Apparently the networks have been able to convince the insurance companies that their services are worth what they charge. And, on paper, this may even be so, because instead of administering each and every claim themselves: answering phone calls, verifying coverage, issuing authorization, writing checks, etc., and staffing people to do these tasks (and paying benefits to these employees), the insurance companies pay the networks to do all that for them, and write one check, every billling cycle for all the claims processed. Frankly, if I were an insurance provider, I would probably think it was a very attractive deal. Yes, the networks charge the insurance companies substantially more than what we get from them (the networks) for doing the repair. I have no problem with them charging for their services. What bothers me now is what has always bothered me... the steering (what's that you say?... do they really steer? ... OH YES!). I am in a rural area 65 miles from the next nearest repair person. My regular clients are very strong about wanting only me for the repairs, and even so, the networks try to get them to use their own people. I hear it nearly every day. And when they cannot convince the client to use someone else, then the networks feed them a line about how they dont guarantee my work ....when the fact is, they dont actually guarantee anyone's work! The networks play rough, and they play for keeps, and I think if they could have it their way, no repair would be insurance paid unless the claim was routed through them. It is our continuing task to educate our clients, do quality repairs, give better service, and keep looking for ways to overcome and rise above this oppressive system.

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