Arlen Fleisher, MD, FACS on Insurance Policies and Vein Surgeon Qualifications

The American College of Phlebology (ACP) is the premier association for physicians in the field of phlebology, which in addition to being a forum for exchanging medical knowledge- offers education and training to improve the standards of medical practice and quality of patient care. The ACP is composed of approximately 2000 phlebology professionals-only 40% of which are from the specialties of vascular surgery, general surgery or interventional radiology.

In 2008 the American Board of Phlebology was established. It is the responsibility of the medical organizations and societies whose members are treating patients with venous disease to establish the standards for practices and credentialing process to ensure that only qualified physicians regardless of specialty are treating these patients.

The Blue Cross/Blue Shiled Mass policy is just another thinly vieled attempt by an insurance company to limit patient's access to care under the guise of quality.