FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 11, 2002

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelley Elwood, 312-580-6497
Frances Roesch, 312-580-6487
Hotel Business office: 630-850-5555

Illinois Physicians Debate
Health Policy

Local physicians will be available for interviews. Reporters wishing to attend the meeting must contact ISMS at the phone numbers above for proper credentials.

Chicago – Access to health care, bioterrorism and insurers' questionable business practices are among the top public policy concerns to be discussed by Illinois physicians at this year's annual meeting of the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS). Comprised of over 300 physicians from all quarters of Illinois, the ISMS House of Delegates will debate 72 resolutions and a variety of reports. U.S. Senator Peter G. Fitzgerald and ethicist Ms. Joal Hill, J.D., M.P.H. are featured speakers at the meeting, being held in Oak Brook, IL April 19-21.

Financial shortfalls at the state and federal levels are adversely affecting the Medicaid and Medicare programs, further aggravating patients' access to quality health care. Physicians will explore solutions to repair these ailing programs, and discuss innovative ways of providing care to the uninsured and under-insured, such as:

• expansion of tax credits for small businesses that wish to provide health benefits;

• development of a national policy on immigrant health care; and

• reductions in prescription drug costs.

Since September 11, physicians have been on guard for the possibility of bioterrorism, and eager to improve their knowledge of how to identify bioterror agents and respond. Delegates will discuss:

• how doctors can work with state officials to enhance Illinois' preparedness program;

• how to deal with those who carelessly or deliberately disseminate deadly agents; and

• the availability of small pox vaccines.

Delegates will also vote on actions dealing with health insurers' questionable business practices, including many of the issues embodied in the Society's "Fairness in Health Care Services Contracting Act," now before both the Illinois House and Senate. This bill:

• requires insurers to give health professionals and providers at least 30 days to review a complete contract prior to signing it;

• prohibits insurers from making unilateral, mid-stream contract changes, without allowing health professionals and providers the opportunity to review changes and terminate the altered agreement;

• requires that insurers provide specific written explanations when trying to recoup claims money – sometimes years after it has been paid – and limiting the timetable for doing so to two years;

• gives health professionals and providers the right to know what they will be paid for specific services prior to signing a health insurance contract; and

• assures health professionals and providers an opportunity to opt-out of a contract or network before insurance companies silently rent it out at different rates and contract terms – all unknown to the health professional/provider.

Other issues for ISMS debate include mammograms, use of portable defibrillators and a statewide leaf burning ban.

On Saturday morning, Senator Peter G. Fitzgerald will be the keynote speaker, addressing what's ahead in the 107th Congress. Also on Saturday, Ms. Joal Hill, J.D., M.P.H. will speak on ethics during a luncheon session sponsored by ISMIE Mutual.

The meeting will conclude on Sunday with the election of new officers. At that time, Chicago internist John F. Schneider, M.D. will be inaugurated as the Society's new president.

www.isms.org

The Illinois State Medical Society represents over 15,000 physicians statewide practicing in all specialties.