Fed TF up with rural heathcare

[juanbenae]

Moved up to the southern sierra foothills about 3.5 years ago after retiring and relocating from the bay area. ultimately moved up above the Sonora area due to it being a half day's drive from my folks', real estate pricing, and there is an Adventist Health hospital 15 miles from me that takes my retired public employee insurance.

Have been nothing but disappointed with the operation thus far.

List of grievances'.

Never will you see a doctor, but they ship physician assistants in buses it seems.

Cannot get an appointment without a referral even though I have a way above average PPO insurance. same as I had in the bay never needing a referral to see any specialist.

Any provider up here is 2-3 months out for any type of appointment. I've had to use another clinic as "primary care" service to obtain referrals to the hospital or go to urgent care for one.

The latest beef is I'm due for a colonoscopy after a take home test suggested I needed one. so, get this, they are 13 months out on appointment!!

It also sucks that I'm in a region with my insurance that requires a referral to use any bay area services. It's like I'm getting a colonoscopy every time i need medical care. In need of a hip replacement that runs in the family and I'm not sure what hurts more. my hip, or the upcoming process.

Any of you guys deal with this in rural areas or otherwise?

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

they are 13 months out on appointment!!

This. This is a concern.

[hcoles]

I would not wait 13 months. See if Dr. Harvey Young takes your insurance. He knows what he is doing re. colonoscopy. The location is in Palo Alto. Probably would be a good idea to come and stay overnight the night before. The prep. is the worst part of it.

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by hcoles

I would not wait 13 months. See if Dr. Harvey Young takes your insurance. He knows what he is doing re. colonoscopy. The location is in Palo Alto. Probably would be a good idea to come and stay overnight the night before. The prep. is the worst part of it.

thanks. i am going to my folks' place in Santa Cruz county for a confirmed appointment in November after my referral was received at a facility near them. I'm 56 and had one at Palo Alto medical after turning 50 so I'm aware of the process... the take home tests since then have been all good, until this time.

[pwd72s]

"If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan."
"If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Period!"

Can't recall who said these things...

[LWJ]

I sell this stuff. Meaning, I have a vested interest and strong opinions on it. And it’s broken. The whole damn system is broken. The appointment delay is not just a rural thing. My MIL has been delayed 2+ years for a back surgery. My provider is out to January for a physical.

And Paul, the ACA didn’t make this worse. I was a critic. A few years in, I am a supporter.

It is the entire system that is bad. Every single bit has significant issues.

Not to be political, but at this time, I honestly think single payer would be an improvement. (Which would be a reduction for my coverage!)

Probably quick to PARF. Hopefully not.

We need some solutions. I don’t have many.

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by LWJ

The whole damn system is broken. The appointment delay is not just a rural thing.
We need some solutions. I don’t have many.

Well said.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

Moved up to the southern sierra foothills about 3.5 years ago after retiring and relocating from the bay area. ultimately moved up above the Sonora area due to it being a half day's drive from my folks', real estate pricing, and there is an Adventist Health hospital 15 miles from me that takes my retired public employee insurance.

Have been nothing but disappointed with the operation thus far.

List of grievances'.

Never will you see a doctor, but they ship physician assistants in buses it seems.

Cannot get an appointment without a referral even though I have a way above average PPO insurance. same as I had in the bay never needing a referral to see any specialist.

Any provider up here is 2-3 months out for any type of appointment. I've had to use another clinic as "primary care" service to obtain referrals to the hospital or go to urgent care for one.

The latest beef is I'm due for a colonoscopy after a take home test suggested I needed one. so, get this, they are 13 months out on appointment!!

It also sucks that I'm in a region with my insurance that requires a referral to use any bay area services. It's like I'm getting a colonoscopy every time i need medical care. In need of a hip replacement that runs in the family and I'm not sure what hurts more. my hip, or the upcoming process.

Any of you guys deal with this in rural areas or otherwise?

