In a landmark development, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has reached a $2.8 billion settlement to resolve antitrust claims brought by health care providers, including chiropractors. The lawsuit accused BCBS of dividing the nation into exclusive regions and limiting competition, which resulted in lower reimbursements for providers. Although BCBS denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to the settlement to avoid lengthy litigation – and you can get a piece of the pie.
ACA Forms Subsidiary Management Co.
The American Chiropractic Association has formed ACA Professional Services, Inc. (ACAPS), a subsidiary company that will allow the ACA to enter the management consulting field while still allowing the association to retain its non-profit status.
John Pammer, D.C., president of the ACA and the newly formed ACAPS stated: "What the ACA has done is not unusual among professional and trade associations." The new venture, as Dr. Pammer explained, is in response to chiropractors "paying too much for too litte," and being led "innocently into entrepreneurial schemes which are bad for the profession..."
Named to the ACAPS board were DCs John Pammer; Russell Sawyer; David Redding; Edda Vergara; Ray Morgan; Kerwin Winkler; and Lowry Morton. Nannette O'Neal will serve as secretary for ACAPS.
As the initial step to broadening the services available to ACA members and to provide additional revenue for ACA programs, a partnership has been announced between ACAPS and Management Associates Inc. to form The Practice Resource Group (PRG). Richard Vincent, D.C., FICC, chairman of Management Associates and president of the Society of Chiropractic Management Consultants, will be chairman of PRG. The Practice Resource Group will offer what the ACA called "high quality, ethical management assistance at a reasonable cost."
Dr. Vincent assessed the merger: "This marriage brings together the extensive communication network the ACA has with the profession and the state-of-the-art practice management expertise and informational resources our company has developed over the years."
PRG, headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts with offices in New Jersey, will offer practice valuation services, business planning, guidance on associateship and partnership formations, staff training, and a seminar series.