MANAGED CARE
Idaho Cardiology Assocs. v. Idaho Physicians Network, Inc., No. 30365 (Idaho Feb. 22, 2005)
A physician group filed suit against a corporation that marketed
the services of medical groups to insurance companies after the corporation
refused to admit the physician group into its network. The physician group
argued that the corporation was subject to the "any willing provider" statute,
which requires any managed care organization issuing benefits to enter into care
agreements with all qualified providers to provide certain health care services.
The court held that since the corporation was an integral and inseparable part
of a managed care organization, it was subject to the requirements of the any
willing provider statute and, as a result, was statutorily obligated at all times
to enter into care provider service agreements with all qualified providers such
as the physician group.