Subject: A Message from IGS, IFCSS Health Insurance Company (IFCSS HQ NR-4095)

From: IFCSS HQ <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 15:14:28 -0500

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IFCSS Headquarters News Release No. 4095     January 25, 1993
            A Message From IGS on IFCSS Insurance
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Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS)
   733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington, D.C.20005
         Tel. (202)347-0017  Fax: (202)347-0018
                Email: [email-masked]

Dear IFCSS Members:

     The IGS, our insurance company, has received a lot of
calls from IFCSS members who wanted an explanation of the term
"U.C.R." The IGS has written a formal explanation and asked the
HQ to disseminate this information through email networks. 

     Thanks for your attention.

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     Usual, Customary and Reasonable Definitions

Below is a definition of U.C.R. or Usual, Customary and Reasonable.
Insurance companies use this to avoid over charging by Providers.

U.C.R. is the average cost per service or procedure, (surgery, labs,
X-Rays, and Office Visits) charged by the providers in a given
geographic region defined by Zip Code.

The IFCSS policy uses the 90th percentile which means that 90% of the
providers performing a given procedure will charge an amount equal
to or less than what the IFCSS determines to be reasonable. Note:
Most companies use 70 to 80%

Students should check with their doctors to see if any balances
over U.C.R. will be charged back to the student after the IFCSS
policy pays benefits. Often, doctors will accept insurance payments
as payment in full.

We will also accept appeals of U.C.R. reductions in writing within
30 days.

                                  John Pascoe (Signed)
                                  Director of Administration
                                  IGS

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*                 IFCSS Headquarters Office                         *
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