Dispute could spell end of writers' health plan
In a dispute that could leave 1,200 freelance writers across the U.S. without health insurance, insurance company Unicare Health Plans is trying to cancel its contract with the National Writers Union to provide coverage for union members. A subsidiary of Thousand Oaks, CA, based Wellpoint Health Networks---the third-largest managed care corporation in the country---Unicare has alleged that the 6,500-member union is in clear violation of a seventy-five percent minimum member participation clause common to all of the insurance plan's group contracts. With many of its members unable to afford the high costs of out-of-pocket care or individual insurance as they face pregnancies, cancer treatment, and other major health issues, the union has argued that there is no minimum participation clause in their contract with the corporation and will go to court this Friday to seek an injunction against Unicare.