[ars]

BTW the patient can still submit the bill to insurance and request to be reimbursed.

It might be an interesting model to push all insurance work from the doctors to the patients. I think it may even have some benefits: people will actually know what they are paying for.

[pavel_lishin]

I'll admit outright that I don't know enough about this to have a valid opinion, but shifting the work from the doctor to me automatically makes me want to say "no".

On the other hand, a little bit of work done by a lot of people vs. a lot of work being done by one office, the "crowdsourcing" sounds like a better solution. The obvious down side is that I have no leverage against the insurance company - a doctor's office does.

[ars]

Actually I think you have more leverage than the Dr. If you are not happy with the insurance company you cancel the policy or complain to your employer (you are paying them, the insurance company does not want to loose the business). The doctor can do nothing - they want to get paid, they have nothing to hold against the insurance company.