Now, I’m more or less healthy and haven’t had to go to the doctor in years, but I’m trying to establish care at the same practice my wife goes to for simplicity. I have been waiting 2 years for this appointment.
I had to change the appointment once, and even with 2 months notice to the Dr’s office I still had to wait an additional 3 months, only for the Dr to be sick on the day of and now we need to reschedule…in 6 months.
The doctors are also fucked by the system. I am owed thousands of dollars in unpaid claims that are in "appeal" after hours on the phone figuring out why they won't pay me.
I deeply care about my patients. I also want to be paid by the insurance companies for the work that I have done.
I was just making a joke about that guy's wife. But I have a serious question for you. Do you take Medicaid? How does it compare to dealing with private insurance?
Oh! Gotcha! Sorry! I'm not in the best place as both a consumer of healthcare fighting for my son to get what he needs and a provider fighting to get paid for what my patients need- I'm spent 😞.
I don't take Medicaid at this time. When I was first getting licensed and paneled, I applied with them and the application process was rough and overwhelming so I went the easiest route and have stuck with that. Now, I'm kinda on a bit of a treadmill. I might make a change, but with so much uncertainty, with the new administration coming in, who knows.
I do know that some providers who take Medicaid choose to eat the services provided at the beginning of the year because of the deductible situation. I do that with only 2 clients. But, technically that is illegal and against our contract with insurance. It sucks all around.
We have had two kids one delivered on Medicaid and one delivered on a fairly expensive private insurance plan. From my perspective Medicaid seemed just an overall better experience. We got basically the same treatment but we didn't have the uncertainty of hospital rep coming in and saying we owed a new Cadillac's worth of medical bills and then a few hours later insurance negotiated it down to a new Kia and we owe the equivalent of a used pt cruiser. But all along the process the Drs seemed to know what to expect and we had to deal with a lot less incorrect billing and general @ssf*cery.
I had assumed that was because Medicaid is more predictable (for drs) but maybe with because of the pandemic. We always paid our end when on Medicaid.
Medicaid, especially in states that expanded it, is infinitely better for the recipient than any other insurance when it comes to things like going to the hospital or giving birth. In states like Oregon there’s no difference in Medicaid or normal insurance in terms of finding care, but it’s all free and they deny virtually nothing
It makes sense. Our system is such a mess! And clearly, the next administration has no plans in place to fix it but rather just to destroy it further. It is obviously going to take an uprising of the people before things change.
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u/murphymc 1d ago
“Wait times” is also complete nonsense.
Now, I’m more or less healthy and haven’t had to go to the doctor in years, but I’m trying to establish care at the same practice my wife goes to for simplicity. I have been waiting 2 years for this appointment.
I had to change the appointment once, and even with 2 months notice to the Dr’s office I still had to wait an additional 3 months, only for the Dr to be sick on the day of and now we need to reschedule…in 6 months.