Allstate v. 00804

In Allstate v. 00804 filed in 2011, Allstate claimed that Dr. Izzie Stevens was not the sole owner of seven clinics even though she is listed on sunbiz.org as the President for each of the clinics.

Allstate claimed that Dr. Izzie Stevens (1) did not manage, operate, or supervise the clinics; (2) allowed the real owners (non-medical professionals) to manage the clinics; (3) did not share in the profits of the clinics; (4) did not have a key to the clinics; (5) did not own the equipment at the clinics; (6) did not participate in the decisions to hire/fire of employees at the clinics; (7) did not sign the leases; (8) did not participate in the marketing/advertising of the clinics; (9) did not determine the manner in which each clinic carried out its medical treatment protocols; (10) did not handling the pricing for the CPT codes; (11) did not make the decision for the hours of operation of each clinic; (12) did not pay the employees other than herself. 

Allstate pointed out several odd things you wouldn’t find if all the clinics were owned by the same person:

-each clinic operated under an entirely different corporate name instead of having a consistent brand name;

-each clinic used different forms for SOAP notes, intake paperwork, and examination reports;

-each clinic had a different way of treating patients after a car accident;

-each clinic charged a different amount for the same CPT code;

-each clinic had totally different hours when they were open.

Basically, the only thing in common between the seven clinics was that the same doctor was listed on sunbiz.org as the President.  This case went to trial and the jury agreed that the doctor was not the real owner and ordered the doctor to pay back almost $1,000,000.  This case was appealed by the doctor and the appellate court sided with Allstate.