Physicians cheer Rhode Island Blues president's exit, want more change

The plan promises to study pay levels that doctors say are way too low.

By Robert Kazel, AMNews staff. May 24/31, 2004.

Shortly after the Rhode Island Medical Society and other health care leaders called for his dismissal, Ronald A. Battista stepped down as president of BlueCross BlueShield of Rhode Island. But physician leaders and some politicians are pressing for additional reforms by the dominant insurer, such as replacement of the board, greater fiscal austerity, improved communication with the medical community and higher reimbursement levels for doctors.

"The mere fact that [Battista] is out of there is only one-half of the puzzle," said Steve R. DeToy, director of government and public affairs at the medical society. "The next question is what will they do now that he's gone." The Blues plan announced May 7 that its board and Battista "mutually agreed" he would resign. Battista, head of the company since 1999 and a fixture at the plan for 34 years, was replaced on a temporary basis by James E. Purcell, executive vice president and chief operating officer. The company plans a national search for a permanent successor.

Doctors in the state long had been offended by Battista's unresponsive and antagonistic style, DeToy said. A "culture and environment" flourished at the Blues plan in which the concerns of doctors were secondary to the company's financial success, he said.

According to a recent AMA study of insurance competition, the plan controls about 82% of the state's HMO and PPO market, ranking Rhode Island 49th in competitiveness for insurance markets in all states.