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NATIONAL HEALTH INSURER CODE OF CONDUCT HITS 1000 SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURER CODE OF CONDUCT HITS 1000 SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT
- Doctors, Patients, and Health Care Advocates Across the Country Demand End to Cost Driven, Restrictive Insurer Practices -
Washington, D.C – July 6, 2009 – Support for a National Health Insurer Code of Conduct to regulate the managed care industry, an initiative supported by the Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA), has achieved a significant milestone as it has garnered its one thousandth signature. Launched just months ago, the list of signatories continues to grow at a rapid pace as individuals, doctors, and patient advocacy groups rally to show their support for a much needed National Health Insurer Code of Conduct.
AfPA’s petition sets forth clear and concise principles to address both medical care policies and payment issues, seeks concurrence among health insurers in complying with this code of conduct, as well as proposes a mechanism to monitor compliance. Its core principles are: transparency, clinical autonomy, corporate integrity, and most importantly, patient access and safety.
The Code of Conduct, which is being drafted by the American Medical Association (AMA), is designed to address the aggressive cost-cutting tactics used by the managed care industry. Tactics, such as therapeutic substitution and fail-first policies, can cause undue suffering to patients and interfere with the integrity of the doctor-patient relationship. The managed care industry is the only remaining sector of the healthcare industry that lacks a Code of Conduct or Code of Ethics.
“Strong support for this petition underscores the fact that physicians are frustrated when managed care companies interfere in the care of their patients,” said AfPA Chairman David Charles, M.D. “I am particularly encouraged by the timely growth of our petition because it shows that doctors, patients, and advocacy groups are banding together to support the need for an Insurer Code of Conduct.”
“Everyone understands the importance of appropriate health care cost containment, and managed care is an important part of that effort,” said Tim O’Leary, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc., a private non-profit advocacy organization in Boston. “However, we see too many instances where the patient-doctor relationship is interfered with and access to appropriate care and medication is denied or unreasonably limited. The focus must be on patient well being, outcomes, and improving health care, and not on insurer’s balance sheet or bottom line.”
Resolution 823 “Health Insurance Code of Conduct” was originally adopted by the House of Delegates after being introduced by the New York Delegation at the 2008 AMA interim meeting in November. At the most recent June AMA meeting in Chicago, Dr. Joseph Heyman presented a report from the Board of Trustees on a Health Insurer Code of Conduct.
The report notes a new sense of urgency to address physician and patient frustrations with health insurers citing examples state legislatures working to provide physician and patient relief from unfair managed care practices. Specifically, the report cites Indiana House Resolution 91, passed in June of 2009, which encourages the AMA to develop a Health Insurer Code of Conduct, as well as the “Health Insurance Code of Conduct Act of 2009,” sponsored by the Texas Medical Association, which is being considered by the Texas legislature [Senate Bill 1257 and House Bill 2750, respectively]. The AMA expects to vote on a finalized version of a Health Insurer Code of Conduct at its interim meeting this November.
The AfPA petition for a Health Insurer Code of Conduct is accessible on: www.insurepatientaccess.org
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All News Items
August 26, 2010 - The Lund Report: The Best Care Possible: You're Worth It
June 14, 2010 - American Medical News: 10 things health insurers must do to regain trust; The AMA, with endorsement from 68 state and medical specialty societies, outlines steps health plans must take to be credible in the eyes of physicians and patients.
