I was listening to the insurance panel at the health 2.0 conference.  I was struck by the gap between the insurance industry and the consumer and medical world.  There really is a great divide.  The Health 2.0 conference is all about health web technology and what new ideas are surfacing.    The insurance panel was discussing their web advancements and how they are helping consumers.  I almost laughed out loud.  Is helping the consumer providing online information on how to eat better, or stop smoking or general health information  or bill payments what consumers are looking for?  Partially yes.   Consumers are looking for interconnection between the doctor, consumer and insurance company.  People want to be able to access information which is about their health in a fluid and comprehensive way.  What really struck me was how the insurance companies were simply not interested.  They feel no need to connected in this way.  They feel no compulsion to allow consumers to access their systems and process of prior approval or speak beyond customer service.  They have no interest in partnering to create a complete consumer electronic personal health record which would include all aspects of the consumer's insurance information.  It is not interested in making provider reimbursement  and prior approval easier or transparent.     I am discouraged that the HIPPA law has become a way for insurance companies, hospitals and other medical professionals to hide behind and to not participate in comprehensive information sharing.  It is a major barrier.  Put up all the consumer helpful pages on your site, but could you please stop denying life saving care and causing people to go bankrupt and/or die?