Those simple service codes are standard throughout the industry. You dont think anyone with half a brain wouldnt be able to determine what the likely diagnosis was by the tests that were done. You get a VDRL and they will know VD. You get a code for seeing a psychiatrist, they will know you are not there to clean your teeth.
And that simple code alone is all the justification for payment they need. If you have a code for GI bleeding then necessary testing to determine cause should be done. This however is not the case. They want to go ten steps further. The HEY MOE wants to decide over your doctors best judgement which testing procedure is used. That is what this is actually about despite the political spin being given it. It is giving the HMO's yet more info to play Ghost Doctor. Bush & company just wants to make it easier. Now if Bush and company had addressed the other legitimate concerns mentioned I might think different.
Go back to what I said. Insurance Companies & HMO's should in simple terms list coverages and non coverages in simple exact terms. They have no right or no business beyond that point making medical judgements concerning a patients health. Requiring prior approvals by any health care insurance company should be prohibited. This alone would eliminate 90% of the required paper work to get something done as well as this so called needed exchange of information.
My falling out with POTUS & Congress over this is the fact this issue will never be addressed except in favor of the insurance and HMO interest. It doesn't matter what party is in power on this matter they both are slaves to the insurance industry special interest money.
Get the insurance company out of the exam room they do not belong there. In many cases they prejudice advice for prudent medical care enforced by gag orders they place on doctors. The insurance industry is always looking to congress and the oval office to increase it's profit margin and be granted waivers of privlidge. This needs to be stopped. Call for an imediate recinding of the HMO act President Bush then I will take you serious on health care issues but not until that time.