The process is unpleasant by design, and one of the keys to cost management in "managed" health care. My doctors may be more candid than yours are--mine tell me that things are such a hassle is to discourage as many patients from using the care as possible. Another strategy is to pay doctors as little as possible for covered services so that the doctor will have to schedule more patients to stay at the same level of income. I've never figured out how paying an additional level of administrators (the managers) was supposed to lower the overall cost of healthcare and simultaneously provide better care for everyone involved. I guess I haven't banged my head between two bricks long enough.
Unpleasant process
The process is unpleasant by design, and one of the keys to cost management in "managed" health care. My doctors may be more candid than yours are--mine tell me that things are such a hassle is to discourage as many patients from using the care as possible. Another strategy is to pay doctors as little as possible for covered services so that the doctor will have to schedule more patients to stay at the same level of income. I've never figured out how paying an additional level of administrators (the managers) was supposed to lower the overall cost of healthcare and simultaneously provide better care for everyone involved. I guess I haven't banged my head between two bricks long enough.
See you on the PDML,
Dan