And this is just one of the reasons when a client asked me to move to Twain Harte I said no thanks.

Sorry for your hassle.

Going down the hill to Modesto for care is a hassle but may be worth it?

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

And this is just one of the reasons when a client asked me to move to Twain Harte I said no thanks.

Sorry for your hassle.

Going down the hill to Modesto for care is a hassle but may be worth it?

dude! i'm honored you have even heard of my town! with that being said, nobody moves FROM texas to CA, even via modesto to gold country.

wildland fire insurance up here will break you. good call not coming.

glad I left the bay no matter what. from my patio.. in winter between snow events...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

dude! i'm honored you have even heard of my town! with that being said, nobody moves FROM texas to CA, even via modesto to gold country.

wildland fire insurance up here will break you. good call not coming.

glad I left the bay no matter what. from my patio.. in winter between snow events...

I'm intimately familiar with the place.

One night my Uber ride back from Eds Lounge to my buddies place was the bed of an El Camino, in the winter.

That sucked.

[juanbenae]

If you are in the Ed's know that is some top notch local knowledge! well played sir.

[Noah930]

It

Originally Posted by hcoles

I would not wait 13 months. See if Dr. Harvey Young takes your insurance. He knows what he is doing re. colonoscopy. The location is in Palo Alto. Probably would be a good idea to come and stay overnight the night before. The prep. is the worst part of it.

Hah. That's my uncle! (Actually, technically he's my dad's cousin, but I call him Uncle.)

[speeder]

That is certainly a benefit of living in a big city, I go to Cedars or UCLA when I need an ER and have a great primary care doc for everyday stuff. I agree, though...the system is broken.

[red-beard]

This is one of the criteria for our next move. We love the Fredericksburg TX area. And they do have a small regional hospital. But is seems way too small in case any of us have issues.

I also need a reasonable Airport for my present business. Ans Mrs. Beard does not want me getting a private pilot license.

So, North of Austin. Less Hurricanes and Humidity and lower chance of turnaydoes...than Dallas...

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

thanks. i am going to my folks' place in Santa Cruz county for a confirmed appointment in November after my referral was received at a facility near them. I'm 56 and had one at Palo Alto medical after turning 50 so I'm aware of the process... the take home tests since then have been all good, until this time.

Good - I'm sure there are a number of good GI docs in Santa Cruz County. We go to Santa Cruz often but I don't know any docs there.

[stevej37]

The area I live is about as rural as you can get.
I'm 69 and have had none of those problems.... Yet.

[Daves911L]

Fed up with healthcare period. It sucks. I have supposedly the best of it. Damn docs, if I can get in to see them, don’t listen and just read off a punchlist they’ve been taught, ordering tests and scans I probably don’t need, that are in turn absurdly tedious to schedule. I’ve just given up. I eat well. Run, exercise, work hard. Don’t partake of stuff I shouldn’t. If I die, I die.

I live in an urban area. Would be delighted to have a good old country doctor.

[latunabernie]

I live in the Sierria Foothills also.
The local hospital has the capability to do test to find out what is wrong with you.
They will stabilize you and help with pain relief.
If you are real bad they have a helicopter or ambulance to take you to a different facility.
This month it will be 4 years since we have left L.A.
I have kept all my Doctors from L.A.
I will schedule 2 or 3 Doctors per visit.
You can get blood work locally with the info sent to your Doctor.
My wife worked at Cedars we have parking passes it makes it easier.
During the summer I could do the trip in 1 day.
During the winter I will spend a night at some friend house and have dinner at some restaurant that I have missed.
Going to try and do a Tioga and Sonora Pass loop before the close the roads.

La Tuna Bernie

[manbridge 74]

Those who opt in for “health care” where I work pay three times as much or more than those of us who are in self pay groups who share costs. Never had any issues and not going back to the Kaiser nonsense….

[Por_sha911]

The OP is seeing what it would be like if the entire country had socialized health care.