Oxford Health's Alternative Care No Alternative
by Shelin@aol.com |
I recently became an Oxford provider for their alternative medicine program. As you may know, there has been an enormous amount of publicity and media attention for this.
They present themselves as being on the "cutting edge" of healthcare etc. When I first went to a meeting about it, their representative said that they will fill our practices with as many patients as we want. When I finally did become a provider, the same representative told me that out of 100 patients who call thinking they have coverage, only 3 or 4 will actually have it.
That's because they are misrepresenting what "coverage" is to people who call. When they call and ask if they are covered to see an acupuncturist, Oxford tells them "yes," they can see an acupuncturist at a "special rate" (higher than my normal rates).
Oxford covers none of this rate. It is entirely an out of pocket expense for the subscriber. But what else they don't tell you is this - I have a friend who is part of an Oxford group and is also the administrator of that group (alternative medicine is only available to groups). She wanted to get the alternative medicine coverage for her group so she called to find out the deal. This is what they told her - First, every member of the group must pay an extra $150 per year premium. (That's not bad). Second, out of all the alternative medicine modalities, the subscriber is covered for $500 of treatment and out of that $500, the subscriber must pay $250! Oxford has got countless subscribers by leading them to believe that they will be covered for alternative medicine and it's not true. This is an incredible marketing device. I feel like we're in the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes" and somebody has to say that THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
Update: 11/23/97
Awhile ago, I posted some information that I had received about Oxford, their alternative medicine rider and their alternative healthcare program. A patient of mine was the administrator of a group and wanted to purchase the alternative medicine rider. She was told by Oxford that on top of an additional premium of $150/year, they would get only $500 of coverage of which they would have to pay $250. Oxford has contacted me and told me that this is not the case so I feel I should send this out as an update to my previous posting. Although the information I posted did come from Oxford, apparently in the beginning of the program there was incorrect information inadvertently given out which was confusing. They have told me that the information processing is much clearer now. They also said that their rate for Oxford subscribers who do not have the alternative medicine rider is not now referred to as a "special discounted rate" but as a "negotiated rate" for Oxford subscribers. I hope that this helps clarify their policy vis a vis the previous posting.
Acupuncture.com |