File #: Res 1266-2000    Version: * Name: United Health Group, No HMO Approval
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 3/29/2000
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution stating that the Council of the City of New York commends the action by the United Health Group that gives doctors the final say as to the manner in which they may treat their patients.
Sponsors: Pedro G. Espada, Kathryn E. Freed, Margarita Lopez, Helen M. Marshall, Christine C. Quinn, Philip Reed, Lawrence A. Warden, Stephen J. Fiala, James S. Oddo, Wendell Foster, Julia Harrison, Sheldon S. Leffler, Guillermo Linares, Stanley E. Michels, Jerome X. O'Donovan, Priscilla A. Wooten
Council Member Sponsors: 16
Res. No. 1266 Title Resolution stating that the Council of the City of New York commends the action by the United Health Group that gives doctors the final say as to the manner in which they may treat their patients. Body By Council Members Espada, Freed, Lopez, Marshall, Quinn, Reed, Warden, Fiala and Oddo; also Council Members Foster, Harrison, Leffler, Linares, Michels, O'Donovan and Wooten Whereas, According to the American Association of Health Plans, in 1996, over 67.5 million Americans were projected to be enrolled in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO's); and Whereas, According to a November 14, 1999 Newsday article, 2.1 million New York City residents are covered by managed care, more than any other type of health insurance; and Whereas, Most HMO's have instituted internal procedures, whereby a panel of administrators reserved the right to overrule a physicians' determination that a patient needs a specific treatment or that the patient needs to be admitted to a hospital; and Whereas, United Health Group ("UHG") is the second largest health insurer in the nation, with a presence in all 50 states and a customer base of over 14.5 million patients; and Whereas, The UHG states that it has 409,315 customers in New York City; and Whereas, According to an article in the November 9, 1999, New York Times (the "Times article"), the UHG announced that it was returning decision-making power regarding patient care to physicians; and; Whereas, A November 9, 1999 statement issued by the UHG declared that it was expanding its Care Coordination initiative which "obsoletes certain programs associated with traditional medical management, such as pre-authorization for inpatient hospital procedures, and enhances clinical decision-making between the patient and physician"; and Whereas, According to the Times article, physicians and consumer advocates hailed United Health Group's considering, HMO's in the western United States have for many years abandoned the practice of micro-managing doctors decisions; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York commends the action by the United Health Group that gives doctors the final say as to the manner in which they may treat their patients. H:resolution-hmo united health group- espada(5)