Could Your Tech Be Hurting You? : Skype Doctors

The third and final post of our series on insurance claims technology focuses on the recent development of digital healthcare. Our previous topics included Facebook and insurance company apps, and we analyzed how they can have a greater effect on your claim than you would think. You are now able to obtain a diagnosis and medication prescriptions via Skype. Just like the Hartford app, this is looking to streamline administrative processes and save people time. However, it is controversial in that many doctors believe that there are cases in which a physical examination is necessary, and webcam quality may not be enough to correctly diagnose a patient.

Diagnoses via Skype

It is touted as being quick and efficient; users need only to type in their symptoms and payment information and they will be connected with a doctor who can then call in a prescription as they see fit. While this is very convenient for people who are too busy or in too much pain to travel to and wait in a doctor’s office, it could also lead to a wrong diagnosis, which would almost assuredly use more time and money.

While there haven’t been any studies on how effective this form of treatment is, we advise disability insurance claimants to exercise caution when using these Skype calls. Because this technology is so new, there is little information on how disability insurance would approach Skype consultations in conjunction with a disability insurance claim.  An insurance company could potentially say that this information is unreliable, and use the alleged lack of reliable medical evidence to deny your claim. If you are facing a disability insurance claim, speak with an attorney experienced in the area before you use a Skype consultation as evidence of your condition.

Conclusion

While it is certainly helpful that many things are now available at our fingertips through the development of new technologies, it is important to keep in mind that giving more information than necessary to insurance companies may hurt your claim. Most people who file disability claims have nothing to hide, but it is the insurer’s job to make money, and paying every claim isn’t a good way to do this.

Did we miss any new technology? Let us know in the comments!

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