At the present time the arrangement and constraints under which we function are not going to change and further attempts to decrease reimbursement may escalate gaming. The answer to this question would vary depending on the individual circumstances and life experiences and expectations of physicians for their patients. There is no doubt that our healthcare system is a market-orientated system with emphasis on quality and value. As such, we can all be better advocates for our patients by educating them on quality and value of medical care. They would then be able to purchase health insurance based on sound information.
Informed decisions are never flawed.
We also have a role to play as educators of insurance providers. The issue of when and if gaming is acceptable and when it is necessary to break the rules is an individual decision. In the meantime, one thing we can all do to help our colleagues is to not judge them harshly. Gaming the system for personal benefit rightly should be viewed with a jaundiced eye. However, when personal gain is not the objective, we need to be supportive of each other.