Anthem's new policy will scare away patients who need the emergency room

I once cared for a patient in her 20s who came to the emergency room for a sore throat and a rash. While she was in no acute distress, she explained that her throat hurt and unusual bumps were erupting on her hands.

But then she mentioned starting a new antibiotic. My internal alarms sounded. Her symptoms were signs of a potentially life-threatening condition that required specialty services not available at my small hospital. I arranged for transfer to a tertiary care center. The next week I received a follow-up letter from her care team. No more than 36 hours after I saw her, she was in the intensive care unit, on a ventilator, fighting for her life.