By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Finding the best doctor won't just mean finding the cheapest doctor under a new ranking system developed by state attorney general Andrew Cuomo. Independent Health on Wednesday became the latest health to adopt the ranking system.
All too often, patients seeking a highly qualified doctor are instead steered by their insurers to the least expensive doctor. The Attorney General's investigation found that health insurers' ranking of the best, or preferred, doctors is often profit motivated. And Cuomo said that is why some companies are still resisting the state designed ranking code.
Independent Health does not currently rank its doctors using any system, nor do they have any immediate plans to. However, the Buffalo-based insurer agreed Wednesday to adopt Cuomo's national model for any future ranking.
The company joins six other large state, regional and national insurers that have agreed to the uniform set of criteria. Other companies to adopt the Model Code are: CIGNA Healthcare, Aetna, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, GHI/HIP and MVP Health Care/Preferred Care. CIGNA, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Empire's parent, WellPoint.
Independent Health President Michael Cropp said they will offer the rankings when technology can support it, and after their participating doctors are agreeable that the ranking code is fair and accurate.
However, the American Medical Association applauded what it called a "radical shift...for improving health care." President-elect Nancy Nielsen commended Independent Health for voluntarily signing on. And she urged other companies, particularly in Western New York, to join them.
State lawmakers are expected to introduce legislation that would codify the ranking system.
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