Re: Ethics of some medical experts, correction

[Guest guest]

Pat,

Thanks for pointing me to my error. The TV program cited was not 48

Hours, but Dateline, and was summer 2000. The transcript was posted

by Barb Herskowitz on the sickbuilding site and can be read at digest

#6944.

Gil

Some of you may remember a 48 Hours TV program about 12-18 months

ago on insurance " paper reviews " , the opportunity insurance companies

have to go over medical records after accidents to determine the

amount of medical costs to be related to the accident and the amount

attributable to other causes. These reviews were handled by outside

companies, often by people with little or no medical training. The

reports to the insurance companies were signed by a doctor to make

them look official. Needless to say, the review companies which

denied the most claims, saving the casualty companies the most money,

got the most business. One of those companies was owned by Dr. Gots.

On network television, Dr. Gots admitted that he sometimes signed

reviews without reading them, thus denying insurance claims without

medical justification. Maybe that will help explain Dr. Gots'

perspective on medicine and money. Keep that in mind if he is ever an

expert witness against you.