jerryc41 wrote:
It's a shame what's happened to the medical profession. This is the current weekly column published locally.
I remember the good old days when the doctor or his nurse answered the phone in person and said, “come right in at such a such a time.” Dr. Grant would even make house calls dispensing medicine from his worn, leather satchel.
Nowadays, one must first decide to go to a general practitioner, if such a person still exists, who will refer you to one or more specialists who, in turn, will each request diagnostics-x-rays, MRI, CAT scan, EKG, EEG with results you will never see unless you can access them through cyber-space portals. Not just one portal, but a portal for each mega-conglomerate-owned medical system. So, Nuvance has one; MAHV has one; each insurance company has one. These portals each have their own user ID and password. Good luck with that.
One also has to match the insurance coverage with participating doctors, hospitals, and medical groups. They, also, have multiple apps to track or access bills and statements.
I am fortunate to have good insurance coverage as a retiree. Insurance itself is a nightmare with paperwork and technical support. I get texts reminding me of appointments but only after I log in (another ID and password) to confirm my appointment and assure the company that four pages of personal and medical data are still current. Even after that, one must maneuver through the office scanning license and insurance cards and repeating one’s name and birthday like a parrot.
My wish for this country is to have some sort of standard insurance without the opportunity for fraud and political affiliation. We each deserve the same care. Unfortunately, our medical system is not medically based but financially based with business, not doctors and nurses, making the decisions that affect our well-being. The scariest part of it all is that some insurance companies are invested in medical conglomerates and drug companies.
End of rant.
It's a shame what's happened to the medical profes... (
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The real problems we have is the medical field is taken over by the insurance companies and lately the political field. ANOTHER problem is the medical field has become so specialized which is not a problem because it results in a better healthcare.