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Unnecessary Tests Raise Costs of Care

Your doctor prescribes a series of tests that he or she wants you to go through. Do you really need them? Unnecessary tests can waste time, and increase the cost of treatment. It can also lead to false alarms, which can result in harm to the patient. Do you really need that medical test that your doctor is suggesting? Studies have shown that not every patient needs to undergo each and every medical test that exists. For example, experts say that cancer screenings tend to be overused, and overprescribed, by doctors. One example of this is with mammograms. Many doctors … Continue reading →

Cost of Care Announces Contest Winners

We have all heard frightening stories about how someone’s trip to the hospital led to a large medical bill, or to other insurance related problems. A group called Cost of Care did a contest where they asked people to share their stories. They recently announced the winners. Cost of Care is a non-profit organization that believes that doctors should understand how the decisions they make impacts what patients end up being required to pay. They are backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan. They want doctors to have the information about the … Continue reading →

Insurance Blog Week in Review – January 1-7, 2012

Things move pretty quickly on the Insurance Blog. There is the potential that you may have missed something that you would have liked to read. The Insurance Blog Week in Review is designed to give you a quick view of everything that was added there this week. It is an easy way to catch up! Americans With Health Insurance are Less Likely to Smoke A Gallup poll finds that Americans who have health insurance coverage are more likely to have healthier habits and are less likely to smoke than are Americans who don’t have health insurance. But, why is this … Continue reading →

Doctors Asked to Consider Cost-Effectiveness of Care

Health care in the United States is expensive. As a result, health insurance is expensive. The American College of Physicians has recommended that doctors consider cost-effectiveness when they decide how to treat their patients. This is a very different view from what has traditionally been suggested to health care providers. The American College of Physicians has a new version of its ethics manual. The manual is one that is designed to provide guidance to around 132,000 internists, located all across the United States. A doctor can take a look at this manual if he or she has a question regarding … Continue reading →