Greed on Trial: Doctors and Patients Unite to Fight Big Insurance

by Theresa Barta

In today's medical landscape, insurance companies call the shots. In order to make a profit, insurers and health-care corporations often enact policies that require cutting corners on patient care. They ask doctors to double- and triple-book appointments and reduce the amount of time spent with each patient. They pressure doctors to prescribe older, cheaper medications and to limit the number of tests and referrals they order. Often, they threaten doctors that if they do not comply with the new policies, they'll lose their jobs or insurance affiliations. Despite these threats, in striving to provide excellent medical treatment, good doctors resist these new policies. And in turn, they can find themselves terminated. That's where Theresa Barta steps in. A highly successful trial attorney, Barta specializes in a very particular type of law: suing insurers and health-care companies who terminate doctors illegally and unethically. Greed on Trial brings Barta's work to life, following three actual cases from her files. In each case sits a doctor who was wrongfully terminated after rebelling against insurance policies in order to provide premium care to a patient. And in each story, we watch Theresa assemble her evidence, plan a strategy, and take the case to trial. Greed on Trial is an eye-opening book about an issue that affects everyone: insurance company abuses. Once you read it, you will never look at health care the same way again.

220 pages, Hardcover

Published April 3, 2018

Reviews

[David McClendon, Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know the system is broken. Everyone wants the largest piece of the health care pie they can get. We have read books about health care organizations that disciplined doctors because they did not order loads of expensive tests. We have heard about doctors doing everything they could to get their name on a patient’s bill. We have read about doctors who referred all patients to other doctors just so their practice could get more billing.

Now, we see the reverse with a twist. In Greed on Trial: Doctors and Patients Unite to Fight Big Insurance by Theresa Barta, we read about health care providers who make money by not providing services.

This is just too bizarre for words. Barta takes us through the cases of three different California doctors, each who was terminated or otherwise punished because they wanted to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

It is a shame that these patients had to deal with the same indifferent doctors that most of us have had to deal with before finding the right doctor. Then, their doctor was taken away from them by bureaucracy.

Almost all doctors these days spend more time typing on their computers than they do actually listening to their patients. I have had to say to my doctor, “Listen to me. You may have heard it all before, but I have never told it before.” This works for this 6’ 3” redneck, but might not work for everyone. In California, they have found a way to get paid NOT to do their jobs. This is amazing.

Greed on Trial is a very interesting book. It is well-written and engaging. We give it all five stars. We think the stories are told well and the book reads very much like watching your favorite court shows where you see the building of the case and then hear the outcome.


We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Emily Ann Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following three court cases, this book dives into the intricacies and faults of the United States health care system. Written in a way everyone can understand, the writing is jargon-free and provides background on concepts touches upon in the pages. Overall, this is an important read that will have you never looking at health care the same way again.

[Luna Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. It follows three of Theresa Barta's real cases, standing up for physician's against big insurance. It is written like a novel, so it's fun to read, easy to digest, and all while still being informative. People who work outside of law and medicine can definitely learn a lot from this book. A must-read!

[Joanne Milo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and horrifying and brilliantly written ... a true and sad page turner. The world needs more people like Theresa Barta to hold the healthcare system accountable for putting patient care about profits. We should all read this and be advocates for ourselves and our medical care.