FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, February 22, 2001
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelley Elwood, 312/580-6497
Doctors, Health Professionals Launch
Bid to End Deceptive, Unfair Health
Insurance Contracts
Springfield, ILLINOIS – A coalition of Illinois health care professionals today rallied behind new legislation that would end deceptive and unfair health plan business practices that harm doctors, hospitals, health care professionals and ultimately, patient care.
"It's time to bring sunshine, simplicity and acceptable boundaries to the arcane and complex world of health plan contracts," said LeRoy Sprang, MD, president of the Illinois State Medical Society. "We cannot continue to allow large insurance companies to use deceptive, confusing, misleading contract language to dictate how health care is delivered," he continued.
HB## [also Senate numbers and sponsors], the"Fairness in the Health Care Services Contracting Act" sponsored by Reps. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-Elmwood Park) and Rep. Kurt Granberg (D-Carlyle), details a menu of comprehensive contract reforms that would improve the health care environment in Illinois. These include standardization and simplification of contract terms and conditions, elimination of questionable, unfair contract provisions, and limitations on a health plan's power to unilaterally modify a previously-agreed-to current contract without prior notification.
An untraditional coalition of health care professionals – groups that often disagree – has come together in support of this bill. Those that to date have signed on in support of the legislation include the Illinois Hospital and HealthSystems Association, Illinois State Dental Society, Illinois Nurses Association, Illinois Physical Therapist Association, Illinois Podiatric Medical Association, Illinois Free-Standing Surgery Center Association, Illinois Chiropractic Society, Illinois Optometric Association and the Illinois Psychological Association.
"If these diverse interests can agree on a menu of reforms to improve the health insurance business process, this measure is indeed worthy of the General Assembly's serious consideration," said Dr. Sprang. While he acknowledged the bill would not cure all problems being experienced with health plans, he stresses it is a crucial start in addressing the immediate inequities faced by physicians and other health care professionals. "Several other state medical societies and health care interests have been forced to file lawsuits to resolve differences addressed by this legislation. We strongly prefer the legislature as the proper forum for action on this issue."
"We urge insurers to come forward and work with us on HB __ and SB __. Passage of this initiative will help re-build public confidence in health insurance. Our patients deserve to have the best team possible working on their behalf," said Dr. Sprang.
For more information, including a copy of the bill and details on specific contracting problems, visit www.isms.org.
ISMS permits and encourages reproduction of ISMS news releases with the request that ISMS is credited as the source of the information.