Martinez Column on CIGNA

As a CIGNA physician, I was horrified to read Al Martinez’s column on Nov. 30. The horror resulted not from lack of response he got with his phone calls, but the lack of knowledge he displayed in calling the wrong people, and his abuse of power in writing the column.

Mr. Martinez is obviously unaware that he called two clinics, which have nothing to do with the private practice model and have no knowledge of the method of obtaining any information concerning it. He could have just as well been calling about homeowner’s insurance.

Instead, he should have been calling the benefits coordinator or the party who got him the insurance in the first place, and then he could have used the time complaining that the checker in his local supermarket did not know how to get him in touch with the local produce distributor.

LESLIE NOVIKOFF, M.D.

North Hollywood

Rebuke for Gallegly’s Report from Washington