What is going on at Dr. Offices? WTF

[gqchris]

I'm sorry for all of my friends stuck behind enemy lines. It took us 10 years of planning to escape.

I appreciate the hope! But question, what happens when a real medical team is required, is that then the time to move back to a more populous area? Its a predicament for alot of folks.

 

[Yoshiro]

In havasu I can call my doctor and get and appt. in less than a day. Ass doctor appt was in 2 weeks and procedure was done in less than 2 months.

Your doctor had has hand up your ass for nearly 2 months? Wow. Keep that doctor!

 

[gqchris]

Welcome to the new normal. So many issues there’s hardly enough time to mention them all: Dr. shortage because of all the government regulations and reduced earnings - doctors retired and new doctors are having to work for the health insurance companies which have taken over the industry to Obamacare.

The worst thing I think that’s going on is the absolute low quality medical care of these days. People often have to self diagnose and ask the doctor if their diagnosis is correct because the doctors don’t have time to spend or they mis diagnose.

It’s super important for everyone to know what their symptoms are, what the potential causes are related to them, and listen and engage with the doctor and push them when necessary to get it addressed correctly the first time.

The problem is the minute I start using medical terms and suggestions they assume I am Dr Google like everyone else and take it personal. They dont even ask if I have medical experience, which I do.

 

[gqchris]

Your doctor had has hand up your ass for nearly 2 months? Wow. Keep that doctor!

Prostate Massage Jackpot

 

[2Driver]

How is this Obamacare? The insurance companies are mandated to pay out a percentage of the premiums as claims or return it to the policy holder.

Makes no sense to blame insurance.

Not sure you get what I said.
The amount they reimburse doctors is simply ridiculous. why be on it?

We are on it and lost every doctor because of that reason. I’ve spoken with my doctors and they all say the same thing.

That and liability insurance is making tough to justify the trade as it once was. One Ortho Dr. told me he doesn’t break even until his 70th back fusion a year. I doubt he is one Obamacare. Cost control kills quality control.

Medical care will become a mass processing of people based on automation, AI, and lower skilled staff on the front line where a doctor should be.

 

[angiebaby]

I appreciate the hope! But question, what happens when a real medical team is required, is that then the time to move back to a more populous area? Its a predicament for alot of folks.

I don't know the answer to that. I will say that SoCal/NorCal is not the only place with top-notch medical providers. Additionally, those top-notch providers do you no good if you can't get in to see them. SLC has some excellent facilities, as does Seattle, Portland, Denver, Houston, and Phoenix. Based on your wife's heart issues, perhaps look for places within an hour or two of those locations if you are inclined to leave.

When the libs claim that "healthcare is a right," why are they less concerned with access to healthcare as a whole society, rather than merely those impoverished? It seems to me that you and others who have posted are being denied healthcare that could be detrimental to survival. It's infuriating.

 

[rivermobster]

Has anyone tried to make an appointment recently? It is insane, no one is answering the phones anymore, Appointments are 1 year out.
I have been calling repeatedly my Primary Care Dr, a cardiologist, and the ass doctor for my first ramming.

It is literally exhausting, if you do get someone on the phone, its a Karen and rude as hell. I was told to call back in 2023!

I feel for the older generation or sick folks. This is fucking ridiculous.

Since I am a technical person, I am trying to figure out what the problem is. Is it understaffing? Is it people are all fucked up from the vaccine, is it just the way the world is now?

Rant Over, I'm going to have to call in to work so I can try all day to book a fucking appointment at one of the above! Wish me luck!

PS: If anyone has a bike joke, save it, not in the mood!

I have Kaiser. Been with em for fourty years maybe?

Need a routine appointment? I make it on the app. 8 weeks is the longest I've had to wait.

Urgent care? Like for stitches or something? Last time when I split my scalp open, they took one look and put me immediately into a room. 10-15min maybe? Wasn't long.

Cataract surgery? Zero deductible. That was maybe 3 mos lead time?

I can email any of my doctor's and get a reply the next day. They even have 24/7 chat advice though the app.

I hear a lot of people bad mouth kaiser, but there are bad doctors everywhere. Don't like the one you have? Pick a new one with the app. Don't like him? Pick another. Repeat till you find one you like.

My dermatology appointment? They book the next one when I'm seeing the doctor. Annual thing.

Everything is on the app. Test results. Prescriptions. Medical history. It's all there.

Some med plans have embraced technology, and some clearly have not.

Kaiser seems to be totally on top of the program.

