Cat Chasing Its Tail

(9 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

I was dogged with a sinus infection for 2 weeks. Yesterday, I had to fight to get care for it because providers tell you most of the time it is virus based and they cannot do anything about it. But I knew I was so sick. I even called a nurse before going in. She didn’t take any notes of our conversation. She said to come in. Then I had to start all over, and I decided to write it all down.

See more after the jump

The doctor believed me when I listed each home remedy I had tried, then saw one thing I didn’t: fluid in my ears.

What was frightening to me was not having a primary care doctor. The HMO and insurance people do not talk to each other. I thought I had arranged for a new one in May. I had to be on the phone for 3 hours to get another one appointed (and didn’t know certain doctors weren’t taking patients), and at that, I’m not certain it is going to happen. My insurance company says it’s MY responsibility to know which providers are available, and yet the doctors don’t tell the insurance when they don’t take any more patients, so it’s the cat chasing the tail. AND I’m told this is MY fault for not knowing.

As far I am concerned, I have at the moment is emergency care, and luckily I don’t pay much for it, We need to reform the whole system in which primary care physicians who claim they cannot take any more patients–that shouldn’t matter. They should take anyone, and I think I shouldn’t need a primary care provider to know my records. Those records are a joke. When I have to write all of my current meds down in an emergency situation, when all they have to do is pull them up, it’s ridiculous. Too much burden on someone who is sick as it is to remember everything.

It’s more than insurance reform–it needs to be both insurance and health care reform. Why do some trial lawyers make so much money as a lawyer? Because doctors don’t give a damn if you are poor or underinsured. I think the doctors try but too many procedures. All I needed were 3 meds, and at that, one of them that cost 10 dollars a few years ago was $77 yesterday? Why, because it is pure and what patients most need, but they claim is over the counter is preferred when OTC contains other stuff that is less effective and has other chemicals in in that don’t help or can mess up the system. Tests aren’t conclusive, in my view.

No wonder people are angry. The conservatives think private insurance is good when insurance companies don’t talk to doctors or providers and vice versa?

Obama hasn’t been sick in years and has had government care. Why isn’t he fighting for us who need to see reform from top to bottom?

Health care is still for the rich. I dislike that notion.

Mr President, your speech better be inclusive as reform needs to be at all levels, not just at Max Baucus’ good government run care or the insurance companies who are not required to negotiate with pharmas who are charging outrageous amounts for good medicine when other countries have lower costs.

(cross posted from Benny’s World)

What’s your rant?