Managed care liability.

Abstract

Debate is heating up concerning proposals that patients have the right to sue their managed care plans for damages from wrongful denial of benefits or delays in care. Some states have recently passed legislation to address this issue and it is expected to be an area of intense legislative debate during this year. As managed care entities increasingly enter the realm of medical decision-making, the additional burden of this responsibility is taking shape. Whether managed care plans should be treated like providers of care and be held accountable for decisions that impact patient outcomes, or be viewed only as insurers is a policy question of immense proportion.