Note: Focus on a specific patient scenario/clinical example that would be directly impacted by this policy This policy, touted by Anthem as a way to solve for costs, directly hurts patients’ treatment and continuity of care. Patients may have to travel significant distances and spend precious time to find an approved site, and these various barriers to care may cause patients to skip necessary tests altogether. This discordant care strategy will lead to poor medical outcomes and ultimately, increased health care costs. The policy entirely undermines one of the most valuable aspects of medical care: the relationship. Physicians and the patients in their care must be the ultimate decision makers about optimal setting for receiving care. This egregious move makes patients and physicians pawns in insurance negotiations, not the drivers of their own health care decision making. Anthem must be held accountable for choosing profits over patient care. State insurance commissioners and governors need to urgently review implementation of this policy in our state, and redact the policy before more patients’ lives come at risk. [ONE-SENTENCE SIGNATORY BIO]
Note: Focus on a specific patient scenario/clinical example that would be directly impacted by this policy This policy, touted by Anthem as a way to solve for costs, directly hurts patients’ treatment and continuity of care. Patients may have to travel significant distances and spend precious time to find an approved site, and these various barriers to care may cause patients to skip necessary tests altogether. This discordant care strategy will lead to poor medical outcomes and ultimately, increased health care costs. The policy entirely undermines one of the most valuable aspects of medical care: the relationship. Physicians and the patients in their care must be the ultimate decision makers about optimal setting for receiving care. This egregious move makes patients and physicians pawns in insurance negotiations, not the drivers of their own health care decision making. Anthem must be held accountable for choosing profits over patient care. State insurance commissioners and governors need to urgently review implementation of this policy in our state, and redact the policy before more patients’ lives come at risk. [ONE-SENTENCE SIGNATORY BIO]
ACR-Template-Op-Ed.docx