Medical Insurance Aliens

Darlings, after upgrading my medical insurance, I did not realize how politcal insurance has become until I lost my doctor of seventeen years. Why? He is not in their network despite the fact he has asked to get into the insurance company's network. Why is he not allowed in the network? He is not in their region despite the fact he is discovering more of his patients are getting the same medical insurance as mine. I asked some of the staff at my favorite hospital why they will not get into this network. Their answer was that the hospital wants to keep it's independence because insurance companies tend to dictate how and what services that hospital will render to patients. Thinking that this insurance company will benefit me in what I pay out of pocket, I lost two more doctors. I don't know about you my darlings, I can certainly feel the inconveniences of my medical care. Also, for the past two weeks, I have been set back several hours, trying to sort things out with these new insurance aliens over the telephone. Between them and medical staff, all I have heard is "I'm having a bad day" as an excuse for not being professional, courteous and efficient. This is unacceptable and I'm tired of hearing it. Wonder what their Christmas was like for them? Hmmmm? Since November, I have been given five hundred new insurance cards that I no longer know which one to use. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Somebody help!

On the one end of the medical spectrum, there has been a history of fraud on the part of doctor and patient alike. Doctors have lost their license over erroneous services that were never rendered. Patients have been known to make medical claims that never existed. Therefore, I can understand why the insurance companies have to be gaurded about services for which they are going to pay.

Frivolous lawsuits have skyrocketed insurance costs as well as medical costs. I'm suprised to hear of youngsters who desire to get into medical school with the financial risks involved. The premiums doctors have to pay so as to cover themselves in the event of malpractice is astronomical. Then there are those doctors that just have to have that lavish life style in which to pay. Some get a bit desparate. For example, I had a case tied up in court several years ago. This case involved an auto accident in which a lady ran out in front of me. Needless to say, there were medical bills. Doctors who rendered services knew these services were tied up in court but they would eventually be paid. However, one doctor continued to hound me. He personally wrote letters demanding immediate payment. One of those letters stated that my attorney threatened him. I placed the letter down, picked up the phone and called that boy's office. The receptionist said he was not in at the moment. I advised her that since he wrote this letter then he is the man with whom I wish to speak. Within minutes of my hanging up the phone he called. I asked him how my attorney threatened him. Doctor stated that it was not really a threat but he was warned that he may not get his money. I reminded him that he is well aware that the case is in court. Further, I reminded him that no doctor has ever taken it upon himself to call me at home demanded me to pay my bill. He went further to say that people think he has a lot of money but in reality he lost a great deal of money in investments. I stated that this is not my problem. I assure you my darlings I do not go back to this doctor any longer.

Now that my insurance can dictate to whom my doctors will be I am concerned about in whose hands my health will be. When I go into a medical office, it is as if I'm accosted by some lady in a 'Snoopy' smock wanting to know how I'm going to pay for the office call. In some medical offices, patients will be turned away if their method of payment is not satisfactory. Then there are just outright rude people in those medical offices. Since September of this year, I have refused to return to two doctors offices due to constant rudeness if not outright insults from staff members. One doctor refused to see me any longer as it had been several years since I had been in his office. In another office, the lady who does all of the billing is not permitted to speak to me as she insulted me so outrageously for no apparent reason. Her office manager takes care of my bill from now on. Here is more rude. It is my understanding that if a person has Medicare or Medicaid, doctors and their staff talk down to these patients something awful. I have been told the reason behind this is because of slow payments from the government to doctors. I feel sorry for those patients. Could it be insurance politics or just a sign of the times.

I'm a bit more bold than most people. I just do not accept rude and I will tell you that on the spot! For example, I was referred to a specialist after some tests of mine showed some abnormalities. I faithfully made appoiments only to be cancelled. After I was rescheduled again ( I don't remember how many times he had cancelled me), I walked in to the office to sign in and was told once again I had been cancelled. I stood there and said enough is enough. I stood in front of the receptionist, took out my cell phone, called my regular physician and told him this specialist has done nothing regarding the tests. I was told to wait right there until he called back. So I stood there and told the receptionist that I'm going to stand there and stare at her until my regular physician's office calls back. Sure enough, my call came. I was told that another like specialist will see me now. I then looked at the receptionist and said "Beam me up Scotty!" and I left.

Attitudes in the medical profession are getting defensive that rudeness is common. However, I bet if I were to walk in with a 6'-5'', 300lb man, the medical staff would part the Red Sea and rearrange the furniture for both of us. Sad to say, women in the medical profession are worse and I would take a male nurse over a female nurse any day of the week. I have also noticed that women and the elderly do not get the best of medical care simply for being who they are on this planet.

I would submit that if you are not a people person, you should stay out of the medical and insurance professions. To work with people you are going to be required to listen to your patients and this is next to impossible if you have an attitude. These two professions are ostentatious in letting us know they are all about money. Many of them are brave enough to let you know they do not care wether you like them or not. I realize there may be some exceptional doctors, nurses and insurance representatives out there that have made a difference in the lives of others. If this is you then I salute you with my cane.

I will accept none that three of the best doctors I have dealt with are Dr. Thomas Hughes in Oxford, Ohio; Dr. Robert Reed in Cincinnati and Dr. James Thomson in Camden, Ohio. These three men still ask me "What seems to be the problem?" The first two gentleman have excellent bedside manners and stick to health. The latter doctor is a complete card. He has a big mouth, uses strong language, tells it like it is, is a cheuvanist, and sometimes stuck on himself. He picks on me and I pick on him. He is real tall and I am not real tall. I call him "Jimbob" and this makes my day. He also helped me get my little darling Teddy Bear. Actually, by request, Moo and Teddy Bear have been visitors in his office. Despite his unorthodox demeanor, if I had a medical need, he addressed it the same day I would call in the office. Furthermore, because Jimbob knows my health history as well as the family health history, he knows exactly how to treat the Adams family especially with genetic stuff. My late Dad sure thought a great deal of Dr. Thomson. I had seen countless times when in failing health, that my Dad would come home laughing at Jimbob because of something he said or did to Dad. With the poor health that my Dad was forced to endure, he could not possibly emotionally deal with the likes of attitudes in the medical profession today.

I also like the fact that Jimbob never has beaten me over the head with a medical dictionary. He speaks in plain English and often gets close to his patients. Two of his staff members, Peggy and Brenda have always been outstanding when it comes to paying the bill even though patients have knowingly left Jimbob hanging when it comes to paying their office calls. When I have free time, I love to just stop in and just pick on them. If I have been away to long, they always asked where I have been. There is always laughter in that office even if I have to bring it with me. I think the day that Jimbob gets out of the medical profession, and that time may close, we will loose the last of the old school doctors. I lost him twice as my physician because of insurance politics. Now I have to pack up my health and dump it in the lap of a doctor that does not even know me. Nowadays, when I go to a doctor's office I don't know if I'm going to get my head bit off or just cancelled. I'm wondering if I should just take maxipads or tampons and pass them out to staff members whenever I go to the doctor's office. I know that is not a lady like idea, and my apologies for mentioning it, but it may just get a point across.

Until the next dive bomb my darlings-meow!