BlueCross puts words to her thoughts

Some pending legislation in Tallahassee has BlueCross BlueShield of Florida putting words into people's mouths.

The bills -- House Bill 181 and Senate Bill 1850 -- would make it more difficult for an HMO to drop a doctor from its network. Naturally enough, that's something the state's largest insurer opposes.

In a press release last week, the Blues quoted female owners of small businesses in the Tampa Bay area. The women, including Julie Gale of At Home Auto Care in Ruskin, say they are being hurt by skyrocketing health insurance premiums which they blame -- surprise -- on burdensome government regulations.

Gale is quoted as saying, "Take the legislation that would allow physicians to dictate their contractual terms to health plan networks. What if a doctor was not any good, or no one came to him? Wouldn't it make sense to all for him to leave the network? Or should we continue to pay his salary?"

Contacted by the Times, Gale said she had complained to the Blues because her employees' insurance premiums increased 24 percent this year.

"And they pointed out to me that if the government is mandating people have got to carry certain coverage, it's going to raise the price," she said.

Gale said she isn't aware of details in the pending bills, but does think that if a doctor isn't performing, he shouldn't get paid.

"They weren't specifically my words, but I agree completely with what they're saying," she said. "I'm just at the point where whatever the insurance company tells you, you've got to do. There's no way around it."

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