Doctors Fear Insurer Interference With Patient Care

A recent poll shows that physicians increasingly believe that insurers are interfering with the doctor-patient relationship. According to toledoblade.com, doctors are growing resentful of having their medical decisions second-guessed by insurance adjusters interested in cutting costs. While some physicians acknowledge that they may have over-prescribed diagnostic tests in order to avoid malpractice lawsuits, in many cases CT scans or endoscopies are medically necessary - yet challenged by insurance companies who don't want to cover the tests.

In the end, patients pay the price - many go without expensive prescribed treatment, or are kept waiting for a proper diagnosis for a rapidly progressing disease. An alarming 86% of doctors surveyed feel that insurance denials have compromised patient care, and 14% report that a patient has been seriously injured or even died because the insurer would not cover prescribed treatment.