Physician Advocates Craft Bill to Crack Down on Silent PPOs

A bill introduced to the Pennsylvania legislature would stop third parties from applying discounts to physician fees without their knowledge, eliminating so-called “silent PPOs.” State Rep. Stan Saylor, R-Red Lion, introduced the bill at the request of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society, whose members have been hurt financially by the practice, said Kathy DeWittie, the society’s director of special projects. “Our legislation mandates that an agreement exists between the provider and the third party so that the physician knows that he is accepting a discount,&rdq...