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Out-of-network fee database established
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A non-profit and a research network at Syracuse University have forged a partnership to develop a database for consumer medical care reimbursement.
A non-profit company, FAIR Health Inc., and a research network at Syracuse University will develop an independent database for consumer medical care reimbursement and a website where consumers can compare prices before they choose their doctors.
FAIR Health was established with $100 million in settlement funds following an investigation earlier this year by the New York state attorney general's office of health insurers, including UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Cigna, Health Net and WellPoint. For years, the insurers used what the state alleged to be a flawed database, Ingenix, to determine out-of-network fees. The insurers agreed to cease use of Ingenix, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group.
