Because I changed jobs (and insurance carriers), I'm now in the process of trying to find a primary care physician. I had chosen a doctor that I had gone to in the past who was good, and had evening hours. Then about a few weeks ago, I got a notice in the mail from my insurance carrier telling me that the doctor that I had chosen was no longer going to be in the insurance plan.

So I was going chose another doctor who I had also gone to for medical advice. But after talking to the second doctor's assistant who handles scheduling her appointments, I have learned that the doctor is only going to be in the office part time. I know that she is going to school, plus she lost her husband suddenly (at a young age) about 1 1/2 years ago. I'm disappointed, because she was a good doctor, and I liked her alot (in fact, my mom also went to her as well).

Now it's back to square one as far as finding a doctor who is good at what they do, I don't want to go to just anybody or go to a doctor who's a quack. I never knew that trying to find a primary care physician could be so frustrating and troublesome. I guess the best thing to do is to ask other people around this area who they go to, and if the doctor they go to has evening or Saturday hours (since I don't like taking time off for a doctor appointment unless I absolutely have no other option).

Help, I'm so confused.

can't you go to your current primary, and pay out of pocket, then get reimbursed for going to an out of network?

purplerein said:

Don't think I can, unfortunately. I think in order to get any coverage at all, I need to go to someone in the network.

Also, I would like to find a doctor who doesn't have a heavy accent. I can hardly understand some of these physicians, and feel foolish asking them to repeat themselves.

There are a couple of ladies here at work who live around this area, think I'm going to ask them who their primary physician is. Sometimes word of mouth is best. Hopefully, the doctor's name I get will accept new patients (not all of them do).

psychodelicide said:

you might also try calling your current md. ask if they'll take on your new insurance...or...bring the book with the doctor's who do to his office, and see if he likes anyone. Your local pharmacist can guide you in that way too.

What!?

Nancy where I live it don't matter who you work for, you can pick any doctor. If I need new doctor all I have to do is pick up the phone book and see if a certain doctor is taking new patients, and if so, then I can make an appointment.

I hate HMO, I'm lucky that PPO is the only option in my state. I'd ask around at work- see if by chance someone is using a doctor that's in network (oh you said that!).

I haven't had a regular doctor in years for the same reason.

luv4u said:

it's A LOT more complicated for them
your health insurance can dictate who you can see
and if you don't have coverage a simple doctor's visit can cost you $100

purplerein said:

Thanks, I appreciate your suggestions. I did talk to a couple of coworkers, and got the names of some doctors that they recommended. I picked one, called my insurance carrier, and gave them my new doctor's name. Hopefully I'll like him, but I hate to wait until I do get sick, and then have to rush around and find somebody.

luv4u said:

You're lucky, here in the U.S. it's not like that anymore (used to be, until the health care industry changed it). You have to pick a doctor that's in your insurance plan. Also, if you need to go to a specialist for any reason, your primary care doctor has to recommend someone for you to go to, who also has to be in your plan. If you go to a doctor that's not in your plan, you wind up paying everything out of your own pocket. And we all know how quickly that can add up, especially if the doctor wants to run tests and whatnot.

CynthiasSocks said:

You are lucky that your employer only offers PPO. Where I work, I think we have too many options, and that makes it confusing as to which one to pick.

CarrieMpls said:

I hear ya, trying to find a doctor who is good and who you like is not easy. It never used to be that way, but things have really changed!

emm said:

You are correct, health insurance plans in the U.S. dictates everything we do, from who we can pick for our primary care doctor, to who are specialists are, what is covered and not covered, etc. etc.

luv4u said:

My health plan just allowed for this recently and it takes the frustration out of looking for physicians within the network. Before we had a list of physicians to choose from and at anytime a physician could take his or her name of of the list. I am so glad that this awful headache is over!

psychodelicide said:

I hear that, back in '98 when I'd had my spleen surgery done and developed fluid in my lung, I didn't yet know what it was but was pretty damn sure it had to do with the almost-dying thing. I was foolish enough to go to the local health clinic first instead of going to the ER right away, and I get in with a doctor who was from somewhere in South America. I explain to him about the extensive surgery I'd had only 2 weeks earlier, and show him the bigass 7" scar across my stomach as well as the little scar from the chest tube I'd had put in my left lung cos it collapsed... he then starts asking when I had my period last and how much I'd bled, and if it was normal... I told him "there is NOTHING wrong with my stomach, it's the left side of my chest hurting like hell when I breath heavily or lie down"... then he asked again about my period, it was like he didn't hear me and maybe he didn't. At that point I walked out on him and told a nurse a needed a taxi voucher for going to the ER, she gave it to me and in the ER they drained my lung of 1 liter of fluid, about 3 pints.... my period MY ASS!!!

I think asking the women you work with if they have a good doctor and then go see him or her and see how YOU feel about them. Good luck!


Oh... a funny thing about Primary Care Physician is that it becomes PCP if you abbreviate it... "Who do you use as PCP?"

1FRO said:

You're lucky, because that's what happened with the first doctor I picked: he was taken off the list. It is definitely a headache, one that I would not wish on anybody.

Teacher said:

Wow, sorry to hear about your negative experience. That doctor sounds like a real idiot. WTF does your period have to do with a pain you're having in your chest??? Hopefully, the doctor that someone recommended to me will be a good one. PCP does sound funny when you say it; people say that around here all the time.