Qikdraw
08-26-2008, 12:32 PM
Patients suffer as care, coverage limits collide
Physicians say insurers intrude on treatment
A Blade investigation, including interviews with about 100 physicians and a national survey of doctors with more than 900 responses, revealed that a growing number of doctors believe there’s an epidemic of insurers dictating medical-treatment decisions.
Increasing health-care costs and an influx of expensive drugs and tests, combined with an aging population, set off a health-care crisis in the United States.
Contending with soaring costs, insurers changed the business of health care by requiring preauthorizations, mandating cheaper drugs, and tightening controls on treatment decisions.
Link to their site on their research (http://www.toledoblade.com/assets/swf/TO53639823.SWF)
Its ironic I find this now as currently I am on Cobra insurance and although I've paid, and Cobra says I am active, I cannot go to the dentist or to my doctors without paying out of pocket. Both Delta Dental and Blue Cross say I am not covered. In talking with Conexis they have been giving me 'it will be fixed in 48 hours' for 2 weeks now. I know what they are doing, they are trying to keep my first month of payments before allowing me to be covered. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow and if I have to pay out of pocket for it I am calling teh Labor Board and also the California Insurance Commission.
This is American healthcare?
Physicians say insurers intrude on treatment
A Blade investigation, including interviews with about 100 physicians and a national survey of doctors with more than 900 responses, revealed that a growing number of doctors believe there’s an epidemic of insurers dictating medical-treatment decisions.
Increasing health-care costs and an influx of expensive drugs and tests, combined with an aging population, set off a health-care crisis in the United States.
Contending with soaring costs, insurers changed the business of health care by requiring preauthorizations, mandating cheaper drugs, and tightening controls on treatment decisions.
Link to their site on their research (http://www.toledoblade.com/assets/swf/TO53639823.SWF)
Its ironic I find this now as currently I am on Cobra insurance and although I've paid, and Cobra says I am active, I cannot go to the dentist or to my doctors without paying out of pocket. Both Delta Dental and Blue Cross say I am not covered. In talking with Conexis they have been giving me 'it will be fixed in 48 hours' for 2 weeks now. I know what they are doing, they are trying to keep my first month of payments before allowing me to be covered. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow and if I have to pay out of pocket for it I am calling teh Labor Board and also the California Insurance Commission.
This is American healthcare?