I'm 65. Never had a problem with them.

 

[havasujeeper]

My doc has found a loophole in laziness. All calls to my GP have turned into a "Teledoc", where she bills my insurance $150 to listen to me for 5 minutes, email a prescription to my pharmacy, or recommend a referral. It's actually nice.

 

[hallett21]

On average insurance pays for roughly a 7 min doctor visit. It’s become a numbers game unless you’re willing to pay cash/direct. Which I think the going rate it 150-200 a visit if you go that route. The killer is extra tests etc. pretty sure that’s all out of pocket as well

 

[mjc]

On average insurance pays for roughly a 7 min doctor visit. It’s become a numbers game unless you’re willing to pay cash/direct. Which I think the going rate it 150-200 a visit if you go that route. The killer is extra tests etc. pretty sure that’s all out of pocket as well

I had one of the sharing plans a couple years ago. I had a heart problem and did all my testing my getting a cash price up front and paying that at the time of service. It all worked great. Ended up with open heart and a new valve, again negotiated cash price after for all services. 450k hospital bill settled for 51k.

 

[JBS]

Not sure you get what I said.
The amount they reimburse doctors is simply ridiculous. why be on it?

We are on it and lost every doctor because of that reason. I’ve spoken with my doctors and they all say the same thing.

That and liability insurance is making tough to justify the trade as it once was. One Ortho Dr. told me he doesn’t break even until his 70th back fusion a year. I doubt he is one Obamacare. Cost control kills quality control.

Medical care will become a mass processing of people based on automation, AI, and lower skilled staff on the front line where a doctor should be.

All medical plans fall under "obama care" Are you talking about plans offered through the exchange?

 

[sintax]

We are literally going through this right now....my (step)dad hasn't been feeling well for a while, he called his doctor multiple times and they told him they can't see him until November....a few nights ago he just couldn't take it anymore and went to the emergency room...after a night in the ER, the ER doctor basically told us that he 100% has cancer in both his stomach and lungs but they couldn't tell us what type of cancer nor what stage he's in...said to make an appointment with his primary and sent him on his way....we tried to skip the primary and go straight to an oncologist, but was told that he had to get a referral from his primary...call his primary and they say the first available appointment is now in January, and that he's better off just keeping his original appointment that he never canceled for November...wtf kinda shit is that?

Similar shit happened with my dad at Kaiser.

He found a lump under his arm, along with having a few very common symptoms of Lymphoma. He told his Primary what was going on, they scheduled him out like a full month. After he got there a month later, his primary looks him over and says "yea need some biopsy work" (which is expected), but go call this number and make an appointment, Another 3 weeks out, (why they wouldnt be prepared to do that after those obvious symptoms is beyond me)

They do the biopsy, and say they need another since it was inconclusive, 2 weeks later. After that they decided they need a few PET scans, ANOTHER 3 weeks out.

Now we're like 3 months into this thing and FINALLY they've confirmed what we've known from the start, that this is Lymphoma.

Now that we finally got the diagnosis we could get referred to Oncology, Another 4 weeks they say before the first appointment. Luckily my best buddies cousin is the head nurse in Oncology. So I made a call and got him bumped 3 weeks up, and had the appointment moved to being with the head of the Oncology dept!

Needless to say, once we got INTO Oncology things were butter smooth and went well. Getting there was an absolute nightmare.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I have Kaiser. Been with em for fourty years maybe?

Need a routine appointment? I make it on the app. 8 weeks is the longest I've had to wait.

Urgent care? Like for stitches or something? Last time when I split my scalp open, they took one look and put me immediately into a room. 10-15min maybe? Wasn't long.

Cataract surgery? Zero deductible. That was maybe 3 mos lead time?

I can email any of my doctor's and get a reply the next day. They even have 24/7 chat advice though the app.

I hear a lot of people bad mouth kaiser, but there are bad doctors everywhere. Don't like the one you have? Pick a new one with the app. Don't like him? Pick another. Repeat till you find one you like.

My dermatology appointment? They book the next one when I'm seeing the doctor. Annual thing.

Everything is on the app. Test results. Prescriptions. Medical history. It's all there.

Some med plans have embraced technology, and some clearly have not.

Kaiser seems to be totally on top of the program.

I'm 65. Never had a problem with them.

My MIL is 70 and watching the hoops she has to jump through to do anything via Kaiser is abysmal.

Kaiser is totally on top of treating people like cattle.

