A recent article in the Dallas Morning News said that a survey of doctors found that health
insurers and government bureaucracy are hurting their ability to care
for patients. Here are excerpts:
The survey of 850 Texas doctors underscores
core problems with the health care system: Doctors are struggling to
get paid and insurers are wrestling to keep costs under control.
The area's largest insurers responded that while they've been working
to reduce the clerical burden, some of the doctors' administrative
responsibilities cannot be avoided.
Declining payments, claim denials, incorrect or late payments and the
high cost associated with the extra administrative burden from health
insurers are forcing many doctors to scale back their practices, the
medical association says.
Two-thirds of surveyed doctors
said they tried to negotiate for better health plan contracts over the
past two years, but more than half said they were either never or
rarely successful in getting improved payment terms.
More
than 95 percent said payment problems have increased the cost of
running their practice. Physicians said the higher cost of staff needed
to manage administrative hassles is getting harder to absorb.
"Doctors today are sick about the choices they are forced to make,"
said Dr. Josie Williams, Texas Medical Association president. "They
don't want to turn away a frail, elderly patient or an uninsured mother
with a sick child."
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Should EMR be a help in this issue?