Profession
WellPoint/Anthem class-action settlement set to expire
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 18, 2009
Physicians should review their WellPoint/Anthem contracts as the insurers' settlement agreement in a nationwide class-action lawsuit over alleged payment abuses nears termination on July 15, organized medicine officials said.
After that date, the companies no longer will be required to comply with the settlement terms, although organized medicine hopes they will voluntarily continue the agreed-upon business practice changes.
Some of those changes include:
- Greater transparency in claims processing.
- Prompt-payment requirements.
- Disclosure of fee schedules.
- Medical necessity definitions.
- Overpayment recovery.
Information is available online (link). Additional resources are available on the AMA's Web site (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/05/18/prbf0518.htm.