What frustrates you about the health care industry?

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MiaOrange
MiaOrange Posts: 151 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hi, I'm doing an anonymous survey for a homework assignment for school: NCNM, National College of Natural Medicine. Please respond!


Thanks,

Mia
«13

Replies

  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
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    That insurance companies can decide against my doctor's professional opinion whether I need certain tests and procedures, and which drugs I need to treat my ailments.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    What sunkisses said....

    Plus the fact that I'm a go-between. If my doctor's office codes it wrong, my insurance will decline. Then I get a bill. I have to call both the doctor's office and the insurance company to find out what went wrong and get it fixed. Why can't they discuss it? I don't have access to certain information. I just know what should be covered, and when it's not, the burden is on me to fix it.
  • 2bFitNTrim
    2bFitNTrim Posts: 1,209 Member
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    Too much conflicting information. Carbs are good, carbs are bad. You need 8 glasses of water, no we don't. We need more protein, too much protein is hard on the kidneys. Eggs are bad, eggs are good. Eat fruit, no fruit has too much sugar. Fat is bad, no you need fat & plenty of it. I think it is hard for the average Joe or Jane to know what to do.
  • glassgallm
    glassgallm Posts: 276 Member
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    That insurance companies can decide against my doctor's professional opinion whether I need certain tests and procedures, and which drugs I need to treat my ailments.

    The above, plus the fact that it is a Big Business, and in it for the profits, not for the common good.
  • ultraviolet79
    ultraviolet79 Posts: 4 Member
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    I feel like doctors often prescribe drugs to alleviate your symptoms, but don't do anything to find the real cause of your issues.
  • Football_N_Guns
    Football_N_Guns Posts: 297 Member
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    Needing an approval from my primary care physician to see a specialty doctor.
  • ber3023
    ber3023 Posts: 146 Member
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    Prices for things are ridiculous! I can see tests and such costing more, due to the high prices of the machines, etc, but paying $1000's just for a Dr's opinion in an ER? CRAZY!
    Last July, I had stroke level BP. If I didn't feel it was a super emergency, I wouldn't have been in the ER cause I don't have health insurance. I received bills from Dr's that I didn't even see, who claimed they apparently just read my chart or something. Even left there with my BP still kinda crazy high, with a RX for meds that never did work for me. I spent a week at home frustrated and crying everyday cause I was scared to death, because I couldn't find a Dr in our town that would take a new patient who was self pay and I couldn't afford to just keep going to the ER, especially when I felt that didn't really do anything to help me. My OB/GYN, who my mom works for, so probably why she was willing to help, agreed to see me free of charge and called in new meds for me, which lowered the BP w/in a few days. Still to this day, over 4 months later, I still haven't found a family Dr. I believe all the bills from the ER have now come in and are totally over $4000 and remember I said their treatment did nothing for me. Waste of money and 5hrs in the ER waiting room!
  • luvinlaurakate
    luvinlaurakate Posts: 145 Member
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    Needing an approval from my primary care physician to see a specialty doctor.

    Agreed! I know I can't complain because my health care is free, but doing anything besides seeing my normal doctor is like pulling teeth!
  • catherine4211
    catherine4211 Posts: 944 Member
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    My Grandma broke her hip and is now in a rehab hospital. The communication between everyone is useless. I had to tell the nurse that her foot wasn't looking right and now she might lose it. She had a blood clot. I would think at her age (94) the nurses would check her out head to toe daily. Nope.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
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    My insurance wouldn't cover the anti-depressants I was prescribed for my PTSD because the trauma happened when I was 3-8 and thus it was a pre-existing condition and they wouldn't foot the bill (nor would they cover my therapy)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    They are too quick to suggest drugs instead of diet and lifestyle changes. To be fair, a very small percentage of people are willing to make the diet and lifestyle changes but I still think it should be the first suggestion.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    The government thinks they should run it: like that's going to improve things :noway:
  • catherine4211
    catherine4211 Posts: 944 Member
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    My Grandma broke her hip and is now in a rehab hospital. The communication between everyone is useless. I had to tell the nurse that her foot wasn't looking right and now she might lose it. She had a blood clot. I would think at her age (94) the nurses would check her out head to toe daily. Nope.

    Sorry. :( you are right, they should. But they are given so many patients. They tedn to focus one they problem they were admitted for..... Oh they stories I could tell

    Thank you.
  • Pammie1000
    Pammie1000 Posts: 365 Member
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    Doctors get lots of free stuff, as well as trips, from the drug company reps, That alone drives up costs, they claim it is to educate the doctors about their medications, I think they could do that without being in Hawaii! They also lobby congress through campaign donations Which might explain why drug prices are not regulated in this country. and why the doctors trips, are a tax deduction for the drug company. And a little old lady has to choose between her medicine and visiting her grandchildren!! That makes me furious!!!:explode:
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    for what its worth my father passed away this year. he was in the hospital for 2 weeks, then a rehab center for a few weeks then he came home and received home therapy and then finally went to a hospice until the end. every step along the way we encountered wonderful people. every dollar of every bill was covered by insurance/medicare.

    i was expecting the worst and we got the best. so as of now i have a very good view of the health care industry.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
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    That I am VERY glad to live in England and have the NHS
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
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    I feel like doctors often prescribe drugs to alleviate your symptoms, but don't do anything to find the real cause of your issues.

    sometimes that is what people want. i have a doctor mentor who declined prescribing medication (side effects), because all the patient had to do was eat healthier. she got a warning for doing that.
  • Pammie1000
    Pammie1000 Posts: 365 Member
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    for what its worth my father passed away this year. he was in the hospital for 2 weeks, then a rehab center for a few weeks then he came home and received home therapy and then finally went to a hospice until the end. every step along the way we encountered wonderful people. every dollar of every bill was covered by insurance/medicare.

    i was expecting the worst and we got the best. so as of now i have a very good view of the health care industry.
    So sorry for your loss, Hospice is really such a blessing, When my father in law was dying of cancer, They told us when it was time to say good bye, that has to be a tough line of work.
  • jnite
    jnite Posts: 108 Member
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    After seeing some of your stories I feel we are lucky....I am in Alberta, Canada and ya we ***** and complain about our health care and it definately could be better, but I don't think that many people realize how lucky we are. Here you see people at emerg just for a cold.....because we don't get charged and we can..... I think we are very lucky. Thanks for reminding me of that!!!
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    I think it is rediculous that they have different charges for the same proceedure depending on which insurance you. They can also go back years and do audits and correct an error in their favor and send you a bill.

    I think they should list their prices for everyone to see like they do at my chiropractor. They should be the same for everyone.

    An exray cost xx.xx
    an EKG costs xx.xx

    I know it varies based on size and weight sometimes, but list those too, like they do at my vet. My dog was euthanized and it cost this much if he weighed over 50lbs and this much if he was over 75lbs. Maybe it would really encourage people to lose weight if they knew it was going to cost them more.

    The insurance companies already charge more if you are living an unhealthy lifestyle like smoking and being obese.

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