The Massachusetts Medical Society says inaccuracies in the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission‘s Clinical Performance Initiative are making doctor visits more expensive for patients.
The society has filed a request under the state’s public records law for all documents and communications related to the initiative, which ranks physicians based on quality and cost. The society said the request was filed as physicians begin receiving their rankings for 2008-09.
“Physicians are telling us that the information is still not accurate,” said Dr. B. Dale Magee, society president. Patients that see lower-ranking doctors pay a higher co-payment than those that see higher-ranking doctors.
The Group Insurance Commission buys health insurance on behalf of 268,000 state and municipal employees in Massachusetts.