SUMMARY: People who bought insurance under the Affordable Care Act believing that their doctors would accept their plans are finding out that many doctors and hospitals chose not to accept A.C.A. plans. There might be many reasons for this, including low reimbursement rates offered by insurers, who want to keep payouts low so they can make money. The upshot? People have to switch doctors. In this Los Angeles Times piece, the state intervened on behalf of one patient.
“Aliso Viejo resident Danielle Nelson said Anthem Blue Cross promised half a dozen times that her oncologists would be covered under her new policy. She was diagnosed last year with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and discovered a suspicious lump near her jaw in early January.
“But when she went to her oncologist’s office, she promptly encountered a bright orange sign saying that Covered California plans are not accepted.
“‘I’m a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can’t sleep at night,’ Nelson said. ‘I can’t imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen.'” Chad Terhune, via Obamacare enrollees hit snags at doctor’s offices – latimes.com.
