My Wife Can't Keep Her Doctor. Period!

[Cow Poke]

My wife is recovering from cancer, and is, indeed, a cancer survivor.

The last few visits to her local doctor have, however, been pretty frustrating.

They used to have an "in house" lab - they don't anymore.
They used to have Saturday hours - they don't anymore.
They used to have early morning hours - they don't anymore.
She used to be able to see her PA, Shelly, for MOST of her appointments - not anymore.
Some of the things Shelly used to do, however, she is no longer allowed to do, and those things need to be done by a "real doctor".

What used to be ONE doctor visit is now TWO doctor visits, and two separate co-pays, because Shelly can't do some of the stuff she used to do, and the doctor doesn't do some of the stuff Shelly does.

So, on Monday, my wife had her appointment with Shelly, getting orders for blood work at a SEPARATE clinic, and a followup visit yesterday with the doctor.

My wife was quite frustrated, and I told her to share her concerns with her doctor -- OUR doctor for over 20 years. (I never see him except when he has computer trouble, or I have a really really bad cold or something)

She texted me yesterday "OK, I'm in the little room" (the exam room) and I texted back, "make him cry like a little girl". (yeah, I really did)

When she got home, she gave me the bad news.... he has sold his practice to a conglomerate of doctors ("big medicine") and he is seriously considering a new job offer --- in the Dominican Republic!!!!

Seriously... after some initial reluctance to discuss it, he finally opened up and revealed that Obamacare has destroyed his practice, has micromanaged his staff, has required all kinds of new bureaucratic horsie poo, and has stripped him of the JOY of being a doctor.

Oh, and she had to sign a "contract" not to sell the medicines that she gets --- which are NOW under a new class of "controlled substance" -- and she had to pee in a cup to make sure she wasn't a drug user. She said she felt like she was being treated like a criminal -- all part of the new regs.

Now, think about that... "signing a contract" that she won't sell her drugs... like the REAL criminals will have any problem at all signing the SAME contract, and selling them ANYWAY!

She was the last patient of the day, and Shelly had come over from the other side of the clinic, and they sat and talked. My wife had poured out all her complaints about how his office had "gone downhill", and he said, "you're exactly right, and I hear it all the time from my patients."

He will probably close his clinic at the end of the year -- in about 3 weeks, and leave the Country.

So much for "you can KEEP your doctor -- PERIOD!"

[One Bad Pig]

Yeah, that's the non-financial downside to Obamacare - it will cause many doctors to do the same thing rather than put up with all the guff.

[Cow Poke]

Yeah, that's the non-financial downside to Obamacare - it will cause many doctors to do the same thing rather than put up with all the guff.

And I'm sure you can imagine, OBP, the psychological effect this has on my wife, as her "medical team" has been "with her" in her recovery from cancer, and that's falling apart. It's a HUGE blow that can't be.... yeah, the "non-financial downside".

[Mountain Man]

This isn't surprising. Doctor's quitting and causing shortages was predicted years ago, but liberals just laughed it off.

It also proves that healthcare isn't a right. A right is something you inherently have simply because you're alive while a service is something that someone voluntarily provides. Liberals tried to take a service and declare it a right in order to force Obamacare down the throats of the American people, but if there aren't enough doctors to provide that service then the "right" to healthcare is meaningless, and Obamacare becomes worthless.

[Sparko]

I just got a letter from my insurance company that a drug I have been on for over 6 years is now off of their approved list and if I really need it my doctor has to call for approval.

[KingsGambit]

I'll disagree on whether healthcare should be a right; given the mass wealth of our nation and our staggering GDP, I think we can afford to subsidize that, but I know that'll go over like a lead balloon here.

I know there are plenty of tradeoffs involved. I know I wouldn't have possibly been able to get health insurance prior to this plan, and I now am finally getting it. I sympathize for those in positions like the OP.

[Cow Poke]

I'll disagree on whether healthcare should be a right; given the mass wealth of our nation and our staggering GDP, I think we can afford to subsidize that, but I know that'll go over like a lead balloon here.

Rights are not determined by our ability or inability to pay for them.

I know there are plenty of tradeoffs involved. I know I wouldn't have possibly been able to get health insurance prior to this plan, and I now am finally getting it. I sympathize for those in positions like the OP.

