"Harry Krause" wrote in message
news9-dnWZdto38aK3dRVn-

For many people, providers as well as patients, the way we handle
"managed care" is a disaster. My wife has two masters'-level psychiatric
social workers at her office who spend most of their day fighting with
insurance companies

You've nailed the problem right there. When did medicine start accepting
assignment of benefits for routine office visits? If patient's paid when
services were rendered, and then filed with the insurance company on their
own (dentistry calls it "direct reimbursement"), your wife's office could
use those psychiatric social workers more efficiently.