The American Health Care System: Private Insurance

To the Editor: Iglehart points out in his Health Policy Report on the American health care system (June 18 issue)* that "paperless processing of claims" leads to greater efficiency. One must be cautious here, however, because the "efficiency" accrues to the insurance carrier and not to the practicing physician, particularly in solo or small-group practices. It is now a common experience to have to respond to computer-generated letters from insurance carriers. At the other end of the line human beings — namely, me, my secretary, my nurses, my laboratory technician — have to take time to answer this computer-generated inquiry. . . .