Florida Spine & Joint Institute and GEICO Settle Dispute

Florida Spine & Joint Institute (FSJI) and GEICO have settled their dispute over intentional interference with contractual relations and defamation.

In April 2020, FSJI sued GEICO for $750,000, claiming that GEICO had wrongfully refused to reimburse FSJI for personal injury protection (PIP) benefits coverage and had made false statements concerning FSJI’s business practices by sending letters to policyholders accusing FSJI of fraudulent medical billing. Florida law requires motor vehicle owners to maintain PIP coverage, which pays the insured’s medical expenses regardless of fault.

Terms of the settlement include:

• FSJI and GEICO have resolved all claims brought forth in the litigation and any pending claims.
• FSJI and GEICO have established a streamlined method for the payment of claims at agreed upon fees for Florida Spine & Joint services provided to GEICO customers, and implemented an expedited dispute resolution process to address disagreements regarding claim payments.
• GEICO has acknowledged that it has no reason to believe Florida Spine & Joint is in violation of the Florida Health Care Clinic Act or PIP statutes.

Ryan Fulcher, CEO of the Florida Spine & Joint Institute/iRise Spine and Joint, told OTW, “We are excited that as part of the resolution with GEICO, we have not only resolved all past issues between us, but also established a streamlined method moving forward for the payment of claims at agreed upon fees that ensures we can provide the care our patients need.”

At the beginning of 2020, FSJI rebranded itself as iRise Spine and Joint. iRISE stands for “imaging, rehab, injections, surgery and extremity.” iRise is an 18 location orthopedic practice with facilities throughout Florida and Tennessee.

GEICO is the nation’s second largest insurance company.

For additional OTW coverage of the FSJI and GEICO dispute, see “Florida Spine and Joint Institute Sue GEICO for Over $750,000.”