Outbreak Victims to Get Third Check

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The trustee of a fund for victims of the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak says that a third and final distribution is expected next year and $11.5 million already is in hand.
Details on the fund were included in an annual report filed today in U.S. District Court in Boston, Mass by Lynne Riley, the trustee. According to her report that final distribution is expected in March of 2021.
"Assuming all funds become available to the tort trustee, these are additional funds that will be included in the third and final distribution in 2021," the report states.
Riley is overseeing the distribution of funds set aside for victims of the fungal meningitis outbreak. The funds were amassed from the bankruptcy of the New England Compounding Center, the company that produced the fungus tainted spinal steroids that sickened hundreds of unsuspecting patients.
As of May 31, Riley reported, a total of 2,353 claims were filed by victims of the outbreak and 2,027 of those claims were fully or partially approved. Those payments totaled $97,659,209.
According to Riley 283 claims were fully denied.
Prior to the distribution to victims, claims from the Medicare and Medicaid programs and private insurers were processed for 1,976 victims, Riley reported, adding that 1,970 victims have now received two payments.
The trustee also reported that separate claims were also paid from settlements with individual health
providers- Inspira Health, Insight Imaging and High Point Surgery Center.
Nineteen claims totaling $2.6 million were paid from Highpoint while 47 claims totaling $12.1 million were paid from Inspira. A total of $34.1 million was paid for 177 claims against Insight.