its cross motion, defendant submitted, among other things, an affirmed peer review report which set forth the factual basis and medical rationale for the doctor’s determination that there was a lack of medical necessity for the supplies at issue. Defendant’s showing that such supplies were not medically necessary was not rebutted by plaintiff. In light of the foregoing, and the Civil Court’s implicit CPLR 3212 (g) finding that defendant had timely denied the claim based on a lack of medical necessity, a finding which plaintiff does not challenge, defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint should have been granted (see Urban Radiology, P.C. v Tri-State Consumer Ins. Co., 27 Misc 3d 140[A], 2010 NY Slip Op 50987[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2010]; Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co., 24 Misc 3d 136[A], 2009 NY Slip Op 51502[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2009]; Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 18 Misc 3d 128[A], 2007 NY Slip Op 52455[U] [App Term, 2d & 11th Jud Dists 2007]; A. Khodadadi Radiology, P.C. v NY Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 16 Misc 3d 131[A], 2007 NY Slip Op 51342[U] [App Term, 2d & 11th Jud Dists 2007]). Plaintiff’s contention that the order denying defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment should be affirmed since plaintiff was not in possession of the documents that the peer reviewer relied upon is without merit (see Urban Radiology, P.C., 27 Misc 3d 140[A], 2010 NY Slip Op 50987[U]).

Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted. [*2]

Pesce, P.J., Weston and Rios, JJ., concur.
Decision Date: October 27, 2011