A Physical Therapist in New York Goes "Public"

About 1 year ago, I attended the Michigan Physical Therapy Association spring meeting and brought up a very valid concern about Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a non-profit insurance company that continually increases premiums, continually pays its administrators high annual salaries and by switching most of its insurance plans to PPO plans continues to pay less to providers.  Of course, I haven't heard a darn thing with regard to what the MPTA has done in researching how BCBSM can elevate premiums yet concurrently maintain or decrease the fee schedule.  Providing insurance coverage should be a risk... subscribers pay to reduce their financial medical bill risk and insurance companies should be somewhat gambling in determining their premium amounts and fee schedules.  This isn't the case though because BCBSM wins and has complete control - look at the amount of profits made by BCBSM - it is sickening.

I contacted an attorney who was involved with a case against BCBSM.  A case that was brought up by 2 subscribers who could not afford to pay the higher and higher premiums.  Attorneys have zero sympathy for providers because providers decide to "participate." 

Apparently, it all started with a letter... a simple letter.  A letter that I'm sure had a strong visceral reaction - a 20% reduction in the fee schedule beginning May 1, 2009.  I saw this article and of course clicked on it because I was interested in the details.  The thing scared the dickens outta me too!  There is a YouTube video at the bottom that begins playing almost immediately.  (That WAS a good thing because it meant I wasn't crazy and hearing voices in my head!)

I think we all should be interested in how this situation pans out.  How will you respond if one of your payers sent you a letter like that?  Can you and the members in your state mobilize quickly?  What strategy would you use to alter the course?

~Selena