Health care in the US has gone down the toilet.

I've been trying to understand both sides of how people feel. It's been years since I've changed doctors. The one I have now was also my wife's doctor in her final illness. He was very caring to her, and I've been pleased with him, the clinic, and staff. If I have an urgent matter, I can call his office and get in the same day if necessary. If he can't see me, one of his associates will.

But before retiring, I lived in Dallas and felt differently about some of my experiences there. Impersonal, almost cold reception.

My bigger concern right now is how bad things could become if Medicare cuts continue at the same rate they have been: closures of clinics, even hospitals, and less doctors may accept Medicare patients at all. Payments to doctors were cut by almost 3% last year, and some rural clinics have already closed because that was the 5th consecutive year of cuts. Rural areas such as where I live have been particularly hard hit by this. If my local hospital closes, I would have to drive 40 miles to even see a doctor.
 
certainly gone down that way in UK? - OZ is managing to hold its head above water and I do here the Netherland countries are still OK? Be interesting to have a list of countries throughout the globe and their ability to offer high quality health care??
 
smiley said:
certainly gone down that way in UK? - OZ is managing to hold its head above water and I do here the Netherland countries are still OK? Be interesting to have a list of countries throughout the globe and their ability to offer high quality health care??
Click to expand...
It depends on where you live. My ex lives in a rich small city. He can call and they help him immediately. I live in a big city next to it. When I had shingles they didn't even pick up after an hour and I fixed it with tiger balm.

Google AI: The Dutch healthcare system is under great pressure and facing significant challenges, which is perceived by many as a decline in quality or accessibility. The situation is complex:

Staff shortages: There is a severe shortage of healthcare workers, which is expected to rise to 301,000 by 2035.

Increasing demand for care: The demand for care is growing strongly due to the aging population and the rising number of people with multiple chronic conditions (5.7 million in 2022).

Costs and unaffordability: Healthcare costs are rising, leading to higher health insurance premiums (an average of €1,884 in 2026). The current system is viewed as inefficient and bureaucratic.

Accessibility: Despite the pressure, in 2025, 6% of citizens indicated they would forgo care due to costs, a decrease compared to 8% in 2024.

It used to be fabulous, everything for free and now you have to pay 400 a year yourself if you need it for medicines etc., but you can also pay less a month, which I do, cause I never go there anyway, and save 20 a month, but if you need care then you have to pay 800 yourself. I broke a molar once and I had the cheapest one. It didn't hurt, so I just waited a year or 2. You can change it every year.
 
squatting dog said:
Some time back, I mentioned how my dr had perscribed some meds to me, that when taken together, had the chance to put you in a coma or die. (something he wasn't even aware of). What a journey trying to find another dr. Seems to be plenty of incompetentance to go around. Example... Latest dr. Wife has been suffering with severe anxiety for several months now.

Dr visits, blood tests, we've done it all. Nothing... not a word... instead, they made her an appointment for a month from now. I can't get her to leave the house or property. How will I get her to a Dr? Today was the worst. (sitting in the dark and suffering involuntary twitching of her arms and legs. So, I call them and explain that it seems to be getting worse by the day and is there anyway to check what the latest blood test shows.

After the usual 3 different call transfers, and the usual "what's your insurance" bs, I finally get through to the Dr's assistant. Explain everything AGAIN and she say's they will get back to me today. Come in from picking up a delivery at my door and find a voice mail. "we understand that you're wife is concerned about you and we're checking your bloodwork now. o_O :mad: Shit... I guess the search will go on.
Click to expand...
I have noticed over the years they are too overwhelmed with too many patients and not paying attention. My doc takes crappy notes and spent an hour and a half one day in the office accusing me of being non compliant and calling me a liar. We only have one clinic covered by our insurance so switching clinics isn't an option and I'm sure if a doc were available they'd think he was telling the truth.

I'm just convinced nobody cares anymore and they don't listen.
 
MarciKS said:
I have noticed over the years they are too overwhelmed with too many patients and not paying attention. My doc takes crappy notes and spent an hour and a half one day in the office accusing me of being non compliant and calling me a liar. We only have one clinic covered by our insurance so switching clinics isn't an option and I'm sure if a doc were available they'd think he was telling the truth.

I'm just convinced nobody cares anymore and they don't listen.
Click to expand...
You should not have to take that kind of crap!!! There must be someone you can report him to!!!
 
I got an email from cologuard at 5:14 pm on Friday 4/11/26 telling me that my test results were ready. And it said "Please discuss your result with your health care provider." There was a way for me to view the results but it involved setting up and account and then logging on. I figured it was probably negative like it always has been in the past so I figured I'd wait to hear from my Primary Care Physician who had ordered the test for me Cologuard.. But the next day my curiosity got the best of me so I went through the hassle of setting up an account with Cologuard and that's when I found out my results were positive.

Then of couse I was worried and made a note to call my Doctor when her office opened on Monday. But before I could call on Monday my doctor called me at 8:45am. Not the nurse or the receptionist, but my actual doctor to tell me that my test was positive and that she would be scheduling a colonoscopy for me. And she asked me if I had a gastroenterologist that I preferred.

My Primary Care Physician is Ukrainian. I guess she hasn't been here in the U.S long enough to be corruped by our system.
 
Trade said:
My Primary Care Physician is Ukrainian. I guess she hasn't been here in the U.S long enough to be corruped by our system.
Click to expand...
😆
You couldn’t be more wrong!
My co-op is 98% Soviet Union. They are sophisticated when being criminals. They can see a hayseed like you coming a mile away!
😆
 
Sunkist said:
That's what individuals in this area say about crime.. 😒

But Marci can't expect any changes if she doesn't report it..
Click to expand...
i have been reporting things to a patient advocate. but with no proof they won't do anything anyway. Then I'd be without a dr.
 
I'm age 91 and have NEVER seen a doctor. I get my medical advice from my Amazon Echo Shows and it always solves my problems. AI in the Amazon Echo Shows IS MY ONLY DOCTOR. I take no medical prescriptions so can have no side effects.

When I start to die, I will go into bed and die peacefully, I will NOT go to a hospital.
 
Pepper said:
😆
You couldn’t be more wrong!
My co-op is 98% Soviet Union. They are sophisticated when being criminals. They can see a hayseed like you coming a mile away!
😆
Click to expand...

Hayseed? I've been called a lot of things. But that's a new one I can add to my list.

:ROFLMAO:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top