Insurers Let all doctors be on insurers' panels by default
We seem to have a messy situation here in which specialist medical practitioners are up in arms against what seem to be discriminatory practices instituted by Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers excluding them from their recognised panel of doctors for policyholders (IP insurers' panels exclude many private specialists, say docs, March 29).

Just what is so special about the 21 per cent of doctors who get onto their panels?

Are they especially good as indicated by clinical outcomes? If so, provide the data. Or are their prices especially affordable?

Yes, there are doctors who charge many times the prevailing rate, but they may have special skills, can command a hefty premium and do not need any business from IP policyholders, their patients being willing to forgo insurance in their absolute trust in them.

Apart from these doctors with unique, marketable skills who can dictate their fees, almost all other specialists charge according to the recommended guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health for fear of pricing themselves out of the market.

The default setting by IP insurers should be for all doctors to be on their panels, as long as professional charges do not exceed ministry guidelines by more than 10 per cent, then leave patients to choose a specialist.

In fact, specialist fees may take up only a small proportion of the final bill.

To rein in costs for the whole insurance pool, IP insurers should instead blacklist private hospitals that charge exorbitantly.

Private hospitals do need to turn a profit, but their bills can be several times what A-class ward patients in restructured hospitals pay.

Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-let-all-doctors-be-on-insurers-panels-by-default

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