Albuquerque, N.M.-based Lovelace Health Plan has filed suit against ABQ Health Partners, claiming the physician group has engaged in a "smear campaign" to steer Lovelace members to other health insurers, according to a New Mexico Business Weekly report.
Lovelace Health System, the health plan's operator, filed the lawsuit. In the suit, Lovelace asked a judge from the district court to forbid ABQ Health Partners from alleged practices, including misleading and confusing plan members "for the purposes of causing them to sever their relationship with Lovelace in favor of a health plan that ABQ HP now accepts," according to the report.
The contract between Lovelace and ABQ HP expires Nov. 8. Lovelace beneficiaries seeing ABQ HP providers will need to find new physicians beginning Nov. 9, or they will have to pay higher out-of-pocket charges.
Lovelace says ABQ HP's alleged actions violate the "non-conversion and non-solicitation provisions of the group managed care agreement" between the two entities. That agreement prohibits providers from attempting to sway beneficiaries in specific health plans.
The physician group has defended itself against the allegations, saying physicians and providers "have every right to discuss changes in care directly with their patients," according to the report.
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Lovelace Health System, the health plan's operator, filed the lawsuit. In the suit, Lovelace asked a judge from the district court to forbid ABQ Health Partners from alleged practices, including misleading and confusing plan members "for the purposes of causing them to sever their relationship with Lovelace in favor of a health plan that ABQ HP now accepts," according to the report.
The contract between Lovelace and ABQ HP expires Nov. 8. Lovelace beneficiaries seeing ABQ HP providers will need to find new physicians beginning Nov. 9, or they will have to pay higher out-of-pocket charges.
Lovelace says ABQ HP's alleged actions violate the "non-conversion and non-solicitation provisions of the group managed care agreement" between the two entities. That agreement prohibits providers from attempting to sway beneficiaries in specific health plans.
The physician group has defended itself against the allegations, saying physicians and providers "have every right to discuss changes in care directly with their patients," according to the report.
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