When a doctor's office recommends a carrier, it is probably 80% about network, and 20% about coverage for a particular condition. Most doctors don't even know the cost (much less the coverage) for the expensive drugs they are prescribing!
Just like we have CMS rules against sending patients to particular doctors, doctors have strict rules about advertising, and doing things like following ambulances! They even have strict rules about advertising. I can only imagine there is some rule in there about not selling insurance without a license, or requiring a rebate from agents, LOL.
As for doctors getting a rebate of commission, I find that funny. Out of every 1,000 doctors, how many are going to do this ---- got to college for 10 years, take out massive loans, build a practice, and then spin an insurance commission rebate on the side. Not many.
At the beginning of ACA, I remember that large organizations like Kidney Foundation, Cancer Society, etc. ramped up their outreach to the uninsured/underinsured about the availability of insurance. Before that, large condition-specific organizations like that were well aware of Medicaid eligibility and public assistance programs that could help their members. That sort of thing will always go on. And I agree that it's a big problem when you have a free-for-all smorgasbord like the ACA. But it's pretty rare for a doctor's office to go into insurance funneling on a large scale basis.
Just like we have CMS rules against sending patients to particular doctors, doctors have strict rules about advertising, and doing things like following ambulances! They even have strict rules about advertising. I can only imagine there is some rule in there about not selling insurance without a license, or requiring a rebate from agents, LOL.
As for doctors getting a rebate of commission, I find that funny. Out of every 1,000 doctors, how many are going to do this ---- got to college for 10 years, take out massive loans, build a practice, and then spin an insurance commission rebate on the side. Not many.
At the beginning of ACA, I remember that large organizations like Kidney Foundation, Cancer Society, etc. ramped up their outreach to the uninsured/underinsured about the availability of insurance. Before that, large condition-specific organizations like that were well aware of Medicaid eligibility and public assistance programs that could help their members. That sort of thing will always go on. And I agree that it's a big problem when you have a free-for-all smorgasbord like the ACA. But it's pretty rare for a doctor's office to go into insurance funneling on a large scale basis.
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