February 27, 2010 - Providence Journal: The creepy third person in doctor’s exam room
November 28, 2009 - Newport News Daily Press: MDs under attack
November 04, 2009 - The Hill: A code of conduct for health insurers
October 27, 2009 - WCBU-FM 89.9 (Peoria, Ill.) radio news
October 26, 2009 - WEEK (NBC - Peoria, Ill.): Developing a doctor-patient relationship
October 12, 2009 - Las Vegas Business Press: Here's a prescription: A health insurers code of ethics
September 09, 2009 - Maryland State Medical Society Resolution 14-09
August 29, 2009 - The Island Packet: AMA code puts doctors, patients in charge of care
August 28, 2009 - Baltimore Times: Group calls on health insurers
August 27, 2009 - Baltimore Times: Nursing Maryland back to health
August 20, 2009 - Lincoln Journal-Star: Pharmacists forced to serve insurers rather than patients
August 19, 2009 - WSTM-NBC3: Prescription medication battle heats up in Central New York
August 17, 2009 - New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein blog: For Health or Profit? Klein Unveils Sickly Scorecard of Major HMOs
August 17, 2009 - New York Daily News: Prescription Prescription drug coverage marred by bureaucracy, survey says
August 13, 2009 - Leading African American Groups Call On Health Insurers to Dismiss Restrictive Practices
August 13, 2009 - San Diego Union-Tribune: Bureaucracy won't contain costs
August 01, 2009 - Huntington, W.V. Herald-Dispatch: Insurers put stress on the physician-patient relationship
July 21, 2009 - Chicago Tribune: They authorized back surgery but denied his $148,000 claim
July 17, 2009 - American Osteopathic Association calls for Development of Code of Conduct
July 12, 2009 - Houston Chronicle: Another kind of remedy for the sick; Code of conduct would protect patients
July 07, 2009 - Washington Post: Health Reform: Who Holds the Reins on Care?
July 06, 2009 - NATIONAL HEALTH INSURER CODE OF CONDUCT HITS 1000 SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT
June 30, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Code of conduct needed for health insurers, too
June 24, 2009 - Penn. Pharmacists Association: “A Patient Walks Up to the Counter …”
June 24, 2009 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Broken bonds; The physician-patient relationship is being destroyed by the cost-driven decisions of health insurers
June 09, 2009 - Bellingham (Wash.) Herald: Time for a health insurance code of conduct
June 08, 2009 - Mississippi Business Journal: Transparency is the best medicine; Health Insurer Code of Conduct may improve the quality of care
June 03, 2009 - Frederick (Md.) News Post Op-Ed: Pharmacists pawns in health care's game of chess
June 01, 2009 - KUSI-TV interview with Dr. Jack Schim
May 25, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle: Doctor pushes back against insurer scrutiny
May 08, 2009 - Fox News Health Blog: Bad Medicine: Is Your Insurance Company Hazardous to Your Health?
April 27, 2009 - Petition for Health Insurer Code of Conduct Garners Widespread National Support
April 20, 2009 - On-line petition launched in support of a national health insurer code of conduct
April 13, 2009 - Petition launched in support of a national health insurer code of conduct
April 09, 2009 - Westchester (N.Y.) Herald letters: Access to Quality Healthcare
April 01, 2009 - Los Angeles Society of Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology Applauds the AMA for Developing Health Insurer Code of Conduct
March 24, 2009 - Arizona Republic: Patient care, not financial gain, must take priority
March 22, 2009 - Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle: Health insurers should agree to a code of conduct
March 20, 2009 - Buffalo News: Code of conduct would protect patients from insurers
March 10, 2009 - AfPA Launches Petition in Support of a National Health Insurer Code of Conduct
March 09, 2009 - Texas Medical Society: Health Insurance Code of Conduct Act of 2009; The Time Has Come
March 09, 2009 - American Medical News: MSSNY president: Insurer settlements highlight need for code of conduct
February 01, 2009 - Colorado Medicine: Health Insurer Code of Conduct?
January 24, 2009 - Fresno Bee: Doctors push code of conduct for insurers
December 10, 2008 - Lupus Agencies of New York State Applaud AMA's Resolution to Develop a "Code of Conduct" for Health Insurers
December 09, 2008 - New York State Rheumatology Society Position Paper: AMA Resolution 823
November 20, 2008 - National Minority Quality Forum Applauds AMA's Health Insurer Code of Conduct
November 14, 2008 - Alliance for Patient Access Applauds AMA's Health Insurer Code of Conduct
November 13, 2008 - Alliance for Better Medicine Calls on California Health Insurers to Adopt a "Code of Conduct"
November 13, 2008 - Los Angeles County Medical Association Reinforces AMA's Call for a Health Insurer Code of Conduct
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