Wall Street Journal letter to the Editor
In some recent news by the American Medical Association, the AMA is asking for more transparency amongst Physicians and Insurance companies because they understand the difficulties and unfair advantage the insurers maintain. This is a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal
AMA to Wall Street Journal: Doctors can post fees, but to little effect
February 28, 2006 (published)
The Wall Street Journal
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
Scott Atlas' commentary, "Doctors: Post Your Prices" (Feb. 17) sounds simple and reasonable, and, in fact, the AMA has policy calling on physicians and others in the health care system to post their fees. But gone are the days when a doctor posts fees and most patients pay the doctor directly. Now, it's third-party payers – insurers and the government – who really set prices. And too often – it is the physician who doesn't know what he or she will be paid.
In many cases health insurers (many of which have posted record profits) pay what they wish – often as little 30 cents on the dollar. Physicians deal with insurance terms like "bundling," "down coding" and "discounting"– which taken together and roughly translated mean that insurers pay as little as they possibly can. Mega mergers of health insurance companies mean that physicians often have no recourse but to sign up with the biggest health plan in town – take it or leave it. And both patients and physicians often struggle to find out what will and will not be paid for by insurance. Clearly, more transparency is needed from the health insurance industry.
We agree – there shouldn't be a mystery about medical prices, but just calling on physicians to post their fees will not provide many clues to the actual cost of health care. If we want patients to become more prudent purchasers of health care, they need to be in greater control of their own health insurance choices and decisions, and need price transparency from all sectors of the health-care system as well.
Sincerely,
William G. Plested, MD
President-elect
American Medical Association
AMA to Wall Street Journal: Doctors can post fees, but to little effect
February 28, 2006 (published)
The Wall Street Journal
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
Scott Atlas' commentary, "Doctors: Post Your Prices" (Feb. 17) sounds simple and reasonable, and, in fact, the AMA has policy calling on physicians and others in the health care system to post their fees. But gone are the days when a doctor posts fees and most patients pay the doctor directly. Now, it's third-party payers – insurers and the government – who really set prices. And too often – it is the physician who doesn't know what he or she will be paid.
In many cases health insurers (many of which have posted record profits) pay what they wish – often as little 30 cents on the dollar. Physicians deal with insurance terms like "bundling," "down coding" and "discounting"– which taken together and roughly translated mean that insurers pay as little as they possibly can. Mega mergers of health insurance companies mean that physicians often have no recourse but to sign up with the biggest health plan in town – take it or leave it. And both patients and physicians often struggle to find out what will and will not be paid for by insurance. Clearly, more transparency is needed from the health insurance industry.
We agree – there shouldn't be a mystery about medical prices, but just calling on physicians to post their fees will not provide many clues to the actual cost of health care. If we want patients to become more prudent purchasers of health care, they need to be in greater control of their own health insurance choices and decisions, and need price transparency from all sectors of the health-care system as well.
Sincerely,
William G. Plested, MD
President-elect
American Medical Association
posted by Anonymous at 6:10 AM
3 Comments:
I agree. Darn it.
HB,
I happen to agree with most of the letter but yesterday, with regard to the AMA you said: You are absolutely correct. These organizations have lost their purpose. They no longer serve the interests of whom they were established for.
Today, you post a letter from the AMA President-elect that seems to support points you've made in the past.
Which is it? Is the AMA without purpose or should we rely on them for an accurate portrayal of healthcare problems?
I think they have lost their purpose, but unfornunately, they are really our only combined voice to Washington.
I want to re-ignite physicians to become more involved and active and pressure our only organization to begin standing up for the individual doctors that struggle on the front line.
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