Insurer’s Nurse Line helps with ER visits

I read the story “Insurer sets limits on emergencies,” News, June 1, which discussed some of the ways that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia is using to steer patients away from the emergency room who do not actually need this level of intensive intervention.

The story, however, omitted one of the key ways that this insurer is working to reduce unnecessary ER visits: its 24/7 Nurse Line, which offers members a phone conversation with a nurse to assess symptoms and direct the member to the most appropriate level of care. Programs like these ... are instrumental in helping people decide if they really ought to be in an emergency room or can have their needs met by a less-expensive care setting, such as a physician’s office, urgent care center, or even self-care at home.

RICHARD COHEN, AT HEALTHCARE CALL CENTER TIMES