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New York doctors’ group sues two insurers, charging coercion

Physician Practice Advisor, September 27, 2006

The statewide trade group for physicians in New York has filed a class action lawsuit against Oxford Health Plans, one of the state's largest insurers, and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, accusing the companies of illegally coercing physicians to do more business with them, The New York Times reports.

Last year, Oxford and United implemented an "all-products" requirement, mandating that if physicians wanted to remain in one of the two insurers' networks, they had to be in both. Physicians say this forces them to do business with an insurer they don't like-because of low payments and cumbersome paperwork-or risk losing many of their patients.

The suit charges that the all-products requirement violates antitrust laws and other laws against unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Click here to read the The New York Times article (subscription required).

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