Rules requiring doctors to get approvals from insurance companies to do procedures or prescribe certain drugs hinder doctors' ability to provide good care, says a new survey of doctors from MedChi, the state's medical society.

In the small survey, the group asked 135 doctors statewide about insurance protocols, a long-standing issue that Med-Chi leaders said they hope to address as health care reform is implemented in Maryland. Today, the group sent a letter to Maryland's insurance commissioner detailing the concerns.

The survey goes after insurers big time, saying they shouldn't be in the business of making health care decisions. Insurers often require doctors to get approvals before they can authorize certain types of care in an attempt to save costs and prevent unnecessary procedures, but those decisions should be made by medical professionals, said Gene Ransom, MedChi's executive director.

Among the findings: 

• 95 percent of docs surveyed said such protocols had a "somewhat" or "very negative" effect on the doctor's ability to treat patients effectively. 
• 89 percent of doctors called the protocols "burdensome", "very burdensome" or a "major hassle."
• Nearly 77 percent of physicians asked said they considered moving their practices out of Maryland, leaving the profession to avoid such protocols