NY AG Cuomo Warns Aetna, CIGNA About Concerns Regarding Physician Ranking Programs
September 5th, 2007
New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo sent letters August 16 to Aetna and CIGNA Healthcare expressing serious concerns about the companies’ plans to rank physicians according to quality and cost-effectiveness.
The resulting ratings would then be used to steer consumers toward the highest rated physicians. According to the letter, such programs, as currently designed, “are likely to confuse or even deceive consumers.”
In July, Cuomo sent a similar letter to UnitedHealthcare, objecting to its proposal for ranking physicians.
The letters outlined several concerns, including that the rankings are based on claims data, which carry “several significant risks of error” for ranking purposes; that the insurers fail to disclose the accuracy rate of the rankings; and that the insurers “have a profit motive to recommend doctors who cost less,” but may not necessarily be the most qualified.
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