Roughly 870,000 people who used Wellstar's website or MyChart patient portal between February 19, 2020, and July 22, 2026, could be eligible for a piece of a $4.25 million settlement after a federal judge granted preliminary approval Wednesday, July 29.
The class action lawsuit alleged that Marietta-based Wellstar Health System installed Google and Meta tracking tools on its public website and its MyChart portal, then handed patients' personally identifiable information and protected health information to those companies without consent, according to court documents reported by the Marietta Daily Journal.
That same MyChart portal is used by patients at Wellstar's two major East Cobb facilities: the East Cobb Medical Center at 1010 Johnson Ferry Road and the 162,000-square-foot East Cobb Health Park at 3747 Roswell Road NE, which houses primary care, pediatrics, urgent care, outpatient surgery, imaging, and lab services.
How the case got here
A plaintiff identified as Jane Doe filed the original suit in federal court in April 2024. It became a class action about three months later. In August 2025, a judge dismissed most of the claims, leaving only allegations of unjust enrichment and a violation of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
The parties reached an initial agreement June 17, then negotiated down to the $4.25 million figure a few weeks later. The settlement motion was filed July 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Wellstar admits no liability or wrongdoing. A spokesperson told the Marietta Daily Journal on July 29 that the company believes resolving the matter is in the best interests of the parties given the uncertainty and cost of litigation.
What happens next
Under the settlement terms, Wellstar must deposit $250,000 into a fund by Thursday, August 27. After a judge grants final approval, the remaining $4 million is due within 35 days. Class members will then receive pro rata shares of the net fund after attorneys' fees, costs, and administrative expenses are deducted, WSB-TV reported.
No final approval hearing date has been set.
Once it is, eligible class members will be notified by email or U.S. mail and will have 75 days to complete a claim form. A settlement website, toll-free number, and P.O. box will also be established to receive claims. Only people living in the United States are eligible.
No per-person payout estimate is available. With 870,000 class members and attorneys' fees still to be subtracted, individual shares will depend on how many people file claims.
