It is good to see how so many people in the United States are conscious about their health, and they like to keep a record of that, too. And in that, sure enough, portals like MyChart are a big help. Quite literally, millions of people are users of MyChart at the moment. But recently, we saw some legal drama surrounding MyChart. It all actually erupted when MyChart announced or released some new rules or user agreement. So, if you don’t exactly know what is going on with this case, then just keep on reading for now because it has turned into a full-fledged MyChart Lawsuit.
Epic Systems’ New User Agreement
Everyone who wants to access MyChart will have to comply with a new requirement set by Epic Systems these days. A consent to binding arbitration is being requested from users at the time of their login. To put it in simple terms, this just means:
- You give up the right to sue Epic in a regular court.
- You also lose the option to join a class-action lawsuit.
In case something happens to be awry, you will have to solve it one-on-one via arbitration, which is a private process where typically companies have the upper hand.
If you disagree, you will only have access to MyChart, but in a limited fashion with fewer features.
And Why Exactly Is This A Big Thing Or Matter Anyway?
Arbitration typically favors the side of the company. It is obvious from the studies that patients or consumers lose the majority of the time. It also makes the dispute private and cheaper for corporations. For patients, it translates into just standing there against a large company without the strength in numbers of a class action.
During a period when data leaks have entered the courts in different organizations within the healthcare industry, Epic appears to be pushing forward with this change. Many have viewed this as Epic trying to protect itself from future lawsuits.
Legal Questions Around Monopoly
Almost 80% of Americans are using the MyChart by Epic, while about 40% of hospital systems use it. At such a grand scale, courts may question the validity of forcing arbitration. In fact, courts have found similar contracts to be invalid in other industries, such as in the Ticketmaster case.
Epic has, in fact, already faced accusations of monopolistic-type behavior. On the other hand, it adds a whole other level of consideration to possible legal challenges against its arbitration agreements.
What About Canada?
Epic has, however, imposed this arbitration regime on 2.8 million MyChart users in Canada. In consequence, provinces such as British Columbia and Ontario have strong consumer protection laws. Such laws may render such arbitration clauses unenforceable.
While the concern is getting aired by law practitioners in Canada, patients are still being forced to choose between agreeing to abide by or waiving off arbitration while foregoing certain MyChart features.
The BJC HealthCare Privacy Settlement
The other issue deals with BJC HealthCare, the hospital system serving parts of Missouri and Illinois. The allegation goes that between 2017 and 2022, BJC’s MyChart portal was sharing private health data with companies like Facebook and Google without the knowledge and consent of the patients involved.
A lawsuit followed. BJC did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to settle. The settlement amount is currently $5.5 million, with a possibility of rising to $9.25 million depending on the number of claims. Eligible members of the class could get around $35, though the final amount will depend on the number of claimants.
Key dates:
- Deadline to object or opt out: September 8, 2025
- Deadline to file a claim: October 8, 2025
- Final court hearing: October 16, 2025
If you used BJC’s MyChart during that window, maybe some compensation would be due to you. The compensation would not be a huge payout. Still, some sort of acknowledgment regarding the infringement of privacy would be made.