 

[Mikes56]

This is what happens when you give out free healthcare.

The system is now flooded! service is horrible.... sucks the most for those of us that actually have to pay for the shitty service.

This!!!!

 

[Caydens Cat]

I feel your pain… I contracted a neurological disorder - very rare side effect of meds I was taking. Insurance didn’t approve the meds to stop it. Why? I have no idea. I can’t get an appointment with a neurologist till February!!! The longer it goes untreated the worse it can get and more difficult to cure. Scary thought to think I could possibly have this the rest of my life. This is with full insurance etc. The system is so messed up.

 

[PlanB]

I just saw a cardiologist at UCSD that took me 6 months to get into. My follow up appointment with her is in another 4 months and she had to "squeeze me in". My primary doc said a lot of docs left during COVID and they are short handed.

 

[PlanB]

My MIL is 70 and watching the hoops she has to jump through to do anything via Kaiser is abysmal.

Kaiser is totally on top of treating people like cattle.

Left that shithole over 20 years ago when they almost killed me. I would put them on par with the VA.

 

[OCMerrill]

Has anyone tried to make an appointment recently? It is insane, no one is answering the phones anymore, Appointments are 1 year out.
I have been calling repeatedly my Primary Care Dr, a cardiologist, and the ass doctor for my first ramming.

It is literally exhausting, if you do get someone on the phone, its a Karen and rude as hell. I was told to call back in 2023!

I feel for the older generation or sick folks. This is fucking ridiculous.

Since I am a technical person, I am trying to figure out what the problem is. Is it understaffing? Is it people are all fucked up from the vaccine, is it just the way the world is now?

Rant Over, I'm going to have to call in to work so I can try all day to book a fucking appointment at one of the above! Wish me luck!

PS: If anyone has a bike joke, save it, not in the mood!

Meanwhile your premium for a family of 4 is nearly $2k a month.

 

[Ducksquasher]

We are literally going through this right now....my (step)dad hasn't been feeling well for a while, he called his doctor multiple times and they told him they can't see him until November....a few nights ago he just couldn't take it anymore and went to the emergency room...after a night in the ER, the ER doctor basically told us that he 100% has cancer in both his stomach and lungs but they couldn't tell us what type of cancer nor what stage he's in...said to make an appointment with his primary and sent him on his way....we tried to skip the primary and go straight to an oncologist, but was told that he had to get a referral from his primary...call his primary and they say the first available appointment is now in January, and that he's better off just keeping his original appointment that he never canceled for November...wtf kinda shit is that?

Sorry...we'll say a prayer.

 

[TPC]

I experienced the same.

Get into a University system that has a medical School.
Im in USC and UCLA’s and they have everything, ya call or click - you’re booked.
Excellent.

Grandma Axehandle had appointment issues too in Vegas and we got her into the UNLV University Health system there.
Excellent.

BTW: All the above except across the USA cardiologists are in short supply.

 

[76sanger]

It's called socialism/communism. Getting worse every six months or so. The mega rich will have their doctors and be able to get seen quickly. The rest of us smucks will have to wait 3,6,9,12 months to "kinda" be helped. Pretty damn scary when you actually think about the prospects of this becoming more and more a reality.

 

[Dan Lorenze]

My medical insurance is done through UCLA Health. It's all app driven on "MyChart", all my appointments, lab work, test results, referrals etc are all done on the app. I don't talk to anyone when setting up an appointment and no phone calls. Setting up an appointment is a breeze and I can usually get an appointment with my Doctor within a day and I can message him whenever I want and he always gets back to me. Most of the time my visits with him are on a video chat, I don't even have to leave home. It's a great system and I have embraced it. This is all in CA... Go figure...

 

[Dan Lorenze]

I'm sorry for all of my friends stuck behind enemy lines. It took us 10 years of planning to escape.

So dramatic, lol

 

[Kenboat]

I use a Cleveland Clinic (CCF) primary care doctor. Make all of my appointments via on line My-Chart, or call in to a human. CCF offers same day appointments with a doctor but you may have to drive an hour away. They do such a great job with care from when you walk in to letting you pay your co-pay on line.
Wife has had successful cancer treatment and a heart valve replacement and aorta graph surgery in 2020.
I work for a contractor and we have construct ed 4 of the CCF regional hospitals and many projects on the main campus.
They even drill down to the construction and design teams we are not constructing a building , we are helping to heal people.

Cannot understand how other health care systems can be so screwed up!

