PacifiCare to make $1.6 million available to pay doctors' claims

PacifiCare of Nevada has agreed to set aside $1.6 million to pay about 40 physicians who have outstanding claims with the health maintenance organization.

The Nevada Division of Insurance announced the agreement Wednesday.

Problems arose in July when PacifiCare's billing organization, FPA Medical Management Inc., filed for bankruptcy. PacifiCare terminated its contract with the organization that same month.

North America Medical Management is now handling PacifiCare's doctor's contracts. The management group has also been working with the Independent Physician's Association, an organization of nearly 200 primary care doctors formed to help negotiate payment to physicians.

"Overall, things are better," Dr. Ivan Goldsmith of the West Tropicana Medical Center said. "We finally have a vehicle in place with the IPA to help us."

At one time, PacifiCare owed the medical center $10,000, Goldsmith said. The claims, he said, were paid six months ago.

Before the agreement, the insurance commission said PacifiCare paid more than $34 million to medical providers who weren't paid by FPA Medical Management Inc.

PacifiCare currently has 69,000 members in Nevada. The HMO does business in nine states and Guam, serving nearly 3.5 million members.

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