Thank you for highlighting in your business section the billions made by health insurers during the covid-19 shutdown. Insurance profits stand in stark contrast to the financial struggles of doctors.

I implore insurers to use their powers to ease administrative burdens on those who provide direct care.

Letting medical practices fail hurts the patients that insurers supposedly serve. Communities that lose physicians will see reduced access to care, leading to less competition, and ultimately increased health care prices and lower overall quality.

Two ways insurers can help:

• Reimbursement for telemedicine. Insurers are not required by law in Pennsylvania to reimburse for telemedicine. While many insurers have loosened those requirements during the pandemic, they are only temporary. In order to continue telemedicine’s growth, insurers need to provide appropriate reimbursement after the pandemic.

• Reform prior authorization. The increased use of prior authorization delays care and increases the time medical staff spends away from patients. The state insurance lobby continues to oppose legislative attempts to reform the system – the latest being House Bill 1194.

We must all do our part to ensure we survive the aftershocks from covid-19, and mega-insurers are no different.

Lawrence John, M.D.

Aspinwall

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