College Station company group health insurance small

Criticisms of HMOs

The recent expansion of HMOs into a significant force in the health care marketplace has created a controversy over the quality of care given by them. This is because the profit margin in an HMO is increased when the extent of medical care is decreased. Most complaints about HMOs concern the following.

Insufficient testing. Some plan members complain that it is hard to get the HMO to adequately test them regarding their health complaints. Of course, traditional health insurance administrators complain that too much College Station company group health insurance small testing goes on.

Time delays. Some HMOs are well known for the waits required both to get in to see a doctor and to obtain medical College Station company group health insurance small tests.

Difficulty in getting non-plan emergency room treatment. When we suddenly become ill or are injured, our first instinct is to get to the nearest emergency room, pronto. However, if you are an HMO plan member, you may not be able to get authorization for treatment unless the situation is a matter of life and death. When non-plan testing and treatment is allowed, it is often given piecemeal, requiring far more time in the emergency room than would otherwise be the case. Should you decide to go ahead with treatment without authorization, you may have to pay the College Station company group health insurance small bill yourself.

Consumer Alert:

The health insurance crisis has gotten beyond the point where individual consumers can do much to protect themselves against increasing premiums. Oh, you can increase your deductible and copayments, but that is only a holding action at best. And you can switch companies—if you can get past the preexisting condition exclusion and waiting periods. But, even then, your next premium notice will undoubtedly put you back into the same fix you were in when your former College Station company group health insurance small company raised its rates.

With so much money at stake, with the power of health insurance industry, and with the medical community resisting change, it will take vigorous and concerted grass-roots activism to bring about needed College Station company group health insurance small reforms. That means you—Uncle Sam wants you to demand reform and not take no for an answer!

…Continued in College Station employee benefit