What's the hardest part of managing your healthcare?

C

csimone

New Member
I've spent a long time working in healthcare. I've always been shocked by how complicated it is - even for people who understand the system.

In your opinion, what would you say is the hardest part about it? I expect to pay more for my healthcare as I age, so for me, it's the uncertainty about these costs and making sure I have enough savings.

I'm US-based but welcome responses from any nation :)
 

Finding a good doctor. The good ones have retired. Some of the others don't seem to know what they are doing and do not even seem to care that what they do for one of my issues will make another one worse. It's 25 miles to the closest doctor, 37 miles to some others and 60 miles to more. Many do not accept new patients, so it's hard to switch. I walked quietly away from my last doctor and have ten months to find another. I sent papers to one doctor in July, and they have not gotten back to me. I haven't pushed it at this time because the air quality has been so bad because of the fires, that I don't want to go to town where it's worse. Plus, my husband would be sitting in the car waiting for me, and I won't do that to him in all the smoke.
 
Phoenix said:
Finding a good doctor. The good ones have retired. Some of the others don't seem to know what they are doing and do not even seem to care that what they do for one of my issues will make another one worse. It's 25 miles to the closest doctor, 37 miles to some others and 60 miles to more. Many do not accept new patients, so it's hard to switch. I walked quietly away from my last doctor and have ten months to find another. I sent papers to one doctor in July, and they have not gotten back to me.
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I know you're in the USA but most of what you've written applies to the uk too unfortunately..
 

hollydolly said:
I know you're in the USA but most of what you've written applies to the uk too unfortunately..
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I didn't realize it would be that difficult there. I'm in a rural setting - on purpose. So in some ways it my own fault. The last doctor I really trusted was 30 years ago and about 150 to the north of where I live now. He was probably 65 at the time. He was skilled, treated a patient like they had brains and a good man.
 
Finding a PCP that is comfortable with the fact that at some point I'm going to die.

I get frustrated with all of the various tests, state of the art medications, referrals, etc... that my current PCP is constantly pushing.

My only goal is to stay independent for as long as possible and then slip away as easily as possible without a lot of fuss.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Finding a PCP that is comfortable with the fact that at some point I'm going to die.

I get frustrated with all of the various tests, state of the art medications, referrals, etc... that my current PCP is constantly pushing.

My only goal is to stay independent for as long as possible and then slip away as easily as possible without a lot of fuss.
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My feelings exactly! I flatly refuse to become one of those people who are constantly having some kind of tests for something or other which they may or may not be able to do anything about even if I had it. A prime example of this is when my mother was in the final stages of cancer which originated in her gall bladder, one of her providers brightly suggested it was time for her pap smear. I can't post here what I said about that, but suffice it to say she was spared that indignity.

And, there are things that, at my age, I probably wouldn't do anything about anyway, except to opt for palliative care, especially after watching my young niece and the agony some of her supposed treatments caused her before she died.

As to some of those state of the art medications, some of the side effects are worse than that which they are supposed to treat. No, thanks.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Finding a PCP that is comfortable with the fact that at some point I'm going to die.

I get frustrated with all of the various tests, state of the art medications, referrals, etc... that my current PCP is constantly pushing.

My only goal is to stay independent for as long as possible and then slip away as easily as possible without a lot of fuss.
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I keep saying this to my own doctor. I'm more concerned with my quality of life than the length of it.
 
Rosemarie said:
I keep saying this to my own doctor. I'm more concerned with my quality of life than the length of it.
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I agree. When my mom was in a nursing home I watched the other residents. Some of their lives were being artificially extended so they could be miserable. No thanks. Mom actually liked her time there. People were very loving to her and she to them. Tending to her needs took a tole on me, but that was not the issue. The issue was her quality of life.
 
E-script. I've had both the doctor and the pharmacy mess up my prescription renewals. Don't find out until I drive all the way to the pharmacy. Have to call the doctor then and sometimes it's a weekend so have to wait until Monday. Then can only leave a message when I do. Have to call the pharmacy after that to see if the doc got the message and sent in my script. Drives me crazy. Thankfully now, my Part D coverage website reports when my meds have been filled. It didn't for a long time.
 
I'm glad to say that our younger GP family Doctor does a really good job managing my health care needs, and I have several. When he wants to send me to a specialist, I always tell him to send me where he would send his own mother. That seems to work well. He could use some help in the odd personality area, but I can deal with that as I think he's smart as a whip.....more than most "whippersnappers". ;)
 
Finding a family doctor if we moved.

