If your phone kept buzzing with marketing texts from Kaiser even after you typed “stop,” those messages might soon have a price tag. A proposed class action settlement worth $10.5 million dollars would pay consumers up to $75 per qualifying text, as long as they were sent within a specific four and a half year window and after an opt out request.
Under the deal, health care giant Kaiser Permanente would resolve claims that it broke federal and Florida telemarketing laws by continuing to send promotional texts to people who had already asked for the messages to stop. Kaiser denies any wrongdoing but agreed to settle rather than keep fighting in court.
Who could be in line for a payout from Kaiser texts
The settlement covers people nationwide who received more than one marketing text about Kaiser products or services between January 21 2021 and August 20 2025 after replying with “stop” or a similar opt-out request. If you live in Florida, there is an extra rule.
Floridians are included if they got more than one marketing text at least fifteen days after sending that opt-out message.
In practical terms, that means this is not about every reminder or appointment text. It focuses on messages that tried to sell coverage or other services once someone had clearly said they did not want more marketing on their phone.
A single confirmation text that simply acknowledges the opt out does not count as a violation.
Each approved class member can receive up to $75 per qualifying message. If a lot of people file valid claims, the per text amount will drop so the total payments plus legal and administrative costs stay within the $10.5 million fund.
What the lawsuit said about those messages
The case, Jonathan Fried v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc., was filed in the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County. The complaint argued that Kaiser violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act by sending or not stopping marketing texts after consumers opted out by replying “stop.”
Those laws were written to curb robocalls and unwanted marketing on personal phones. They give people a way to push back when companies use automated tools to contact them again and again without meaningful consent.
The Kaiser case is a reminder that health care brands are not exempt from those rules simply because the product is medical coverage rather than shoes or streaming services.
Kaiser, for its part, frames the situation very differently. In a statement shared with media, the company said the case involved “some prospective members, all of whom had asked Kaiser Permanente to contact them regarding membership options, received a limited number of texts after asking for the contacts to end.”
Kaiser says it settled without any finding of liability in order to avoid drawn out and expensive litigation.
Why this settlement matters for your phone and your privacy
Most of us treat marketing texts as background noise. You silence the notification, swipe away the banner, and go back to worrying about the electric bill or the evening commute. Yet to a large extent, cases like this turn that everyday annoyance into something measurable.
By tying cash payments to each unwanted message, courts and regulators send a signal about the value of consent in the mobile era. The official settlement notice spells out that claimants do not have to upload screenshots or message logs. Instead, the administrator checks each claim against Kaiser’s own records to decide how many qualifying texts were sent.
This texting case also lands while Kaiser faces separate legal scrutiny over its use of web tracking tools on patient portals. In another proposed class action resolution, the company agreed to pay at least $46 million to settle claims that third party trackers on its sites and apps improperly shared user data, again without admitting wrongdoing.
Taken together, the two settlements show how fast the line is shifting for digital outreach in health care. From browser cookies to SMS reminders, tools that once felt like simple marketing tactics are being reevaluated under privacy and consumer protection laws.
Deadlines, next steps, and what to watch
For consumers who think they might qualify, timing matters. The long-form notice sets February 12, 2026 as the last day to submit a claim form. The court held a final approval hearing on January 28, 2026, and if judges give the settlement a final green light, payments will only go out after any appeals are resolved. That process can take months, sometimes longer.
People can file only one claim, which will cover all qualifying texts sent to any of their phone numbers. The settlement administrator will calculate the payment based on that count and on how many others step forward.
At the end of the day, this agreement does more than divide up a pot of money. It quietly reinforces an idea that is becoming central to digital life. When you say “stop,” companies are expected to listen, even if the message on your screen is about something as important as health coverage.
The official court notice was published on the Kaiser TCPA and FTSA Settlement website.
