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Oxford sued over Viagra
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May 19, 1998: 2:52 p.m. ET
Diabetes patient sues after insurer refuses to pay for impotence drug
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Health insurer Oxford Health Plans Inc. is facing a lawsuit over its refusal to cover the impotence wonder drug Viagra.
Paul Sibley-Schreiber, whose 25-year battle with diabetes left him impotent five years ago, is among the first to sue an insurance company over Pfizer Inc.'s popular impotence drug. His lawsuit against Oxford may be widened to include many other insurers that have denied or restricted coverage for Viagra.
Oxford paid for Sibley-Schreiber's first Viagra prescription, but the insurance company refused to cover a refill.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court for the Eastern District of New York, claims Oxford wrongly denied benefits for a "medically necessary" prescription drug. The suit calls for a prohibition of further denials and back compensation for Viagra prescriptions already paid for by patients.
The lawyers for the plaintiff are seeking class-action status for the suit to include those diagnosed as either physically or psychologically impotent by a doctor or therapist who have been denied full coverage for Viagra from their insurers.
Oxford declined to comment on the lawsuit Tuesday.
Many insurers, including Oxford, still are formulating definitive long-term coverage policies regarding Viagra, which sells for about $10 a pill. Oxford covers more invasive treatments for impotence, such as penile injections and suppositories. 
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