Dear Executive Director: Our law firm has been fighting the issue of "Silent PPO's" on behalf of chiro- praetors in Massachusetts and Florida. Automobile insurance companies are aggressively misapplying PPO discounts to automobile insurance medical expense claims, despite the fact that 1) the majority of automobile insurance companies do not sell PPO policies; 2) most states have not passed laws authorizing automobile insurance managed care; and 3) automobile insurers do not provide increased patient volume to chiropractors. This practice often cuts automobile accident medical expense reimbursement in half. We have received additional complaints from Minnesota and California, and have information that this practice has moved to as many as thirty states. We have 14 class actions filed in Federal Court in Florida against many of the biggest national automobile insurance companies—all of the cases challenge silent PPO's and seek a refund of all PPO discounts taken by automobile insurers. We have alleged that the stealing of discounts is a violation of the RICO Act. We are investigating this practice nationwide, and are gathering evidence from chiropractors who have been victimized by this practice. If you, or any of your chiropractors, have information or complaints about this practice, please contact my office. Please, also, feel free to review my firm web page (www.phillipsgarcia.com). which has an extensive description of the Silent PPO discount scheme being run by insurance companies. Thank you. Carlin J. Phillips Phillips & Garcia. LLP
