Assignment of Benefit

Physicians should be compensated directly for the services they provide, whether that compensation comes from the insurer, the insured, or the patient. When the physician is not part of the insurer's network, the insurer should pay assigned claims directly to the physicians or, at a minimum, make payment to the physician and the patient jointly, delivering the payment to the patient and instructing the patient to deliver the co-signed check to the named physician in a timely fashion. The assignment of benefits should not affect or limit the payment of benefits otherwise payable under the patient's health insurance policy.

(1994) (Board Chair October 2006)