Wellness

[chlema]

@meem120 So very true.  I remember my doctor telling me right before he closed his practice that after paying for his staff (not a very large one either) and other costs he sometimes had nothing left for him.  He was a wonderful doctor with a wife and 2 children and he left the state to become a hospitalist in Virginia.  In my search to find a doctor that was accepting new patients I finallywent with the wellness center at my local hospital where I do get the same doctor each visit.

[tansy]

I have never run into this issue with my advantage plan.  

There does seem to be a growing trend for doctors to not accept insurance patients -- just private pay.  I can't think of the term for this practice 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Drythe]

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

@Nataliesgramma 

It never occurred to me that doctors might not accept Medicare, but I know from personal experience, that they don't always.

While I have decent health insurance, the GYN that I was going to will not accept Medicare.  Thankfully, my supplemental health insurance covers most of the cost. 

Their office visit and exam are high, so perhaps they cannot recover as much under Medicare.

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@Witchy Woman 

Don’t know if you know, but Medicare does not cover regular GYN visits.  It will cover the cost of the Pap smear, but not for the Physician Cost, or Office Visit.  

Go figure... Gives me thoughts I can’t say here.

[Witchy Woman]

@Drythe 

Did NOT know that.  Thanks for the info! 

No longer get a Pap Smear (hysterectomy), but still felt I needed to go to the GYN.  Last time I was there they said it wasn't necessary.

[Drythe]

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

@Drythe 

Did NOT know that.  Thanks for the info! 

No longer get a Pap Smear (hysterectomy), but still felt I needed to go to the GYN.  Last time I was there they said it wasn't necessary.

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@Witchy Woman 

I was told the same thing, also about mammograms.

But, my thought is - I still have the parts, they’re going to get checked.  I had a partial hysterectomy.

[Witchy Woman]

@Drythe 

I agree!

A friend in her 70s developed breast cancer and had a double mastectomy.  The lump was discovered in a routine exam!

I'll always get a mammogram, even if I have to pay for it myself!

My hysterectomy was complete...and they found a cancerous tumor.  Went back for the lymph nodes and I've been cleared after 5 years.

I still want to have a periodic exam!

[shoesnbags]

Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Medicare does pay for mammograms and they pay for a GYN exam every other year. 

[Drythe]

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@shoesnbags wrote:

Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Medicare does pay for mammograms and they pay for a GYN exam every other year. 

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@shoesnbags wrote:

Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Medicare does pay for mammograms and they pay for a GYN exam every other year. 

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@shoesnbags 

According to my many conversations with Medicare, they pay for the pap test, every other year, but never the Office Visit.

If you get a better deal, good for you!

[germanshepherdlove]

I have original medicare and the supplement is thru aarp and UHC. So, that clinic I mentioned up thread that didn't take original medicare but had their own advantage plan was in fact using UHC.  So, they erroneously told me I could see them.  I said, no you are wrong because my UHC only pays 20% and what you are expecting is much more than that.  My contract is through aarp and not your clinic.  See how stupid they were?  Glad I corrected them and didn't instead say oh sure go ahead and make me an appointment.  I would have gotten stuck paying their bill at 100%.  

[Katcat1]

@Nataliesgramma   I would think some doctors do not want to deal with Medicare because payment is slow.  However, my supplement insurance (Humana) handles everything for Medicare so the doctor only deals with Humana.  I can tell you one thing, I prefer women doctors over men any day but it is difficult finding one that does surgery but there are a lot that are PCPs.  Women doctors are generally easier to talk to and they treat you with respect.  Most male doctors (not all) are very condescending to patients.