(June/July 1999)

Following the release of the Chapter report, How Health is Managed Care?, the NYS Attorney General’s office requested a meeting to discuss report findings and to develop a working relationship with the Chapter. Assistant Attorney General Troy Oeschner met with Chapter leadership to discuss shared concerns around enforcement of the Managed Care Bill of Rights.

Chapter members are asked to assist by furnishing details of concrete situations in which persons have been denied access to emergency care or were told they needed pre-authorization for emergency care; persons have been denied treatment based on a finding of no medical necessity and not informed at the time of denial about utilization review procedures to challenge the decision; persons have been denied treatment coverage for reasons other than medical necessity and were not informed at the time of denial of managed care company’s grievance procedure; and finally, when persons feel that they have experienced deceptive business practices. Anyone with these experiences should contact Troy Oeschner at the NYS Attorney General’s Health care
Bureau (888) 692-4422.

The Critical Incident Reporting Project (CIRP) continues to collect incidents on the CIRP form available from the Chapter office (212) 668-0050. This successful Project has received additional funding from the Congregation of St. Agnes because of its attention to the needs of women and children.

Look for stories about the report, How Healthy is Managed Care? in your community newspaper. Please help us collect these articles by clipping them and mailing to NYC Chapter NASW at 50 Broadway, 10th floor, New York, 10004.