On Monday, August 23, 2010, members of the Triad-area physician community attended a forum with third party payer medical directors and North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.  The event entitled “Third Party Payer Meeting: Which is it? Health Reform or Insurance Reform?” was organized by the Greater Greensboro Society of Medicine and the High Point Medical Society.  North Carolina Medical Society Executive Vice President, CEO, Robert Seligson moderated the meeting, which was attended by about 100 physicians.

Also seated at the moderator’s table were:

William F. Hopper, MD, President, Greater Greensboro Society of Medicine

Perry E. Jones, MD, President, High Point Medical Society

Henry A. Fleishman, MD, President, Rockingham County Medical Societ

Palmer Edwards, MD, President , Forsyth-Stokes-Davie County Medical Society

North Carolina’s third party payers were represented by the following Medical Directors:

Bruce Norman, MD, Aetna

Catherine Palmier, MD, UnitedHealthcare

Edward N. Hunsinger, MD,CIGNA HealthCare

Don W. Bradley, MD, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

The panel of insurer representatives and Commissioner Goodwin answered prepared questions regarding medical loss ratio, most favored nation clauses, physician payment models and the future of the health care industry under new reform laws as well as a number of questions from physicians in the audience.