First Ever Network Seminar in South America SOUTH AMERICA: On August 22-23. 2009. Dr. Donald Epstein presented his newly revised Basic Care Intensive Seminar for Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) for the first time in South America to a very receptive group of chiropractors in Lima. Peru. Dr. Epstein has completely revised his basic seminar in NSA to incorporate his recently published revolutionary model of health, Reorganizational Healing (ROH). In attendance were DCs from Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States. More than half of the chiropractors of Peru were in attendance, along with all the members of the Peruvian Chiropractic Alliance. "The chance to spend the weekend with another world leader in health and to learn from him more strategies to improve the quality of people's lives in Peru and South America was truly a special event," stated Dr. Liam P. Schubel, President of the Alliance. "It was just amazing: Dr. Epstein's model of Reorganizational Healing is just so perfectly suited for today's health care market and fits beautifully with the philosophy of chiropractic. We need strategies for change in today's society and the spine is the key to that change. We finally have a model that will allow us to come together and move into the future as community leaders," noted Dr. Carl J. Lundgren. For more information about NSA and future seminars, go to wiseworldseminars.com and for information about NSA in South America, visit concienciacorporal.com. Source: planetcl.com Chiropractor Files another PPO Class Action in St. Clair County ILLINOIS: A punative class action lawsuit has been filed against an insurance company that allegedly benefitted from preferred provider discounts without referring patients to doctors. Lead class plaintiff Kathleen Roche. DC. claims defendant Zenith Insurance Company would repeatedly reduce bills based on the application of a First Health preferred provider organization discount, but did not refer its covered claimants to providers. According to the complaint, filed Aug. 27 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Roche entered into a contract with First Health Group Corp., which is an organization that oversees the preferred provider organization of which Zenith is a member. Under the terms of the contract. Roche agreed to provide participating insurance companies with either a 20 percent discount below the amount allowed by the Illinois worker compensation fee schedule or a 15 percent discount on all other bills, the suit states. In return, the insurance companies were to direct their covered beneficiaries to doctors providing the discounted services, thus increasing the doctors' patient flow, the complaint savs. However. Roche and the putative class claim Zenith is operating a silent PPO. which means the insurance company reaps the benefits of discounts without steering patients to participating doctors. Under the silent PPO scheme. Roche and the class receive nothing in return for the discounts they offer Zenith, according to the complaint. In the three-count suit. Roche and the putative class are asking the court to certify their breach of contract count or. in the alternative, to certify an unjust enrichment count, to certify a statutory fraud count, to certify Roche as representative of the class and to enter a judgment of less than $75.000 for each individual claim and not more than $5 million for the aggregate claim. They are also seeking other relief the court deems just. Source: St. Clair Count): Circuit Court case number: 09-L-452. Source: StClairrecord.com Chiropractic Associations Unite to Sue Blue Cross and Blue Shield for Abusive Practices NEW YORK: The NY Chiropractic Council (the "Council") as well as the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association ("PCA"). the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors ("ANJC"). fourteen individual chiropractors and one occupational therapist, located around the country, have sued as the class representatives of the putative class. Pomerantz Haudek Grossman & Gross LLP and co-counsel Buttaci & Leardi, LLC, have filed a class action lawsuit against the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association ("BCBSA") and a number of state BCBS entities. The suit alleges that BCBSA and its entities violate the "Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 "ERISA." The suit challenges the Defendants' abusive practices in using post-payment audits and reviews, and improper repayment demands, to pressure providers to repay substantial sums that have previously properly been paid as health insurance benefits for services provided to BCBS subscribers. The action alleges that the post-payment audit and review process as applied by the various named BCBS Entities violates the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). The complaint further alleges that the post-payment audit and review process, as well as the forced withholdings of unrelated benefit payments to offset alleged prior overpayments, violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"). The PCA, the Council and the ANJC are participating in the action in an associational capacity on behalf of their members. In the complaint, plaintiffs allege that, as a means to maximize its profits, the BCBS Entities are using its post-payment audit and review process to make retroactive adverse benefit determinations whereby they demand that providers repay funds they had previously received for providing services to BCBS subscribers. For more information regarding this lawsuit, log onto www.nvcouncil.com. email [email protected] or call 1-800-496-6922. Source: nycouncil.com£23 Pass on the information to inform other D.C. 's about events that are really happening to chiropractors. For further information, fax 1-305- 716-9212 or see page 4 for our mailing address.
