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.