| |
 |
Fresno Bee: Doctors push code of conduct for insurers
By APS Sidhu
When I became a doctor I had to take the Hippocratic Oath which says, in part: "I will follow that … regimen which … I consider for the benefit of my patients and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous …" This oath serves as a code of conduct for my interactions with patients.
Most stakeholders in the medical industry are bound by some code of conduct -- except for health insurers, a group that I believe most needs such a code.
For far too long, the health insurance industry has engaged in practices that have interfered with the doctor/patient relationship, in effect altering the most appropriate course of treatment and care for patients across the country.
From unwarranted changes to denial of coverage for prescribed medications and treatments, the actions of health insurance companies are too often focused on improving their bottom line instead of improving care for patients.
Doctors have finally had enough and are now calling for the creation of a code of conduct for health insurers.
The American Medical Association's House of Delegates has made a unanimous decision to develop a Health Insurer Code of Conduct to achieve several goals:
Develop a health insurer code of conduct setting forth clear and concise principles addressing both medical care policies and payment issues.
Seek concurrence among health insurers in complying with this code of conduct.
Develop a mechanism to monitor compliance with it; and widely disseminate information regarding this code of conduct and health insurer compliance to physicians and consumers.
The health insurer code of conduct will benefit patients, physicians and other health care providers by challenging health plans to modify their restrictive policies without the need for legislative or judicial intervention.
This data could provide consumers with an additional tool for comparing health plans during enrollment periods and stimulate health plans to modify unacceptable practices.
The authority for health care decision-making has shifted from doctors to health plans, which compromises the clinical autonomy of physicians in a way that is not in the patients' best interest.
By adopting a code of conduct, health plans will help restore the balance of power between cost containment efforts and the preservation of the doctor/patient relationship.
A voluntary code of conduct is not intended to unravel the practices of managed care, but to level the playing field so that physicians feel empowered to act in the best interests of their patients without fear of retribution, without having to jump through unnecessary hoops to prescribe the treatments they deem best for their patients, and with the knowledge that any program implemented to promote "quality" is peer reviewed, risk adjusted and quality driven.
I hope other patient and doctor advocates will join me in encouraging health insurers in California to take an important first step toward putting the focus back on the patient by proactively adopting a Health Insurer Code of Conduct.
APS Sidhu, M.D., MBA, is president of Fresno Long-Term Medical Care, Inc.
READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE
# # #
All News Items
August 26, 2010 - The Lund Report: The Best Care Possible: You're Worth It
June 14, 2010 - American Medical News: 10 things health insurers must do to regain trust; The AMA, with endorsement from 68 state and medical specialty societies, outlines steps health plans must take to be credible in the eyes of physicians and patients.
February 27, 2010 - Providence Journal: The creepy third person in doctor’s exam room
November 28, 2009 - Newport News Daily Press: MDs under attack
November 04, 2009 - The Hill: A code of conduct for health insurers
October 27, 2009 - WCBU-FM 89.9 (Peoria, Ill.) radio news
October 26, 2009 - WEEK (NBC - Peoria, Ill.): Developing a doctor-patient relationship
October 12, 2009 - Las Vegas Business Press: Here's a prescription: A health insurers code of ethics
September 09, 2009 - Maryland State Medical Society Resolution 14-09
August 29, 2009 - The Island Packet: AMA code puts doctors, patients in charge of care
August 28, 2009 - Baltimore Times: Group calls on health insurers
August 27, 2009 - Baltimore Times: Nursing Maryland back to health
August 20, 2009 - Lincoln Journal-Star: Pharmacists forced to serve insurers rather than patients
August 19, 2009 - WSTM-NBC3: Prescription medication battle heats up in Central New York
August 17, 2009 - New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein blog: For Health or Profit? Klein Unveils Sickly Scorecard of Major HMOs
August 17, 2009 - New York Daily News: Prescription Prescription drug coverage marred by bureaucracy, survey says
August 13, 2009 - Leading African American Groups Call On Health Insurers to Dismiss Restrictive Practices
August 13, 2009 - San Diego Union-Tribune: Bureaucracy won't contain costs
August 01, 2009 - Huntington, W.V. Herald-Dispatch: Insurers put stress on the physician-patient relationship
July 21, 2009 - Chicago Tribune: They authorized back surgery but denied his $148,000 claim
July 17, 2009 - American Osteopathic Association calls for Development of Code of Conduct
July 12, 2009 - Houston Chronicle: Another kind of remedy for the sick; Code of conduct would protect patients
July 07, 2009 - Washington Post: Health Reform: Who Holds the Reins on Care?
July 06, 2009 - NATIONAL HEALTH INSURER CODE OF CONDUCT HITS 1000 SIGNATURES OF SUPPORT
June 30, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Code of conduct needed for health insurers, too
June 24, 2009 - Penn. Pharmacists Association: “A Patient Walks Up to the Counter …”
June 24, 2009 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Broken bonds; The physician-patient relationship is being destroyed by the cost-driven decisions of health insurers
June 09, 2009 - Bellingham (Wash.) Herald: Time for a health insurance code of conduct
June 08, 2009 - Mississippi Business Journal: Transparency is the best medicine; Health Insurer Code of Conduct may improve the quality of care
June 03, 2009 - Frederick (Md.) News Post Op-Ed: Pharmacists pawns in health care's game of chess
June 01, 2009 - KUSI-TV interview with Dr. Jack Schim
May 25, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle: Doctor pushes back against insurer scrutiny
May 08, 2009 - Fox News Health Blog: Bad Medicine: Is Your Insurance Company Hazardous to Your Health?
April 27, 2009 - Petition for Health Insurer Code of Conduct Garners Widespread National Support
April 20, 2009 - On-line petition launched in support of a national health insurer code of conduct
April 13, 2009 - Petition launched in support of a national health insurer code of conduct
April 09, 2009 - Westchester (N.Y.) Herald letters: Access to Quality Healthcare
April 01, 2009 - Los Angeles Society of Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology Applauds the AMA for Developing Health Insurer Code of Conduct
March 24, 2009 - Arizona Republic: Patient care, not financial gain, must take priority
March 22, 2009 - Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle: Health insurers should agree to a code of conduct
March 20, 2009 - Buffalo News: Code of conduct would protect patients from insurers
March 10, 2009 - AfPA Launches Petition in Support of a National Health Insurer Code of Conduct
March 09, 2009 - Texas Medical Society: Health Insurance Code of Conduct Act of 2009; The Time Has Come
March 09, 2009 - American Medical News: MSSNY president: Insurer settlements highlight need for code of conduct
February 01, 2009 - Colorado Medicine: Health Insurer Code of Conduct?
January 24, 2009 - Fresno Bee: Doctors push code of conduct for insurers
December 10, 2008 - Lupus Agencies of New York State Applaud AMA's Resolution to Develop a "Code of Conduct" for Health Insurers
December 09, 2008 - New York State Rheumatology Society Position Paper: AMA Resolution 823
November 20, 2008 - National Minority Quality Forum Applauds AMA's Health Insurer Code of Conduct
November 14, 2008 - Alliance for Patient Access Applauds AMA's Health Insurer Code of Conduct
November 13, 2008 - Alliance for Better Medicine Calls on California Health Insurers to Adopt a "Code of Conduct"
November 13, 2008 - Los Angeles County Medical Association Reinforces AMA's Call for a Health Insurer Code of Conduct
|
|
This website is a project of the Alliance for Patient Access.
 |
|
|
|
