Tuesday, October 14, 2008

When did we lose the care out of healthcare?

So....I've been having some medical issues. I called my health plan today to tell them that one of the providers had billed them for some procedures that were never done. I about fell out of my chair when they didn't care. I mean seriously...that is fraud. I was the one getting the biopsy and I would know if I was given anesthesia or not. But, I was politely informed that I would have to take it up with the provider's billing office. So, I'm supposed to call the provider's office and say oh by the way...you really didn't do this procedure the way you are billing and expect them to admit they are committing fraud? WOW! What planet do these people live on?!? How many times have we all walked into a doctor's office and seen the doctor for less than 5 minutes and been billed an "extended" visit? Don't get me wrong - there are great physicians out there. I know because I work with some. Sadly though, our system is broken. We have taken the care our of healthcare. Because of time demands and billing demands and meeting quotas, the bedside manner has changed and quantity of patients versus quality of the care they receive has become the focus. Maybe I'm just jaded and cynical and have spent too much time in the healthcare system as both a patient and an advocate to be objective any more but it seems to me that at least when we or our insurance get billed for something it should be something that has happened and when someone steps up and is honest and says they are getting billed for something that didn't happen someone should care. Again, I guess doing the right thing is too often the hard thing to do.

No comments: