Medicare Secondary Payer--liability of alleged tortfeasors. Mason v. American tobacco company.
The Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) statute does not provide individuals whose medical costs have been paid for by Medicare with a right of recovery against alleged tortfeasors (wrongdoers). Tobacco companies are not self-insured primary plans under the MSP statute because they have no existing contractual obligation to pay the health care costs of those injured by smoking.
D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal / Q000191:economics*; D006278:Medicare; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States