Page 1, Suit filed against UI by local clinic

News Story by Brian Zents, 10/14/93

A local chiropractic clinic is suing the University because it claims the
school's Medical Insurance Benefits Center is hurting its business.

Snell Chiropractic Clinic, 206 Burwash Ave., Savoy, has filed one lawsuit
against the University and another against center employee Donna Curtin
for slander, which will be served later this week.

"It's like a witch hunt. They're trying to push me out of business," said
Joseph Snell, owner of the clinic.

Conflict arose after the University refused to pay its share of students'
bills for the chiropractor by placing his treatments up for medical
review. Snell said the University has cost him somewhere between $30,000
to $50,000.

The University then sent a letter to students who received treatment,
questioning the "medical necessity" of Snell's treatments.

Snell said the letter was meant to intimidate students and scare them away
from his clinic. He now handles about 70 students.

"They're doing everything they can to stop students from coming in here,"
Snell said.

Regardless of its intention, the letter has forced some students away from
the clinic. Tom Schirtzinger, spouse of Tracie Schirtzinger, graduate
student, discontinued his service with the clinic because of the
confusion.

Schirtzinger said he was discontinuing service because of "fear of being
charged for services I originally thought would be covered by U of I
student insurance and are now in question."

Judith Rowan, University associate chancellor for public affairs, said the
letter's purpose was simply to notify students of the situation. Rowan
also said she was unaware of any lawsuits filed against the University.

"It (the letter) just advises them that the claims are under review,"
Rowan said.

Officials from the University's Benefits Center refused to comment on the
situation.

Normally, the University pays 80 percent of students' bills under the
standard health insurance plan for students. They will pay up to $2,000 in
bills per student per year.

Now, however, students are being stuck with bills that they had been
expecting the University to pay.

Beth Presley, graduate student, went to Snell for a pinched nerve in her
left shoulder and now has a $1,000 bill that she thought the University
would pay.

"He (Snell) helped me out and then the University said it wasn't medically
necessary," she said.

Presley said the University has decided to cover a portion of the
treatment, but the majority of the treatment was denied.

Snell said the University is denying payment for anything that isn't
directly related to chiropractics, even though the chiropractors can treat
the problems.

Snell has not forced the students to pay the bills that the University was
initially supposed to cover. He has been waiving the 20 percent of bills
that students are responsible for, Snell said.

The University has begun the practice of reviewing chiropractic cases of
other clinics as well. T.K. Gossett of the Gossett Clinic of Chiropractic,
1711 S. Neil, Champaign, also has been experiencing difficulties. Gossett
has about 30 students as patients, he said.

"It seems like every claim, no matter what the size, is up for review. For
something that's less than $1,000, that is ridiculous," Gossett said.

The University has been forcing the chiropractors to send their X-rays and
files to Chicago, costing them even more money. In addition, they are
asking for old files that they have already paid for, Snell said.