From Send2Press® Newswire
Legal and Law News
Texas Doctor Files Case Pro Se in U.S. Supreme Court Against
Insurance Giant on Integrity and Unethical Practices
Edited by Carly Zander
Thu, 24 Sep 2009, 05:59:11 EDT
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 24 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Dralves Edwards, a board-certified family physician in Dallas
today filed a civil case in the U.S. Supreme Court against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, the contractor for Medicare. For
the past 13 years, Edwards has challenged the integrity and unethical practices of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and is
confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in a responsible way that every Medicare provider and patient benefits.
In 2003, the original suit was filed in Dallas district court alleging that BCBS engaged in fraud, gross negligence, and criminal
acts that, according to Edwards, forced him to close his doors. Today, he works as a hospital emergency room physician.
BCBS responded to the suit by removing it to federal court, but the case was remanded back to district court. BCBS then filed
a "No Evidence" Motion for Summary Judgment that was granted sovereign immunity by the lower courts.
Edwards acknowledges that lower court decisions have historically disagreed with well established U.S. Supreme Court cases
(i.e., Ardary vs. Aetna; Heckler vs. Ringer; and Kelly vs. Advantage Health, Rochester vs. Travelers).
In 1997, Edwards says BCBS caused irreparable harm to his thriving practice and marred his professional name when he was
placed on a 100 percent prepayment review. For three consecutive years, 96 percent of his claims were denied; his practice
was 90 percent Medicare.
"I provided free transportation and made house calls that saved Medicare millions of dollars," reports Edwards. "These were
patients who probably would have ended up in the emergency room."
In October 1996, Edwards was featured in USA Today as, "One of the few doctors in America making house calls."
BCBS denied most of Ed