I think there were better ways to accomplish covering the uncovered without destroying what was already in place.

[Zymologist]

I'll disagree on whether healthcare should be a right; given the mass wealth of our nation and our staggering GDP, I think we can afford to subsidize that, but I know that'll go over like a lead balloon here.

That seems like a very strange way to determine what is and what isn't a "right." Given the mass wealth of our nation and our staggering GDP, it seems that we could afford to subsidize a great many things that virtually nobody will argue are rights.

[Jedidiah]

I'll disagree on whether healthcare should be a right; given the mass wealth of our nation and our staggering GDP, I think we can afford to subsidize that, but I know that'll go over like a lead balloon here.

It goes over like a lead balloon with me for sure. "The mass wealth of our nation?" We have a deficit of 18 trillion dollars and going deeper in debt every day. Where is that "mass wealth of our nation?"

I know there are plenty of tradeoffs involved. I know I wouldn't have possibly been able to get health insurance prior to this plan, and I now am finally getting it. I sympathize for those in positions like the OP.

Trade offs seem to mean that you get coverage that has been taken away from others who may have earned it. I retired from a job that paid noticeably less than I might have gotten elsewhere, but the health insurance made a difference. I never had health insurance until I was about 40. And I got by. Sure I was fortunate in that I had no catastrophic illnesses or accidents, but I never knew that was the case. I will add that I have not lost my coverage so my concern is not for myself but for a nation I see swirling down the toilet.

[Jedidiah]

I think there were better ways to accomplish covering the uncovered without destroying what was already in place.

As an extremist I suspect strongly that the destruction of what we had was the biggest purpose of Obamacare. Everyone with their eyes open knew it would wreak havoc. And it has.

[mossrose]

Come on up to Canada, fellers!

Most stuff is free, if you don't mind waiting months, (or even years, depending on procedure needed), for appointments and treatments!

[Zymologist]

I am blessed to have a good job, and what would be considered, AFAICT, a "Cadillac" health insurance plan. I'm told, by more than one person, that the company is being penalized for offering this "Cadillac" plan, and that the plan will almost certainly be downgraded in the near future because of that.

[Truthseeker]

Rights are not determined by our ability or inability to pay for them.

Well, yes, but we Christians and observant Jews are enjoined in the Bible to take care of the poor. That's sorta a right. Boaz let the poor including Ruth glean his fields.

However, we should be careful to not inculcate an entitlement mentality in anybody. Ruth wasn't given gleanings, but had to glean for Naomi and herself, day after day.

The Welfare State is unhealthy. For one thing, if every one got the entitlement mentality, there would be nobody to produce anything from which the government can take to give to someone else. Look at how some of the American colonies fared, when and where the entitlement mentality (socialism) ran amok.

I think there were better ways to accomplish covering the uncovered without destroying what was already in place.

Somehow I don't think you have the free-market & volunteer (taking care of the poor) system in mind. I wish I know why.

[Cow Poke]

Well, yes, but we Christians and observant Jews are enjoined in the Bible to take care of the poor. That's sorta a right. Boaz let the poor including Ruth glean his fields.

And, as Christians, I believe we should do that. I am doing that.

However, we should be careful to not inculcate an entitlement mentality in anybody. Ruth wasn't given gleanings, but had to glean for Naomi and herself, day after day.

Yes, she was given the opportunity to WORK for her gain.

The Welfare State is unhealthy. For one thing, if every one got the entitlement mentality, there would be nobody to produce anything from which the government can take to give to someone else. Look at how some of the American colonies fared, when and where the entitlement mentality (socialism) ran amok.

I think we may have already reached the tipping point.

Somehow I don't think you have the free-market & volunteer (taking care of the poor) system in mind. I wish I know why.

Not sure what you mean - you wish you know why.

[Jedidiah]

Well, yes, but we Christians and observant Jews are enjoined in the Bible to take care of the poor. That's sorta a right. Boaz let the poor including Ruth glean his fields.

That is an obligation of Christian people. What you are pointing to is taking care of needs with other folks money. That is not only not what the Bible points to, it is a destructive force within this nation.