Health insurers are increasingly interfering in care, an NBC News investigation found. Doctors say the stakes are highest in cancer care, when delays can be the difference between life and death.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23596638

Summary

Health insurance companies are increasingly denying cancer treatments and screenings recommended by physicians, leading to delays and potential harm for patients.

These denials, often based on internal rules lacking transparency, can result in serious adverse events, disease progression, and even death.

While prior authorization is intended to save money, physicians argue that the current system is inefficient and detrimental to patient care.

  • 𝔼𝕩𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕒
    10•1 day ago

    I imagine the internal conversation plays out a little like this:

    “generally speaking, there’s very slim chances of surviving cancer, so we should deny it.”

    Ok but there’s many forms and locations for it, this particular case is treatable and has a high success rate.

    “Are there really? Oh well, we only have a slip here says Diagnosis- Cancer and survival chances of ‘cancer’ listed as 10%. It doesn’t seem worth the money to gamble on a 10% chance for anything!”

    You realize this is a human…right? Like we’re talking about prolonging the life of another human for a few years, hopefully another 20+ by giving them care?

    “Oh I’ve never met them, shame about them passing but don’t’t we all eventually? 10% is 10% and that’s what we go by. Anyway so…denied”