Court to Insurers: Don’t Dump LICH Docs

By on January 15, 2010 11:27 pm in Cobble Hill, Government, Health, News

As reported by NY1, a state court today issued an order temporarily restraining UnitedHealthcare, a major health insurance group that controls the popular Oxford Health Plans, from terminating coverage for services provided by doctors affiliated with hospitals in the Continuum Health Partners consortium, which includes Long Island College Hospital. As we previously reported, Continuum’s contract with UnitedHealthcare expired because the parties could not agree on terms of a new contract by the January 1 deadline. Under state law, the insurer was required to provide coverage during a two month grace period following the contract expiration, which meant that, if the parties were still not able to agree on new terms, coverage would have ended March 1. The court has now ordered UnitedHealthcare to continue providing coverage beyond that date, pending arbitration of the dispute.

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  • Joe Nardiello

    This is an extremely important issue to the people of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Gowanus and Brooklyn Heights — as LICH is the area’s only emergency room, for miles. Please dig deeper, work with any local media/press…and investigate how Continnum has seemingly withdrawn funding by many $10s of millions, according the written reports, devastated our local Long Island College Hospital to where contracts are threatening the hospital’s survival.

    What is wrong, here? What is in jeopardy? Why are we drawing out, year after year, issues that threaten the very health or existence of the hospital that had been a very fixture for so long. Where exactly is the Problem? Let’s put a face to it.

    Between the doctors, the nurses, the staff and the community — there’s a strong bond across generations, and a will to serve and answer to the needs of Cobble Hill and surrounding neighborhoods. As a resident, I respect that and hold it in high regard. But, this hospital seems to be running on a shoe-string across the last decade or so?… There’s too much at stake, and every elected official and our media — should be focusing of what the issue is, with the management of Continuum.

    Why a “rally to save LICH”? Where are our elected leaders on this? why are so many ducking & covering, when they might be leading…?

    Get the interview with the top dog.

    Please.

  • Joann

    This also affects the vast Beth Israel medical system which is part of Continuum

  • BD

    Oxford/United Healthcare Coverage-LICH-
    I am very distraught at hearing all that is going on wih problems with LICH- since, they have merged with the oher hospitals. LICH, was never in a drastic situation as they have been for the last few years. This is causing havoc on all the people in our comunity, who have had generations of their family members, using this hospital. Why are we voting for leaders, if they cannot come out and help us fight these issues. Instead, they talk, so they can be elected, than they drop us to go on to bigger and better positions.
    As for the insurance plan- Oxford/United Healthcare- what do we do, as coverage participants- where do we go to find and seek our doctors that we go to for our medical needs. We are, i i am being charged a $300 or more increase a month- $1,100 plus- what do you do? Now, that i have to now read, that my coverage will be possibly terminated by the doctors. Where does this put us, the patients, with our medical needs, records,etc. This is a disgrace. This puts stress out there for us. Can anyone sleep well on these happenings. This is for the patient as well as for the doctors that are looking to terminate our insurance.
    I have attended and spoke at meetings, about saving LICH. How, everyone, i know,that between relatives and friends, we have all walked the halls of LICH- have also helped at the staff, when they were short- at wee hours of the night- where we took care, by sitting and watching our relatives. We sacraficed than, we are sacrificing now, to keep the doors open, to keep our doctors, so, please sacrifice with us, in thinking and reconciling to drop our Oxford/ United Healthcare Insuranc…
    Where do we stand on these issues? Are we going to burst these clouds, so we can see what is going on with LICH-Oxford Coverage .