On Monday, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee launched an online tool that will provide about two million Tennessee members with physician cost and quality information, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.
The Web site, based on physicians' insurance claims data, offers consumers information on doctors' compliance with eight performance measures, such as regular eye screenings for patients with diabetes and annual Pap tests for women. The online tool also includes physician cost information (Bregel, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 9/16).
BCBST officials said the online tool was created in response to requests from members and employer groups. The Web site is not available to BCBST members enrolled in TennCare, the state's Medicaid program, or other government-funded health insurance plans (Memphis Business Journal, 9/16).
Physician Concerns
Physicians in Tennessee opposed BCBST's release of physician cost and quality ratings, arguing that claims data can be misleading and could unfairly damage a physician's reputation, the Times Free Press reports (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 9/16).
In addition, some doctors raised concerns that the Web site could drive consumers to seek treatment based on cost, rather than quality.
Russ Miller, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Medical Association, added that the online tool could discourage physicians from treating the most critical patients (Ward, Tennessean, 9/17).
In an effort to appease physicians, the insurer allowed doctors to use a "self-report" tool to add information to their online physician profiles to explain certain situations, according to BCBST spokesperson Scott Wilson. At least 700 doctors used the tool to make additions to their online profiles, he said (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 9/16).