Opinion ID: 808085
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Insurance Contracts

Text: As with his patients, Dr. Cohlmia fails to provide evidence of economic damage to his relationship with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The only reference in Dr. Cohlmia’s briefs to this issue is that he “had to undergo appellate procedures to remain available under the Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans of 10 In 2010, Rule 56(f) was amended and the substance is now embodied in Rule 56(d) instead. For simplicity’s sake, we refer to Rule 56(f) to comport with the record in this case. 11 The merits of this evidentiary report are discussed in greater detail below in subsection 4. -31- thousands of patients.” Aplt. Br. at 45. While not specifically explained, it appears Dr. Cohlmia is arguing that, once his privileges were suspended at one hospital, he had to be “recertified” by other hospitals, to continue as a provider in the insurance system. While this likely imposed some time cost, as with his allegations as to patient interference, Dr. Cohlmia failed to properly submit evidence detailing his losses. Accordingly, the district court did not err in its grant of summary judgment with respect to tortious interference with contract. 4. Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage Dr. Cohlmia’s final claim contends that SJMC wrongfully interfered with his medical practice. To state a claim for malicious interference with prospective business relations, the plaintiff must show: (1) the existence of a valid business relation or expectancy; (2) knowledge of the relationship or expectancy on the part of the interferor; (3) an intentional interference including or causing a breach or termination of the relationship or expectancy; and (4) resultant damage to the party whose relationship has been disrupted. Boyle Services, Inc. v. Dewberry Design Group, Inc., 24 P.3d 878, 880 (Okla. Civ. App. 2001). In order to prevail, the plaintiff must show that the defendant used “some intentional or improper conduct or means.” Overbeck v. Quaker Life Ins. Co., 757 P.2d 846, 848 (Okla. Civ. App. 1984). -32- Dr. Cohlmia identified two business expectancies that he claims were interfered with by SJMC: (1) potential new patients, and (2) potential lost profits from his specialty heart hospital venture. The new patient claim suffers from the same defects discussed above regarding the insufficiency of evidence relating to existing patients, and need not be restated here. As to the lost profits claim, Dr. Cohlmia claims SJMC was attempting to frustrate his efforts to build and operate a new specialty heart hospital in the Tulsa area. The district court found that this claim also suffered from “the absence of proof of damages.” Aplt. App. at 702. Claims for damages based on future profits are generally prohibited since they are typically uncertain and speculative. Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Brantley, 510 F.3d 1256, 1267 (10th Cir. 2007) (citations omitted). Oklahoma state law holds that when a party seeks to recover loss of future profits, the profits should be coming from an established business that shows with some certainty the future losses. Plummer v. Fogley, 363 P.2d 238, 241 (Okla. 1961). Dr. Cohlmia submitted an expert report to establish future profits, but the court ruled that the report was inadmissible because Dr. Cohlmia failed to comply with the requirements of Rule 56(f). See Aplt. App. at 701-02 (ruling); 1480 (report). Even if the court had received the report, SJMC argues that it “does not speak to the certainty of profits, but is an extrapolation of tax returns and reliance -33- on a pro forma (which is not part of the record and itself hearsay and unreasonable).” Aple. Br. at 54. We agree. The expert report relies on economic projections going out several years detailing Dr. Cohlmia’s expected profits from his specialty heart hospital, but such projections are speculative at best. Given that the consultant retained by Dr. Cohlmia for the specialty heart hospital project concluded that the project “would not be successful” in June 2002—over a year before SJMC’s suspension of Dr. Cohlmia—and that Dr. Cohlmia failed to attract a single investor after distributing his PPM, the district court did not err in concluding Oklahoma law required more evidence to support a damage award. The district court did not err in granting summary judgment with respect to the intentional interference with prospective economic advantage claim. 5. Various Other Motions As noted above, Dr. Cohlmia’s arguments realize the meager state of the record regarding damages. But he argues that the district court erred by overruling his motions to supplement the record. Unfortunately, Dr. Cohlmia does not explain why the district court erred and simply points to cases showing that summary judgment reversal is necessary when error occurs. The district court was well within its discretion to reject Dr. Cohlmia’s motions for the simple fact that he did not comply with the required procedures -34- for submission. Additionally, there is nothing here to suggest that they were so substantively important that the outcome in this case would have been different.