Pinellas County Court on Application of Deductible

April 11, 2016

In Bayfront Health Education & Research Organization Inc. v. Progressive American Insurance Co., the Plaintiff billed the Defendant for services. The Defendant reduced the bills, subtracted the insured’s deductible, and paid eighty percent of the difference. Under Florida Statute § 627.736, the Defendant pled that only reasonable, related, and necessary “medical expenses are reimbursable and likewise applicable to any deductible.” The Plaintiff moved for summary judgment claiming that the Defendant misapplied the deductible. The Plaintiff claimed that the deductible should be applied to the amount billed.

The Court held that Florida Statute § 627.739(2) “requires the deductible be applied to 100 percent of the reasonable expenses.”

The Court construed Florida Statute § 627.739(2) and Florida Statute § 627.736. Under Florida Statute § 627.739(2), “[t]he deductible amount must be applied to 100 percent of the expenses and losses described in s. 627.736.” The Court looked to Florida Statute § 627.736 “to determine the expenses and losses described.” The Court said that Florida Statute § 627.736 “describes the payable expenses as ‘reasonable expenses.’”

The Court also found that “the deductible is applied to 100% of all reasonable expenses” under the insurance contract.

The Court interpreted the insurance contract. Under the insurance contract, “the deductible will be applied to 100% of the expenses and losses covered under Personal Injury Protection Coverage.” The Court said that “[m]edical benefits are part of the Personal Injury Protection Coverage and defined as 80% of all reasonable expenses.”

In sum, under Florida Statute § 627.739(2), Florida Statute § 627.736, and the insurance contract, the Court held that “the deductible is applied to 100% of the provider’s reasonable expenses.”

Order Denying Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, in Part, and Granting, in Part, Bayfront Health Educ. & Research Org. Inc. v. Progressive Am. Ins. Co., No. 12-5556-SC (Fla. Pinellas Cty. Ct. 2015).