| ELMIRA, N.Y., June 28 (UPI) -- An increasing number of U.S. doctors say health insurance companies are making decisions for them by mandating which medications to prescribe. SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS Some doctors complain they are bullied by insurance companies that force them to give patients generic medications by charging more expensive co-payments for brand-name drugs, USA Today reported Saturday. "They're (insurance companies) practicing medicine without a license. They've never examined the patient. They don't look at their chart to see what other illnesses or problems they have", Dr. James Gaden of New York said. Insurers maintain they are sticking to regulations made by panels of physicians, the newspaper reported. They argue the cost of insurance coverage could become too high if they stopped pursuing less expensive treatment options. "We are not in the practice of medicine. We provide health care insurance under a contract, and we administer that contract", said Dr. Frank Dubeck, chief medical officer and vice president of medical policy for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in New York. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Related News Topics:
High-priority business news
The insurance industry
Health care business, hospitals, doctors
Miscellaneous News of New York State
News covering industry
News of other industries
Health care business, hospitals, pharmaceuticals
|