The wait times to see a specialist. Theyā€™re overloaded, especially now that they have to limit their hours for Covid-19 precautions.
 
Patient quality of life will take a back seat if there is a test, procedure or shot that can be billed to Medicare. It's about $$$
 
gennie said:
Patient quality of life will take a back seat if there is a test, procedure or shot that can be billed to Medicare. It's about $$$
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I strongly disagree. Medicare reimbursement to docs and hospitals is less than they could get from other insurance (for people without Medicare). Medicare pays a set rate for any given thing, regardless of what the doctor or hospital bills. The doc can bill a zillion dollars for something and Medicare will only pay what it pays. Docs and hospitals are not getting rich off of Medicare. Quite the reverse.
 
Butterfly said:
I strongly disagree. Medicare reimbursement to docs and hospitals is less than they could get from other insurance (for people without Medicare). Medicare pays a set rate for any given thing, regardless of what the doctor or hospital bills. The doc can bill a zillion dollars for something and Medicare will only pay what it pays. Docs and hospitals are not getting rich off of Medicare. Quite the reverse.
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I think you misunderstood my post. It had nothing to do with the amount doctors are paid for what they do. It was about pushing unnecessary treatment just because Medicare would pay for it.

And I agree. Many basic care medical practices are under-funded.
 
I guess I'm blessed. There is no hard part for me, at least not yet. I never paid for health insurance until I was on Medicare. My work coverage at first was Healthways, somehow it wound up morphing into Aetna HMO. I have wonderful doctors, including specialists, whom I love. I don't get the obligatory 15 minutes. My PCP spends as much time with me as I need and answers all of my questions. There are no forms for me to fill out and since being on Aetna Open Access Medicare, no referrals are necessary. My co-pays have been $10 for years...that's for office visits. All my diagnostic testing and labs are free.
 
I feel so grateful for the VA that I go to. The care is excellent and not at all complicated for me to get around in. My wife, on the other hand, must deal with the civilian hospitals and clinics. The main problems that I see are:

1. Insurance companies rule with an iron fist, controlling everything health care professionals do from a financial viewpoint instead of a patient centered focus. I know it is terribly frustrating for the health care professionals because I hear it from them, especially those who left the civilian side and now work for the VA.
2. The various clinics and hospitals don't seem to communicate with each other, so there seems to be little or no coordination between them. With the VA, medical records are intact wherever I go and it is seamless. The one place my wife has had to go where it is very much like my experience with the VA is the Mayo Clinic.

Anyway, that is my perspective as I observe my wife's hassles and my lack of hassles when dealing with health issues.

Tony
 
Ruthanne said:
What bothers me the most is constantly getting referrals to see other doctors and they may not be in my area and it's hard to get to them so I just don't go to all of the specialists. And I feel like I Aunt Bea does I'd rather have quality of life for the time I'm here and then just go quietly.
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I agree with the idea of quality of life and just quietly go. I don't care so much about quantity of life as I do about quality of life. I also don't want to be a burden on those around me by living long with Alzheimer's or stroke or any of that. When I can't take care of myself any longer, I wish to be gone entirely.

Tony
 
tbeltrans said:
I agree with the idea of quality of life and just quietly go. I don't care so much about quantity of life as I do about quality of life. I also don't want to be a burden on those around me by living long with Alzheimer's or stroke or any of that. When I can't take care of myself any longer, I wish to be gone entirely.

Tony
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I hear you.
 
Reducing out-of-pocket costs is the hardest part of managing my health care. I used to get lab work done at my doctor's office until they were absorbed by a larger conglomerate, costs for lab work more than doubled, and my insurance balked at covering the increase. Now I travel to a private independent lab which largely accepts what insurance will pay, and tells you up front your maximum out-of-pocket costs. It pays to know and shop around on costs before you're hit with them...
 
Aunt Bea said:
Finding a PCP that is comfortable with the fact that at some point I'm going to die.

I get frustrated with all of the various tests, state of the art medications, referrals, etc... that my current PCP is constantly pushing.

My only goal is to stay independent for as long as possible and then slip away as easily as possible without a lot of fuss.
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Exactly, I now refuse a lot of testing. It annoys her, my doctor, but she tolerates it and me šŸ˜‚
 
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