There is a nurse registry issue that registries might be interested in. I have started a class action case involving registries. The issue is the companies, there’s a difference between a nurse registry and a home health agency. They’re not exactly the same although they are licensed to do exactly the same thing, which is to provide home care.
A lot of the insurance policies refuse to pay for benefits when the services have been provided by a nurse registry. They will only pay for services provided by a home health agency. In 1996 (approx), Florida passed a law that prohibits insurers from refusing to pay a registry for doing the same services that a home health agency delivers. What I’m finding however is that a lot of the insurers are still denying payment to registries.
We represent and have represented nurse registries in cases where they have been denied payment simply because they are a nurse registry. In fact we just recently filed a class action lawsuit representing a nurse registry and an individual who were both denied payment because services were delivered by a registry. We think this is a serious problem. First because it’s against the law and second, it’s prohibiting a lot of companies and more importantly the individuals receiving care by those companies. So this is another thing that we’re involved in. We are basically trying to make sure that qualified providers get paid to deliver services that are needed and covered under these policies so that the individuals who need the care don’t get interrupted in the flow of their necessary care. We are trying to address all of the issues that may arise that could interrupt a person’s care.