September 2005

WSCA petitions Insurance Commissioner

Citing “the growing threat to our patients and our profession,” the Washington State Chiropractic Association (WSCA) has announced that it has petitioned Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler to stop some insurance companies from discriminating against the chiropractic profession.

The WSCA has filed formal petitions with the insurance commissioner requesting new rules designed to fix the growing problems caused by the few large health insurers dominating Washington markets.

According to the WSCA, the large insurers are forcing chiropractors into lopsided contracts that small practices cannot afford to reject. Insurers tie one product to another so that the chiropractor cannot choose between plans or programs. They terminate contracts without cause, forcing patients to find new doctors, and refuse to pay chiropractors who step in to take care of a colleague’s patients.

The Commissioner has 60 days to rule on the petitions, and may accept, reject or change the requested rules. The petitions seek improvements to existing rules governing contracts between insurers and practitioners. The amendments would ban some existing insurer practices and would set new standards for the health care networks of the three largest insurers in Washington. Copies of the petitions are available at the WSCA Web site.

Source: Washington State Chiropractic Association, www.chirohealth.org

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