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1996-01-01
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146 lines
MCL Extra
We continue our NewsCenter 5 series
with this second installment:
Saving Money, Losing Lives?
Your health care options are changing dramatically and quickly all
across the country.
In Massachusetts more than half of those with Health Insurance now
have what's called Managed Care.
How do patients and doctors rate their care? Tonight, Our exclusive
NewsCenter 5/Boston Herald poll finds most HMO patients like their
plans, contrary to what some doctors told us last night.
And NewsCenter 5's Heather Kahn reports patients' experiences can be
very different . . . . particularly if they've switched from
traditional insurance plans to HMOs.
Sharon Finnegan:
"I want to go to a doctor that I feel comfortable with."
Pat Olson:
"You get the same quality care for a cheaper premium".
Sharon Finnegan:
"I don't want them to give me a book and say these are the
doctors that you can pick from"
Pat Olson:
"Prescriptions are covered also for five dollars."
It's a difficult decision being made by families across
Massachusetts. And like the Olsons, more and more of us are choosing
HMO's. Most tell us they are happy with that choice. But for many:
what the insurance companies call managed care is managing too much
of their life.
Sharon Finnegan:
"I was five months pregnant at the time with my fifth child. I
came out onto the deck. I lost my footing. Fell. I was unable to
get up. (edit)I had to get back into the house, call the 1-800
number, get permission to go to the emergency room to have it
x-rayed."
In an exclusive Newscenter 5-Boston Herald Poll we asked patients
who had switched to an HMO how satisfied they are now with their
health insurance.
29% of those who switched reported dissatisfaction. They believe
HMOs place too many restrictions on this most personal of decisions.
Sharon Finnegan:
"If one of us had to go to another doctor or anything else we had
to go to our primary care physician and get a referral--essentially
getting permission to go to another doctor."
Referrals . . . getting approval for tests and hospitalization, all
standard HMO requirements. While 69% of patients who've switched to
HMOs are satisfied with their health insurance . . . compare that to
95% of patients who've always been in traditional plans.
Sharon Finnegan:
"We said forget it, we're going to transfer to Blue Cross Blue Shield."
But the HMO's point correctly to thousands of happy customers.
Pat Olson:
" Dylan had a lot of ear problems during his infancy and younger
toddler stage and it's been great."
In fact, for patients who've always been in an HMO the satisfaction
rate is 94%.
Carmen Oritz:
"At first I was afraid, "Oh my God an HMO.
Harvard Community Health Plan asked us to interview Michael Morisi
and his wife Carmen Ortiz. When Michael was treated there for a rare
form of Pancreatic Cancer, Carmen was concerned.
Carmen:
"Are they going to spare the expenses here and there and ah right
away I wanted a second opinion. Once they did have the final
diagnosis and they allowed us. They approved a second opinion."
Michael Morsi (HCHP patient):
"I never had the impression that they were making economic
decisions about the testing."
But Elayne Nascimento's story is different . . . and one Harvard
Community would prefer we not report.
She is suing her physician and the insurance plan after a cancerous
lump in her breast was not biopsied for two years.
Elayne Nascimento:
"I think she didn't order all of the biopsy testing and the
ultrasound and all of that to save money."
It's a charge Harvard denies.
Dr. Jennifer Leaning (HCHP):
"I do not think having looked at it . . . that this situation has
arisen out of the remotest possibility of anyone in the system to
contain costs. This had nothing to do with cost containment."
But they don't deny what NewsCenter 5 found in a deposition from her
doctor. Evidence that the insurance plan monitors the number of
tests their doctors order: The physician testified that "Routinely
we review and compare the number of tests that each of us
(pre-pro) orders and compare it with other facilities within the
plan."
Dr. Jennifer Leaning (HCHP):
"It's not in the service of rapping knuckles and saying you
ordered too many. It's sort of inquiring."
It is the monitoring of testing that does raise some concern with
managed care. Many doctors believe that traditional insurance allows
too many tests . . . but the heart of the debate is whether Managed
Care Plans sometimes allow too few.
[This report from medical reporter Heather Kahn aired 14-Nov-1995]
...For further information, contact CURE, 812 Stephen St., Berkeley
Springs, WV 25411. 304-258-LIFE/258-5433 (CUREltd@ix.netcom.com)