Colorado Medical Society

Introduced by: Council on Practice Environment

Subject: Request for Ongoing Reporting from the UnitedHealthcare Physician Advisory Committee

Referred to: Reference Committee on Health Affairs

WHEREAS, Insurance Commissioner David Rivera appropriately placed conditions on the UnitedHealthcare/PacifiCare merger, and

WHEREAS, one condition required the appointment of a Physician Advisory Committee (PAC) for the purpose of discussing issues of concerns to physicians, and

WHEREAS, the PAC has met six times and held dialogue on UnitedHealthcare’s Premium Designation Program, contracting practices, network integration, and efficiency measures, and

WHEREAS, the 17 physicians and one Alliance member serving on the PAC have donated over 300 hours collectively to the PAC, and should be applauded for their volunteerism on behalf of all physicians, and

WHEREAS, this dialogue has been routinely reported in Colorado Medicine, and

WHEREAS, the concerns raised by physicians at the merger hearing and required to be addressed by the PAC have not been substantially addressed, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Colorado Medical Society continue to provide detailed updates on PAC meetings in Colorado Medicine and in written reports with minutes to the Council on Practice Environment (COPE) and CMS Board of Directors, and

RESOLVED, that this lack of progression on physicians' concerns raised at the hearing be brought to the attention of both UnitedHealthcare and the Commissioner of Insurance.

FISCAL IMPACT: None