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N.Y. Health Insurers To Offer Virtual Doc Visits

Posted by samzenpus on from the virtual-co-pay dept.

CWmike writes "Two insurance organizations in upstate New York said on Wednesday that they will offer their members and employers virtual physician visits beginning this summer, making New York the fourth state to provide these types of services. BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, BlueShield of Northeastern New York and technology services provider American Well said the Online Care service will allow members to talk with physicians in real time through a private online chat network or through a voice-over-IP phone call. The service also offers video chat and instant messages. Members can sign on to the insurer's Web sites and look for physicians who are available online in various specialty areas."

9 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. Coming next: by jgreco · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Outsourcing doctors offshore.

    1. Re:Coming next: by Steauengeglase · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Good Lord, why should be it cheaper? There is equipment to be paid for and technicians to make sure the equipment is operational; probably some extra coverage for "e-Malpractice". Of course you won't actually get to see a doctor, just another over-worked nurse practitioner; only now they'll have to sit in a cube for 9 hours a day.

      Turn-over will begin to go up in that area as the whole thing turns into "medical help desk". I couldn't imagine the horror of getting pestered for 9 hours a day by octogenarians and hypochondriacs about every pimple and scratch on their body. Not that it matters, the practice bills by both the call and the minute, there are 40 people in que and your sup is complaining about your response times. You pray each day that your practice will get bought out by one of the big boy managed health organizations, because they actually put into your 401k, unlike these organ grinders.

    2. Re:Coming next: by InsaneProcessor · · Score: 3, Interesting

      One only needs to look at things like this and realize that if the customers are complaining about costs and features, the private sector will respond.
      What about that doctor in NY that tried $79 a month for all the visits you want. The government stopped him because he was acting like insurance. Get the government out of the way and the private sector will make health care more affordable and available.

      --

      Athiesm is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
  2. Don't mix it up with Chat Roulette... by Dr_Barnowl · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Please present the affected body part to your webcam."

    1. Re:Don't mix it up with Chat Roulette... by daid303 · · Score: 3, Funny

      As some people would pay to watch it, it could pay of your health bills.

  3. Just wait until they outsource it... by Turzyx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Although this certainly sounds more sophisticated, the UK NHS offers an 'over the phone diagnosis' service, NHS Direct. Although the article mentions 'physicians' being used to monitor the network, how long will it be until they too are using unqualified staff to handle more routine cases?

    The danger for misdiagnosis is huge, although they no doubt have a clause somewhere about it - they may just end up telling patients to visit their doctor in person for a proper check-up, which kind of defeats the object.

    1. Re:Just wait until they outsource it... by CastrTroy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Ontario (in Canada) has a hotline you can call to get help. It's staffed by registered nurses, not doctors. However it works pretty well, because the point of it is really to tell you if you should just to direct you to the next point of care. Be it the emergency room, walk-in clinic, family physician, or just a little bed rest. Nurses are perfect qualified to at least direct you to where you should be going after hearing the symptoms, and it's a lot cheaper than having doctors on the phone. I think the main point of it was to keep people from going to the emergency room simply because they had a cold. Which happens way more often then it should.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  4. Awesome by CODiNE · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hypocondriacs of the world REJOICE!!

    --
    Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
  5. Just another way to increase profits by Thaelon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How is this any better than a phone call?

    The doctor still can't palpate anythying, nor even make a good visual examination since the quality is likely too poor to be of any use.

    Answer? It's cheaper for the insurance company than a real doctor visit, and so saves them money, and you get inferior care for it, while they get increased profits.

    Don't let them spin this as something good for you, it's just another way to reduce costs (and this time, care quality too).

    --

    Question everything