Summary
In American Assn. of Bioanalysts v. Axelrod (130 A.D.2d 889, lv dismissed 70 N.Y.2d 927), this court affirmed as proper ancillary relief an order directing the Commissioner of Health to refund the fees paid by clinical laboratories pursuant to an invalid fee schedule when the individual requests by members of the association for refunds had been denied.
Summary of this case from Association for Aging v. PeralesOpinion
May 21, 1987
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Albany County (Conway, J.).
The facts underlying this case are detailed in our prior decision in this matter ( 106 A.D.2d 53, appeal dismissed 65 N.Y.2d 847). Therein, this court declared, inter alia, that the 1983 fee schedule established by respondent was invalid. Subsequently, members of plaintiff who paid fees pursuant to this invalid regulation sought a refund of their moneys. When their requests were denied, plaintiff brought the instant motion for ancillary relief; i.e., in pertinent part, an order directing defendant to refund the fees paid pursuant to the invalid fee schedule. Supreme Court granted plaintiff's motion by ordering a refund. This appeal ensued.
We affirm. In Matter of Home Off. Reference Lab. v. Axelrod ( 116 A.D.2d 858, 861, lv denied 68 N.Y.2d 601), we determined that any fees premised on the 1983 fee schedule were void and that any parties who paid a fee pursuant to the 1983 fee schedule are entitled to a full refund of any such payment. Further, in the absence of any statutory authority requiring a stay, we reject defendant's assertion that Supreme Court abused its discretion by not staying the proceedings.
Finally, we note that any issues concerning possible methods to be utilized by plaintiff to secure the refunds involve speculation of future events and, accordingly, are not properly before this court.
Order affirmed, without costs. Mahoney, P.J., Kane, Casey, Weiss and Harvey, JJ., concur.