Online Shaming: Patients and Doctors Fight Back Against Insurance Denials

Patients and doctors are resorting to publicly shaming health insurance companies on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reverse prior authorization denials for tests, drugs, and treatments. Prior authorization is a cost-cutting tool used by insurers that requires approval before proceeding with medical procedures. Patients argue that the process creates hurdles and delays access to necessary treatments, sometimes resulting in dire consequences. While the federal government has proposed reforms to increase transparency and speed up response times, these changes would only apply to certain categories of health insurance. Some major insurers are voluntarily revising their prior authorization rules, and many states are passing laws to limit its use. Patients and doctors believe that venting online can be an effective strategy, although the success rate of reversing denials through this method remains unclear.