Wellness

[Bri369]

I don't see this as becoming a trend. 

People with families are not going to be able to afford these types of services.

[NicksmomESQ]

  JMO but I’m fed up with the state of healthcare. Doctors over treat, over prescribe, overcharge & over bill.As a result they’re fighting it out with insurance companies that feel the doctors are trying to game them. They need to work it out & leave the patients out of it!! Going concierge means doctors don’t really care about their patients.I don’t care how they spin it.

  As a result of this mess I don’t trust either one of them. My GP retired 2 years ago. I haven’t found a replacement for him.He was old school, Truly cared. He would always personally call patients to see how they were doing.  So DH & I go to urgent care now when necessary.They take pretty good care of us.

  I don’t know where most of you live.Where I live most of the younger doctors live in big expensive houses in fancy neighborhoods & drive very expensive cars.If being rich was their priority they should have gone to Wall Street. They deserve to do well & live well but this IMO is excessive.Being a doctor carries with it certain unique responsibilities .They take a Hippocratic oath. They should live up to it.

   Just so you know I have several doctors in my family. 

[Bri369]

I don't have a problem with doctors living in big houses or driving expensive cars.

I think the issue is doctors should be able to run their practices the way they want/need to without interference from insurance companies.  They spend more time filling out paperwork than treating patients.  They need to hire office staff just to deal with insurance companies.  That costs them money and time. 

[granddi]

I just looked it up. 38% of all doctors are now employed by hospital or health group. So they are not having to pay overhaead such as staff, insurance etc. The docs get a pay check and go home. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Who knows but something isn't working. 

As far as student medical loans, Medicare and Medicaid funds go to training doctors(including steipens). With the cut in these programs, many teaching hospitals have cut back the number of residencies. 

[Dragonflyveb]

My doctor switched to a Premier Care as well. Payment is based on age, so anyone over 60 is paying top dollar. They don’t do insurance or hospital care, so people have to carry catastrophic insurance as well. As for Medicare, those people have to pay Medicare, plus supplemental, plus the membership fee as well. The practice is limited to 500. 

I, too, fear this is the way healthcare is going. I know Medicare doesn’t really pay bupkus to the doctors, but pretty soon, nobody will be able to afford care.

[QueenDanceALot]

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@Trinity11 wrote:

My daughter has a PCP through a concierge practice. She pays a flat fee yearly and she did a video chat for a renewal of her Singulair. She also has private insurance for specialists. She works in healthcare and told me this is our future. 

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A friend of mine recently did the same, another is considering it, and so am I.

I am tired of insurance companies and drug companies calling the shots.

[Trinity11]

Speaking of concierge medicine. We received from Cigna something called MDLIVE. Register and have access to a board certified primary care doctor and pediatricians on line. I may just try it....it is apparently included in our insurance. You can text, go online or call MDLIVE.

[Carmie]

FYI..

In case anyone is interested, 60% of health insurance companies with at least 100,000 members are non profit organizations.  They contribute to the local communities by investing in medical care providing education for wellness, among other things.

[Krimpette]

Times have certainly changed.  I'm on Medicare.  Last year (or the year before, maybe) at this time, I'd be going for my annual physical.  Prior to the physical, I received a questionnaire in the mail.  Four pages long as I recall.  I balked at some of the health-related questions as I thought they were somewhat instrusive.  

This year, it's called my Wellness exam.  The questionnaire (still 4 pages long) has nothing to do with physical health.  Only to do with my mental health and ability to do routine things on my own (or not).  I guess if I want to talk to my practioner about anything that ails me, I'll have to make a separate appointment for that.  

Crazy.

[CelticCrafter]

After seeing bills that doctors submit to the insurance company and what is actually paid makes me wonder why any doctor would want to be part of a network.