They will allow all members to appeal treatment denials to independent review panels, and they will abide by the decisions. You're building a body of examples, and that's very important. Ms. Ignagni pointed to UnitedHealth Group's decision last year to stop second-guessing physicians' decisions in almost all cases when a doctor determines that a procedure or hospital stay is medically necessary. United is not part of the coalition making Tuesday's announcement. While United executives said they support their colleagues' efforts to simplify the lives of physicians and members, the officials said the initiative still places too great an emphasis on the role of the health plan.
Cynicism is very high.
We prefer to act, make things real and then talk about the results. Some of what the HMO coalition announced Tuesday is already in practice in North Texas. The Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health began a project last year to get rid of HMO hassles. Their initiatives, including a standardized application for doctors, are being implemented. At least one consumer advocate praised the work of the HMO coalition and noted its significance.