News in brief - Jan. 19, 2004

N.C. Blues sued over contract rights - Two physicians appointed to Arizona Medical Board - Web site offers forum for resident work-hour ideas

N.C. Blues sued over contract rights

A North Carolina physicians group late last year filed a lawsuit against BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, questioning the insurers' decision to extend certain contract rights to self-insured plans that they administer but do not have a payment responsibility for.

The Piedmont Community Physicians claim that physicians in their group who have contracted with the North Carolina Blues have not agreed to "discount fees for services to any person that is not properly enrolled in a BCBSNC product issued and underwritten by BCBSNC or a licensee of the association. Specifically, they have not agreed to provide services or extend any discounts to participants of self-insured employer plans that are merely administered by BCBSNC."

The lawsuit, filed in Orange County, N.C., asks that the court not allow the Blues group to extend the discounts to self-insured plans. Blues plan spokeswoman Michelle Douglas said the company had the right to enter into arrangements on behalf of all clients, something it has done for decades.

"We believe we are in compliance with the contracts we have," she said. "We will vigorously defend against the lawsuit."

The case is expected to set a precedent for other physicians who have similar language in their contracts.

Two physicians appointed to Arizona Medical Board

Ingrid E. Haas, MD, and Douglas D. Lee, MD, recently were appointed to the Arizona Medical Board by Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Dr. Haas is an obstetrician-gynecologist practicing in Scottsdale. Dr. Lee is an anesthesiologist in Flagstaff. They fill two vacancies left by William Wong, MD, a Phoenix radiologist, and Jay M. Crutchfield, MD, a Payson general surgeon.

Dr. Haas is a member of the Planned Parenthood Medical Review Committee and has served as a Scottsdale Memorial Health Foundation Board member since 1995.

Dr. Lee currently serves as a staff anesthesiologist at Flagstaff Medical Center and managing partner of Forest County Anesthesia.

The Arizona Medical Board consists of 12 members -- four public members and eight physicians. Board members are appointed by the governor and may serve up to two five-year terms.

Web site offers forum for resident work-hour ideas

The Committee for Interns and Residents and the American Medical Student Assn. have launched a Web site, Hours Watch (www.hourswatch.org), to help them keep an eye on resident duty hour limits. They hope residents will tip them off to hours violations or problems with whistle-blower protection, which was promised by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education.

On the Web site, residents can find out how to report work-hour violations to the ACGME, tell of their own experiences, and read of ways to best meet the new limits and what hospitals are doing a good job meeting the hour restrictions.