 

[JJ McClure]

Has anyone tried to make an appointment recently? It is insane, no one is answering the phones anymore, Appointments are 1 year out.
I have been calling repeatedly my Primary Care Dr, a cardiologist, and the ass doctor for my first ramming.

It is literally exhausting, if you do get someone on the phone, its a Karen and rude as hell. I was told to call back in 2023!

I feel for the older generation or sick folks. This is fucking ridiculous.

Since I am a technical person, I am trying to figure out what the problem is. Is it understaffing? Is it people are all fucked up from the vaccine, is it just the way the world is now?

Rant Over, I'm going to have to call in to work so I can try all day to book a fucking appointment at one of the above! Wish me luck!

PS: If anyone has a bike joke, save it, not in the mood!

I feel you bud. It’s impossible to schedule anything now a days. Doctors and dentists are the worst. First available eye doctor appointment is January 11.... But even up here in the middle of nowhere northern Minnesota it’s two weeks out for a mani/pedi for mom and I.

PS. I ride bikes. Even skinny tire asshole ones.

 

[CarolynandBob]

We have not had this problem in FL and no one we know here has had a problem. In TN I am not sure as we have all of our Dr's here.

 

[RogerThat99]

Everything is headed towards single payer healthcare (government run). If this happens, getting any healthcare will be like going to the DMV.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I feel you bud. It’s impossible to schedule anything now a days. Doctors and dentists are the worst. First available eye doctor appointment is January 11.... But even up here in the middle of nowhere northern Minnesota it’s two weeks out for a mani/pedi for mom and I.

PS. I ride bikes. Even skinny tire asshole ones.

You are doing it wrong. In CA you can have all your dental and proctology work done via video chat the next day and the weather is great!

 

[thmterry]

They just closed the Oncology dept in Ridgecrest CA. they said they were losing lots of money every month because insurance didn't pay enough to cover all costs. Now anyone that needs chemo has travel at least 100 miles each way and at the price of fuel this is going to kill some families.

 

[DaveC]

Single payer health care…. Make em wait so long or deny life saving routine care so that they die before the big bucks are spent

 

[LuauLounge]

One reason I’ve never been a fan of Kaiser. As both insurer and provider, they have a financial interest in your course of treatment.

 

[JJ McClure]

You are doing it wrong. In CA you can have all your dental and proctology work done via video chat the next day and the weather is great!

Minnesota is closed.

 

[jet496]

Similar shit happened with my dad at Kaiser.

He found a lump under his arm, along with having a few very common symptoms of Lymphoma. He told his Primary what was going on, they scheduled him out like a full month. After he got there a month later, his primary looks him over and says "yea need some biopsy work" (which is expected), but go call this number and make an appointment, Another 3 weeks out, (why they wouldnt be prepared to do that after those obvious symptoms is beyond me)

They do the biopsy, and say they need another since it was inconclusive, 2 weeks later. After that they decided they need a few PET scans, ANOTHER 3 weeks out.

Now we're like 3 months into this thing and FINALLY they've confirmed what we've known from the start, that this is Lymphoma.

Now that we finally got the diagnosis we could get referred to Oncology, Another 4 weeks they say before the first appointment. Luckily my best buddies cousin is the head nurse in Oncology. So I made a call and got him bumped 3 weeks up, and had the appointment moved to being with the head of the Oncology dept!

Needless to say, once we got INTO Oncology things were butter smooth and went well. Getting there was an absolute nightmare.

This happened to my wife, same scenario, and she almost died & still may because of this. The new norm.

 

[Mikes56]

My MIL is 70 and watching the hoops she has to jump through to do anything via Kaiser is abysmal.

Kaiser is totally on top of treating people like cattle.

I was a Kaiser member until last year. While waiting in line to check in, the 5 different people in front of me were all speaking Spanish. I changed over to Facey as soon as I could.

 

[kimbalee]

Worker shortage, like everywhere else, and not enough replacements in the pipeline.

I use online scheduling, and when possible use online chat. I’ve never waited more than 24 hours to have lab work done, and lab work is 95% of healthcare.

The word going forward in healthcare is prevention.

They fired all the providers/nurses who refused to get poisoned by the vacks. The staff shortage in the company I work for is egregious. The morale of the ones that are left is beyond lower than low. The replacements they have found are worthless and we have a major attendance problem. After the last 2 years, I will NEVER ever trust or see a doctor or a hospital ever in my life unless I'm on death's door and someone takes me there without my consent. They are all complicit in this genocide that is unfolding and it is all part of the plan - record profits. Their goal more than ever is to create a lifetime patient, not a cure. It is disgusting what has happened to this country's healthcare in the last 10 years and that is all I can say.....

