Health care in the US has gone down the toilet.

When they're not pushing popular drugs on you, mine for example likes to give me meds that make it harder to breathe. I have COPD FFS! Why would I want meds that make that worse? But in the hospital if I'm in resp failure he won't give me any anxiety med cuz "It could kill you." Seriously?
 
debodun said:
On my wellness visits, my doctor always asks how my diet is. I always respond, "Atrocious!", but she doesn't suggest any modifications, probably because she knows I won't follow them.
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I'm not clear on why annual wellness visits seem more important to you than regular doctor visits. My experience with Medicare annual wellness exams has been that they accomplish nothing except to ask a few questions primarily aimed at assessing cognitive abilities. I don't even get them anymore since my semi-annual check ups serve the same purpose and much more.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I'm not clear on why annual wellness visits seem more important to you than regular doctor visits. My experience with Medicare annual wellness exams has been that they accomplish nothing except to ask a few questions primarily aimed at assessing cognitive abilities. I don't even get them anymore since my semi-annual check ups serve the same purpose and much more.
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100% agree with this. They were a waste of mine and my doc's time. They finally quit requesting them.

And that whole nurse visiting the house thing. I was on my tractor working when a call came through wanting to schedule a visit. I told them no. And that no would be my answer every time they called. The quit calling about the visiting nurses too.
 
My annual wellness check is a complete physical exam with my PCP. 20-25 minutes, I'd guess. He orders a full complement of blood tests a couple of weeks before so we can go over any changes.

We discuss any health questions or complaints I have and he orders tests or referrals accordingly.

I can't imagine skipping that annual checkup. @MACKTEXAS, @robin416, and others: do you get an annual physical exam separate from the wellness check, and that's why it feels like a waste of time?

I've never been offered a nurse visit, but without knowing what (necessary) purpose it was intended to serve, I'd surely decline it.
 
@StarSong what Mack and I are talking about is totally different from what you're getting done. I see my PC every 6 months, all that you have done, I have done at that time. That ridiculous annual wellness was on top of those six month visits. And I'm not exaggerating when I say ridiculous. Doc asks if you're depressed? How are you eating? Do you fall? He checks off the answers and then we're done.
 
StarSong said:
I can't imagine skipping that annual checkup. @MACKTEXAS, @robin416, and others: do you get an annual physical exam separate from the wellness check, and that's why it feels like a waste of time?
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I have blood work and see the doctor every 6 months. He knows me as well as I know some friends of mine and is very perceptive. He would notice any cognitive decline or other irregularities without a Medicare wellness visit.

I was getting the wellness visit once a year in addition to the visits I just mentioned. For some reason, my insurance denied payment for the last wellness visit - probably because it was performed on the same date as my regular visit - so the practice wrote off the charge. I do not feel they should "eat" this charge, and it is not necessary, so I informed them I will not have another one.

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Edited to correct wording error in closing paragraph.
 
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I know people who got an RN or PA for those visits. One insisted on coming out less than a month after they got out of the hospital and were still getting weekly nurse and therapist visits.

I think the insurance companies want to check on patient compliance and progress as much as anything. Not discover something.
 
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