KC docs sue insurers

Angry about decisions made by insurance companies in the area, a group of physicians in Kansas City has filed a lawsuit accusing local insurers of collusion. More than 2,000 doctors have joined forces to accuse six major insurers operating in the Kansas City area of an attempt to "systematically deny, delay and diminish" patient care and costs. Many are especially angry that their clinical decisions are being overridden by insurers. One doctor participating in the case comments, "You can't convince them. There is no convincing. All they say is yes or no." Spokespeople for Humana and BCBS called the charges "baseless" and "frivolous." The doctors involved in the suit cite a study commissioned by members, which shows their reimbursement to be one-third less than that of doctors in other Midwestern cities.

- see this story from Kansas City Channel

PLUS: In a related piece, HealthNet says it will pay $60 million to settle a nationwide class-action suit brought by physicians alleging billing codes were manipulated. Story

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