Health Law
Cuomo’s Doctor-Ranking Model Gains Political Traction
Posted Nov 26, 2007, 06:01 pm CDT
By Molly McDonough
Top lawmakers in New York have agreed to support state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's efforts to codify a doctor-ranking system.
The Doctor Ranking Model Code is meant to be a consumer protection mechanism that also sets standards for insurers. "It is imperative that New Yorkers aren't steered to certain 'preferred' physicians based solely on cost, but instead have access to clear and meaningful measurements of quality of care to help them make well-informed decisions," Legal Newsline quotes Cuomo saying.
Cuomo's doctor-ranking model stems from his investigations into insurer-ranking systems that Cuomo believed were potentially deceptive. The AG's office ultimately settled with several insurers. News about legislative support came after several of the country's largest insurers—including WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group and Aetna—agreed to adopt Cuomo's model.
Nationally, insurers have been looking for ways to distribute more information to patients about cost and quality, Reuters reports.
Working with the American Medical Association and other groups, Cuomo says the model encourages accuracy, transparency and oversight.
If the model becomes law in New York, Legal Newsline reports that insurers would be required to:
-- Ensure that rankings for doctors are not based solely on cost.
-- Use established national standards to measure quality and cost-efficiency.
-- Disclose how the program is designed and how doctors are ranked.
-- Provide a process for consumers to register complaints about the rankings.
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