Our role is to provide hard facts to cut through the rhetoric, both the good news and the bad news. Some health insurance plans are trying to get rid of the red tape, making it easier to see a medical specialist, beefing up customer service staff. It's already happening, not across the board but in some companies. Creation of an independent appeals system to resolve managed care patient complaints has been debated, Levitt says. Very often they just don't know how to access it.
Consumers are very confused on where to find it.
The place to start is with your plan, but if you're not getting satisfaction there, go to a state agency that regulates health insurance. Often it's the Department of Insurance, but not always. It can be confusing. We have to get better at helping people navigate the system. Physicians can be very effective as patient advocates, Levitt says.