Stadler v. St. Croix Regional Medical Center, Inc.
State of Wisconsin Circuit Court
Polk County
Case No. 2019 CV 333
This Notice relates to a lawsuit alleging that the Defendant, St. Croix Regional Medical Center, charged fees in excess of those permitted by Wisconsin law when providing copies of healthcare billing records in response to requests from patients or persons authorized by patients (typically a lawyer handling a personal injury lawsuit for the patient).
Both the patients and the persons authorized by the patients to request the records are members of the proposed Settlement Class with the patients being referred to as Patient Class Members and the persons authorized by the patients being referred to as Requestor Class Members.
Unless a Requestor Class Member submits a claim and certification that the allegedly excessive fee was not passed along to the Patient Class Member, the cash payments to be made pursuant to the proposed settlement can be claimed by the Patient Class Members.
• These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in the Notice.
• The Notice concerns a civil action or lawsuit called Stadler v. St. Croix Regional Medical Center, Inc., Polk County Wisconsin Case No. 2019 CV 333.
• Plaintiff Sara J. Stadler alleges in the action that the Defendant St. Croix Regional Medical Center, Inc. – charged fees in excess of those permitted by Wisconsin law when providing copies of healthcare billing records to patients or other persons authorized by the patients. The complaint in the action seeks compensatory damages, exemplary damages and attorneys’ fees. Defendant denies that they are liable in any amount.
• The proposed settlement of the action affects any patient or person authorized by the patient who paid a fee for the patient’s healthcare billing records in excess of that permitted by Wisconsin law and who is identified in the spreadsheet marked as Exhibit D and attached to the Settlement Agreement. You are receiving the Notice because your name appears in this data.
• In the proposed settlement, Defendant will pay up to 1.5 times the amount of the disputed fees to reimburse the Settlement Class for the allegedly excessive fees. The Class Representative will seek a $2,500 class incentive fee from this amount. The Settlement Class Members who claim reimbursement will be paid a pro rata share, to a maximum of 1.5 times the amount of the allegedly excessive fee paid by each one.
• Defendant has also agreed to pay for the costs associated with the administration of the settlement.
• Class Counsel (the lawyers who brought the lawsuit) will ask the Court for $90,000.00 in attorneys’ fees and expenses, which, if approved by the Court, will be paid by Defendant.
• The Court still has to decide whether to approve the settlement. Cash payments will be sent to Settlement Class Members who claim reimbursement only if the Court approves the settlement. If there are appeals, payments will not be made unless and until the appeals are resolved and the settlement becomes effective.
• Fairness Hearing. On January 31, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., the Court will hold a hearing to determine:
(i) whether the proposed settlement should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate and should receive final approval; (ii) whether the Released Claims of the Settlement Class against the Released Parties should be dismissed with prejudice; and (iii) whether Class Counsel’s application for a Fee Award should be granted. The hearing will be held in Circuit Court of Polk County Wisconsin in the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Scott J. Nordstrand. This hearing date may change without further notice to you. Consult the Court docket in this case for updated information on the hearing date and time.
• Your legal rights are affected whether you act or do not act. Read this Notice carefully.
PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE THE COURT OR THE COURT CLERK’S OFFICE TO
INQUIRE ABOUT THIS SETTLEMENT.