UBH Are you serious....

[JSizzles]

I'm hoping to get some opinions on this...

I took a position with a group practice 6 months ago. I have been building a panel on the slower side and talked to my medical director about this, however the admin told me that once I got on UBH I would be fine and ramp up. Little did I know that they pay terrible.

In my area UBH pays low 60s for a 99214. This is about half the rate of other major insurers.

Is it unprofessional to say that I refuse to see these patients? Considering I went to my medical director to discuss the slow intake of new referrals? 3 other physicians are full and typically take these patients....
But I also don't want to build a crap panel. Every practice in a 25 mile radius refuses to see this carrier.

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[Bartelby]

It is not unprofessional to work only with good insurance companies. I would probably drop off the panel.

 

[nexus73]

That’s how markets work. They only pay so little because these idiot doctors accept it.

 

[WisNeuro]

I don't think it's unprofessional at all. I am salary, so I don't care. But if/when I go to PP or group, I am definitely dropping off BCBS's panel for similar reasons. They pay worse then every other carrier in the area, and they require prior auths for everything and usually deny it at least once, forcing us to appeal. I can't wait for the day to call them and tell them where they can put their PAs. I would say that most of us aren't in the healthcare game for charity, and if we were, I can think if many better ways that I'd like to spend my volunteer time that doesn't involve lining the pockets of insurance co shareholders.

 

[FlowRate]

I don't think it's unprofessional at all. I am salary, so I don't care. But if/when I go to PP or group, I am definitely dropping off BCBS's panel for similar reasons. They pay worse then every other carrier in the area, and they require prior auths for everything and usually deny it at least once, forcing us to appeal. I can't wait for the day to call them and tell them where they can put their PAs. I would say that most of us aren't in the healthcare game for charity, and if we were, I can think if many better ways that I'd like to spend my volunteer time that doesn't involve lining the pockets of insurance co shareholders.

That's really interesting. BCBS is the gold standard best insurance in this part of the country. They're the only private plan that doesn't require preauth.

 

[clausewitz2]

That's really interesting. BCBS is the gold standard best insurance in this part of the country. They're the only private plan that doesn't require preauth.

Whereas in our local market a consent decree stemming from an antitrust enforcement action means BCBS can access almost none of our facilities (children's hospital excepted, although this is set to expire soon).

 

[WisNeuro]

That's really interesting. BCBS is the gold standard best insurance in this part of the country. They're the only private plan that doesn't require preauth.

I think it's regional. I never had any problems with it, nor heard any problems with it from colleagues in the last two regions I lived. I was also very concerned that I was told that my appeal was reviewed by a "Board Certified" Neuropsychologist. When I checked up on it, that person was not boarded by a recognized board, rather they have a certificate from one of the vanity boards that you simply have to send money to get "boarded." And, he could not adequately explain to me why parts of the pre-auth were denied. It's a little bit of a **** show here. I've already sent in several complaints to the state insurance commission, and whenever someone gets denied, I have my assistant send the patients all of the information so that they can make a formal complaint to if they wish.

 

[JSizzles]

I ended up refusing UBH- although they were unhappy about it. I would love an entire panel of BCBS 99214+90833 and you are doing very well for yourself.

 

[whopper]

I don't accept a lot of insurances for the same reasons above. Coventry is notorious for never paying for psych visits.