Under the settlement terms, what liens/obligations are being addressed by the Lien Resolution Administrator and what are the responsibilites of plaintiff to counsel?
The Master Settlement Agreement tasks the LRA with resolving government liens and obligations arising out of the Vioxx Settlement. These are traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) and Medicaid liens and obligations, which the LRA will address and resolve affirmatively (meaning the LRA will facilitate resolution by working directly with Medicare and Medicaid on behalf of all Enrolling Claimants as a condition of the Claimants’ participation in the Vioxx Settlement Program). Also included in the category of “governmental authority liens” are those asserted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), TRICARE and Indian Health Services, which the LRA also will address on a case-by-case basis upon notice provided by a Enrolling Claimant, his or her counsel, or the agencies. Under the Master Settlement Agreement, the LRA does not have the task of addressing other healthcare liens, such as those arising under private insurance, ERISA and other employee health plans or supplemental / replacement
