More Reason for San Francisco Residents to Choose Concierge Care

San Francisco News: Anthem Blue Cross Under Fire

San Francisco patients, podiatrists, primary care doctors and other many medical providers have had enough. Doctors and patients alike have felt for years that big insurance companies like Anthem Blue Cross of California are taking advantage of the public bilking patients and doctors out of hard earned money. Now it appears that the California Insurance Commissioner may agree.

On February 22, 2010 Steve Poizner (the California Insurance Commissioner) announced that he had reviewed consumer complaints against Anthem’s claims handling practices from 2006 to 2009 resulted in the 732 violations, including 277 violations of failure to pay claims to doctors as obligated.

All of this of course comes to light during hard economic times. And in the midst of these hard times, Anthem has decided to raise insurance premiums as much as 39%. On the local evening news in San Francisco last night Poizner explained that they only usually prosecute insurance companies that are "belligerent" and show a pattern of refusing to cooperate or comply with the law.

This sort of insurance company misbehavior is precisely why doctors and patients alike are opting out of the Big Insurance Losing Game. Many patients are now seeking medical care in the comfort of their own homes and paying out of pocket. Doctors who have stopped accepting insurance are now free to spend more time with patients, offer house calls, and focus on preventative care instead of crisis management.

With Anthem continuing to log complaints with the California insurance commissioner, it seems that concierge medicine will continue to grow.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a San Francisco Podiatrist and Foot Doctor who treats ankle sprains, foot pain and diabetic foot problems. His San Francisco Podiatry practice offers emergency housecalls for busy people with foot injuries and ankle sprains in the Bay Area. You can use the “foot pain finder” to learn more about foot and ankle sprains at www.AnkleCenter.com and www.DocOnTheRun.com.