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Medical emergency brings opposing physicians together

When a WellPoint board member collapsed at a meeting, the health plan's medical director and a dissident shareholder united to help him.

By Bob Cook — Posted May 25, 2010

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For most of WellPoint's annual shareholders' meeting, Samuel Nussbaum, MD, and Rob Stone, MD, were on opposite sides -- Dr. Nussbaum as WellPoint's medical director, Dr. Stone as an activist shareholder wanting the company to return to its nonprofit roots.

But when WellPoint board member William H.T. "Bucky" Bush collapsed, corporate and political differences were pushed aside as both physicians worked together to aid Bush until an ambulance crew arrived.

"To be completely honest, I didn't really think about that issue, about any animosity between us, until sometime afterward, when people started asking me about it," said Dr. Stone, an emergency physician from Bloomington, Ind. "It literally didn't cross my mind until much later, because it was doing what we do."

The situation with Bush, 71, uncle of President George W. Bush and brother of President George H.W. Bush, began as the May 18 shareholders' meeting in Indianapolis was on its final item, a question-and-answer session.

Dr. Stone said the meeting had been "tense," particularly as he and other dissident shareholders presented resolutions that the WellPoint board had already recommended be voted down. Dr. Stone, a WellPoint shareholder and director of Hoosiers for a Common Sense Health Plan, a single-payer advocacy group, wanted the board to approve a feasibility study to investigate returning back to nonprofit status, which the company held when it was still known as Anthem Inc.

As Dr. Stone expected, shareholders rejected the resolution.

WellPoint, whose premium increases and rescission practices have been cited frequently by President Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as prime evidence for health system reform, was being hit with tough questions from others angry at the health plan.

At about 9:15 a.m., one hour and 15 minutes into the meeting, Dr. Stone, sitting in the fifth row in a crowd of about 100 people, said he heard a commotion in the front row, where board members were sitting. He moved up and saw Dr. Nussbaum kneeling at Bush's side on the floor.

Dr. Stone said a WellPoint security guard stopped him. "I said, 'I'm an emergency room physician, I would like to step forward.' I had a direct view. I said, 'Sam, do you want some help?' ... He immediately turned to me and said, 'Yes, please.' And they let me through."

A WellPoint spokesman said Dr. Nussbaum "does not feel it would be appropriate to speak on this personal and private matter."

As Drs. Stone and Nussbaum waited for an emergency crew, WellPoint CEO Angela Braly declared the meeting over, and security cleared the room, much to the chagrin of others who had traveled, some as far as from Seattle, to confront WellPoint's board and executives.

Bush underwent tests at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and returned home to St. Louis May 19. The reason for his collapse has not been disclosed. Dr. Stone said he would not share any details, citing patient confidentiality.

Dr. Stone said he and Dr. Nussbaum didn't talk after Bush was taken away. Dr. Nussbaum went off with the rest of WellPoint's executives and representatives, while Dr. Stone joined an anti-WellPoint rally outside featuring Wendell Potter, the former Cigna spokesman turned health plan critic.

Dr. Stone said he realized his apparently unlikely collaboration was being seen as a big deal when reporters began calling him to ask about it. Even his brother said he read a story about it in his local newspaper -- in Singapore.

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