AMA President Cecil Wilson, MD, is urging physicians not to wait until the last minute to file a claim in the $350 million settlement with UnitedHealth Group. The deadline is October 5, 2010.

The record-breaking settlement that resolved the AMA-led court battle with UnitedHealth will help compensate physicians for years of artificially low payments for out-of-network services.

According to Dr. Wilson’s blog:

 A key step at this stage in the claims process is asking the settlement claims administrator for a copy of the defendant’s report. This report indicates the covered out-of-network services and supplies provided to patients from Jan. 1, 2002, to May 28, 2010. It’s a starting point for the claims filing process and can save a tremendous amount of time that would otherwise have to be invested in compiling all of the information from scratch.

Receiving the report may take a number of weeks. That’s why it’s so important for physicians to start now.

To help physicians get started, the AMA offers a “Step-by-step guide to maximizing your recovery from the UnitedHealth settlement.”  The guide offers physicians downloadable copies of the required forms along with step-by-step assistance in determining eligibility, assembling documentation and filing a claim.  The AMA also offers a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions to help physicians navigate the claims process.