 

[TCHB]

Every family needs a doctor and nurse in the family.

 

[Orange Juice]

They fired all the providers/nurses who refused to get poisoned by the vacks. The staff shortage in the company I work for is egregious. The morale of the ones that are left is beyond lower than low. The replacements they have found are worthless and we have a major attendance problem. After the last 2 years, I will NEVER ever trust or see a doctor or a hospital ever in my life unless I'm on death's door and someone takes me there without my consent. They are all complicit in this genocide that is unfolding and it is all part of the plan - record profits. Their goal more than ever is to create a lifetime patient, not a cure. It is disgusting what has happened to this country's healthcare in the last 10 years and that is all I can say.....

Don’t put too much thought into it. They gave up giving everyone a shot. They now just add it into the water supply, and it’s absorbed through your skin, when you shower.

 

[LuauLounge]

My FIL went to Kaiser due to shortness of breath. They prescribed some bronchitis meds and sent him home. He died that night of congestive heart failure.

 

[4Waters]

My FIL went to Kaiser due to shortness of breath. They prescribed some bronchitis meds and sent him home. He died that night of congestive heart failure.

While things have changed for the better with Kaiser they haven't changed enough and that's why they are still called Killer Kaiser by first responders. Sorry for your loss.

 

[TPC]

We were recently camping in Imperial County/Superstition (Calif) and learned no Veterinarians for hours in any direction. We've been hearing the same about getting a Vet appointment in Parker/ LHC is near impossible.

 

[TPC]

While things have changed for the better with Kaiser they haven't changed enough and that's why they are still called Killer Kaiser by first responders. Sorry for your loss.

Wife had Kaiser at her work and they replaced it with something else.
She is on mine too and asked me to change my HealthCare insurance to Kaiser. This until she went to my doctor that looks like a 21 year old Brad Pitt. "Never mind, you're insurance is fine."

 

[petie6464]

You can thank Obama for your affordable health insurance. .

 

[Flying_Lavey]

We have not been seeing any of these issues with Kaiser. There has been a small delay with MRI's, but that has been the case for as long as I can remember. We were seeing these problems when we had a PPO and multiple specialists for the same kid. Now with the Kaiser HMO, they all communicate so much easier it moves a lot smoother.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

And BTW, use the Urgent care as your PCP. Get in immediately and get the referrals that are needed right then and there.

 

[grumpy88]

We have not been seeing any of these issues with Kaiser. There has been a small delay with MRI's, but that has been the case for as long as I can remember. We were seeing these problems when we had a PPO and multiple specialists for the same kid. Now with the Kaiser HMO, they all communicate so much easier it moves a lot smoother.

Wait till your not young . My mother in law who is older is pushed so far out on appointments it's scary . They truly are a vision of the future of govt medical . Very sad

 

[bilz]

Kaiser has been great for us. In-laws have it also and they have at 1 appointment a week each. They rarely have an issue. Wife handles their med stuff mostly on the phone. They are really cooperative with this.
It did suck for a bit when obummer f'ked thing up, but has greatly improved. 36 years with them.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Wait till your not young . My mother in law who is older is pushed so far out on appointments it's scary . They truly are a vision of the future of govt medical . Very sad

They jumped on my mom's cancer so fast it was truly impressive. From time of initial appointment to surgery was only about a month and a half.

The good thing about Kaiser is all their doctors have the same access to your medical records so you don't HAVE to be pigeon holed into a particular PCP if your history doesn't warrant frequent trips.

 

[Mr. C]

A lot of doctors these days are offering concierge service where they'll charge you an annual fee, and in exchange you'll get priority appointments, callbacks, etc...

It’s not only doctors. Just sayin. And some out of the heath care stuff I don’t have an issue at all. But I always thought that health care and those who provide were about the patient. Obviously I was blinded and oh so wrong. It’s money oriented.

 

[Mr. C]

I’m lucky I guess. I call in to primary and within a day maybe two I can see him. Now other procedures could be longer but not 6 months like I am reading here. I feel for those who have deal with this.
And yes I do need pre approval on many test appointments.

 

[4Waters]

And BTW, use the Urgent care as your PCP. Get in immediately and get the referrals that are needed right then and there.

Kaiser wants you to have an appt for urgent care now