Consumer Activism in the Health Care Field

Tired of the endless loop of 800 numbers and vague answers from your HMO or Managed Care Company? Are you aware that there are very few insurance companies left and that the good laws once in place to contain insurance companies do not apply to 95% of third party payers?  Chances are that you don't have insurance, you have some other kind of health care plan. They may promise you 50 visits per year, but the pressure is on the provider to see you in a brief therapy format as long as it is not medically necessary to treat you. Middle profiteers say they are controlling health care costs, but they are only cutting service to you and fees to the end clinician. This is not reform, this is evil! Check out the salaries of these highest paid executives of investor owned managed health care companies which were published in the April 6, 1998. With the passage of time, you can bet these high dividends have not come down! Steven Wiggins / Oxford Health Plans    $111.9 million William McGuire / United Healthcare    $51.2 million David Snow / Oxford Health Plan    $34.3 million William Sullivan / Oxford Health Plan    $28.3 million Robert Smoler / Oxford Health Plan    $24.1 million Alan Hoops / PacifiCare Health Systems    $18.5 million Wayne Smith / Humana    $14.4 million Ronald Compton / Aetna     $14.3 million Leonard Schaeffer / Wellpoint Health Networks    $14.2 million James Stewart / Cigna    $11.9 million Brief Solution-Focused Therapies may good for many problems, but unless you need access to psychotherapy for something that is "medically necessary", these third party payers probably won't consider paying.  So if you are having a self-esteem issue or marital problem or your child is acting out in school, but you or your child are not severely depressed or anxious, you may be out of luck. These health care consumer advocacy groups may offer you interesting information: Patient Advocacy Management is a non-profit group that will work on the patient's behalf to get you that to which you are entitled. No website yet, but they can be reached at 1559 Spinnaker Dr., #205, Ventura, CA 93003.  805-658-7959.  info@patientadvocacymgmt.org Citizens for Health The National Organization of Physicians Who Care Health Access - A coalition dedicated to quality and affordable health care for all Californians. The Medical Board of California - Complain about a doc, complain about an HMO or just check out this site. Therapists can rate Managed Care Companies! - Check out this site to see how your managed mental health care company (or companies) rate in the eyes of the therapist. If you are a therapist, here is the place to to do your own "anti-utilization review review". The California Department of Managed Care is extremely helpful in settling disputes. HMOs are scared of them. You can download forms and turn in the greedy bad guys. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * You can write or email these places in a complaint letter about your third party payer's service and what you and your employer thought you were entitled to from your health care plan: And if you are not inquiring from this California community, and need to know your representative, find their addresses and email addresses by clicking here www.knightwebcreations.com. Besides your legislators, you can write to these groups: U.S. Department of Labor     200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room N-5658    Washington, D.C. 20210 Health Access    1010 Flower St., 5th Floor     Los Angeles, CA 90015 Insurance Committee     American Academy of Pain Management    3600 Sisk Rd., #20     Modesto, CA 95356 Producer, 60 Minutes Producer, 20/20 KABC Talk Radio The San Fernando Valley Alliance of Mental Health Professionals     15720 Ventura Blvd., #414    Encino, CA 91436    818 780-9086 The Employer and the Union representing the employee Beverly Stiles, Complaint Specialist     California Dept. of Corporations    1115 11th St     Sacramento, CA 95814     916 324-9020 VOICE     553 N. Pacific Coast Highway     Redondo Beach, CA 90277 Physicians Who Care     215 E. Quincy,#305     San Antonio, TX 78215 Neighbor to Neighbor     PO BOX 96752     Washington, DC 20077-7511 People's Medical Society     462 Walnut St.     Allentown, PA 18102-9960 Warren Olney,     Which Way L.A.     K.C.R.W.     1900 Pico Blvd.     Santa Monica, CA 90405 Californian's for Health Security     1144 65th St.     Oakland, CA 94609 The Better Business Bureau     Ken Higginbotham    14532 Friar St., #A     Van Nuys, CA 91401    818 786-6784 Ruth Clifford.,     California Coalition for Ethical Mental Health Care,     561 W. 29th Ave     San Mateo, CA 94403 415 345-4902 fax     415 345-1203 The Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers, Inc.     PO BOX 438     Commack, NY 11725-0438     800 Say NO MC, 516 424-5232     ncmhpc@aol.com National Council of Quality Assurance (NCQA)     2000 L St. NW     Washington, DC 80031    202 955-3500     www.ncqa.org Physicians for Social Responsibility     332 S. Michigan, #500     Chicago, IL 60604     312 554-0382     fax 312 554-0383     pnhp@aol.com     www.pnhp.org Harold Eist, MD and Bryant Welch, JD, Ph.D The Legal Center for Patient Protection     1155 Connecticut Ave., NW, Ste. 300     Washington, DC 20036 202 429-6530   fax 202 332-8710 Patient Advocacy Management    805 658-7959     1559 Spinnaker Dr., #205,     Ventura, CA 93003 California Physicians Alliance     560 20th St.     Oakland, CA 94612     510 832-7134     Fax 510 832-7110     capa@ips.net ©1997-2010 Steven C. Kassel - All Rights Reserved