Yet another example of health "insurance" companies driving the boat.

[LuckyLib]

Out of the mouth of my ear, nose and throat doc this a.m.: if he has to use a scope to look down your throat (via your nose) a common ENT diagnostic procedure with the patient sitting in the chair,(one that he has done millions of times in order to diagnose a patient) it is now, by edict of the insurance companies, considered surgery. Ding! A second co-pay kicks in. In addition to the one that got you in the office. He is STEAMED!

Cut these SOBs out of the process immediately.

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. I think they are scrapping for every nickel they can right now

in case the bottom falls out on them.

I had this procedure done by an ENT Doc about a month or so ago. Followed up with a Barium Swallow to diagnose GERD. My insurance considered the probe an office procedure and the Barium Swallow a "test".

I wonder if that has changed in the last few weeks.

Sure wouldn't surprise me.

[lapfog_1]

2. Uh... the bottom already fell out on "these guys"

i.e. their stockholders... the same group of people that owned bank stocks.

They lost a lot of money when their "basket portfolios" of real estate holdings went south. So they are doing everything they can to get all of their money back. Money they never actually had (it was a bubble), but money they felt they "earned". So, banks are hiking every fee they can, so too will insurance companies of every stripe.

What they didn't take from us (the little guys) with the largest "bank heist" (where the banks did the heist) in history, they are now attempting to take from us through their slimy businesses.