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.

  • @clockwork_octopusEnglish
    3•1 month ago

    Ultrasound screenings identify cancers that can be missed in mammograms, radiologists say. And they are imperative for women with dense breast tissue, a condition affecting nearly half of women over the age of 40, according to the National Institutes of Health.

    Uh, being a certain age has fuck-all to do with breast density. It doesn’t suddenly change when you turn 40. And yeah, not only do mammograms become impossible to read after a certain density, but they’re painful as fuck, and ultrasounds don’t have this issue. So what the fuck? Why deny covering the cost of screenings? It doesn’t make any sense at all.

    • @Kbobabob
      2•1 month ago

      I read it as they are describing a group of people that are over 40, which I assume is when these exams typically start for most women. Not that something suddenly happens at 40.