<p>Do you think it should require two trips to the primary care physician and a trip to an orthopedic surgeon to diagnose a garden variety case of tendonitis (developed after a spring training trip, I might add)?</p>
<p>We have new health insurance and as part of this journey I learned that our new policy has a $4000 family deductible!</p>
<p>So these extra visits were not only galling but also cost me several hundred extra dollars out-of-pocket.</p>
<p>I am tired of this game myself. In fact, it has me looking for a new PCP. I no longer have an HMO, so I am free to roam around, and I won’t need a referral for specialists. However, I have a high deductible & I work far from home … visiting the doctor after every test or visit to a specialist is out of the question. My kids’ pediatrician always talks to me via telephone rather than making us come in when our physical presence is not required (like to discuss what the specialist said or to talk about the results of a test she ran). I plan to find a doctor for myself who will do the same.</p>
<p>My doc sends me results in a letter and writes little notes in the margin. I appreciate this.</p>
<p>The thing that drives me the nuttiest about my health care coverage is just understanding it. Every year we may get a different carrier, depending on who got the bid. Every year the payments (deductibles, co-pays, whatever) are done differently. Now we get these “This is not a bill” papers all the time in the mail that are truly incomprehensible.</p>
<p>I know I should just be grateful that I have good health coverage. And I am.</p>
<p>My internists have never had any problem diagnosing tendonitis in me (who isn’t even doing much exercise) on the 1st visit, without need for any referrals. I would be irked myself and wonder about paying for the internist TWICE. I could understand the referral to the specialist if it was a confusing case or unbearably painful, but why would you need to see the internist twice?</p>
<p>We have a Anthem Blue Cross PPO. It does not require you to go to a primary care Dr first. It doesn’t even require you to name one. If someone in the family needs an ortho MD I can just make an appointment with anyone who take Blue Cross or even with someone who doesn’t. If they aren’t a preferred provider I just paid a higher amount. I am grateful for this when I read about all the problems of people finding a good MD.</p>
<p>We did just get another premium increase. It has us considering going up to an even higher deductible.</p>
<p>Tendonitis is pretty easy to diagnosis and a good PCP should be able to do it the first time. I’ve had it several times but it can take a while to clear up. Usually, they start you on some anti-inflammatory medicine and an icing regimen, then if that doesn’t work, they might refer you out. What led him or her to send you to an orthopedic surgeon? Were you having unusual symptoms or do you think he or she just isn’t a good diagnostician? I would find another PCP unless this is someone you truly like and trust.</p>
<p>MomLive, that’s what I would think. I would say the doctor isn’t a good diagnostician.</p>
<p>To add insult to injury, this doctor is supposed to specialize in sports medicine.</p>
<p>We’ve been going to this practice since my daughter was born, over 19 years ago.</p>
<p>I called and complained, since the physician just joined the practice in the fall.</p>
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<p>Okay - HUGE red flag. I had this experience several times with son’s pediatric group. One time he kept getting eye infections and the pediatric group kept giving him oral antibiotics. I finally insisted that he be referred to a pediatric eye specialist and the first thing that physician did was say 'why in the heck are they giving him oral antibiotics to treat an eye infection?" Gave him eye drops - immediately went away.</p>
<p>Second time was when son was a pre-teen and was having chronic heel pain. I looked it up on the internet and found a condition that was common in kids his age and mentioned it to the pediatrician and he responded with, “No, it can’t be that, that is something women get from wearing high heels. I don’t know what is causing it but I’ll refer you to an orthopaedic specialist.”</p>
<p>So, off we go to the orthopedist, who looks at x-ray and says it is whatever syndrome I had read about on the internet. When I told the ortho what the pediatrician said, he looked at me funny and said “Which pediatrician did you see because my kids go to that group and this is something he should have known.”</p>
<p>In other words, doctors aren’t all-knowing nor are they infallible and sometimes they really don’t know what the heck they are talking about. Kind of scary, isn’t it? I always tell people to go with your gut. If something doesn’t feel right about a physician, find someone else.</p>
<p>Yea, my internist is always able to tell me what he thinks is the problem and only refers us to a specialist if he believes it’s complicated, not resolving as it should, or he thinks it merits greater attention than he is able to devote. We’ve used him for decades and have been very pleased. </p>
<p>Have had to fire quite a few docs in my time–lots of pulmos and lots of allergists, as well as some GIs. Have finally gotten a medical team I like very much and most are generally able to diagnose accurately in a visit (or even over the phone–we have long histories). </p>
<p>Have also had to fire a pediatrician–he knew our kids had complicated health issues but said it was too much work & he wanted them to go to HIS recommended counselor before he’d work with them (after they had each already seen 3 counselors apiece who concurred that they needed to have their physical symptoms improved by appropriate medical treatment, not counseling).</p>
<p>Sounds like he just went to a seminar on “How to Increase the Profits at your Practice”.</p>
<p>In August I called my internists office to see if I could get a B12 shot. Found out that I had been dropped by my doctor because I had not been to see him in over 4 years. Had no reason to see him; thought I was fortunate I had not been sick. Of course, I was informed that he was no longer taking “new” patients, but she suspected that if I wrote a letter he would take me back. I realize that he probably knew nothing about this and it was because of an upgrade to the system they had had and it is a large practice. But that was all I needed to know and I will be looking for another PCP. I found a naturopath to give me the B12 shots.</p>
<p>Why do you need/want a B12 shot?</p>
<p>I’ve been a vegetarian for 2.5 years and I’m a pretty healthy eater but acccording to several things I’ve read, it is recommended. The naturopath recommended I get them every 2 weeks for 2-3 months and then once a month or as I felt needed. There is a boost in energy level, which I could always use.</p>
<p>That is quite rude for the doc to fire YOU without even any notice! Wow! Does the B-12 shot really make a difference for you? I wonder if it would help my D, as her energy level can flag from time to time. One more thing to consider. Thanks :)</p>
<p>I think the shot does make a difference. So whether it IS the shot or the placebo effect, it works.</p>
<p>Hope all is well with you in HI!!</p>
<p>My PCP requires new patient paperwork (and initial charge) if you have not been seen in 3 years</p>
<p>@rom828, do you need a shot or would a tablet be OK too? I just started taking B12 in a sublingual tablet for a neurological condition. I won’t complain if I get an energy boost too!</p>
<p>We “fired” our son’s pediatrician when he was a toddler and had asthma. He would prescribe oral albuterol. The kid would climb the walls. It was after an urgent care visit that the doctors asked why we didn’t have a nebulizer at home that we found out that pediatrician wasn’t using the best method of treatment.</p>
<p>Doctors don’t know everything.</p>
<p>My sister got antiobiotics yesterday for what is clearly a viral infection. Our doctors won’t prescribe them unless clearly a bacterial infection.</p>
<p>From what’s I’ve read, the best way to get B12 is through a shot, second-best is intra-nasally. Grind up a pill, make a little paste out of it, and coat the inside of your nostrils.</p>
<p>Sub-lingually and orally are not as effective. The B12 molecule is really large so it is hard to absorb in the mouth, and there’s a bunch of tricky stuff in your intestines for absorption to happen, which in many people doesn’t work well.</p>
<p>greenwitch - from what the naturopath told me, the shots are far more effective, in fact, he said that it cannot be compared. He also was adament about the type of B12 that he uses - methylcobalamin B12 injections. I cannot remember all the reasons…obviously the B12 does not help with that ;)</p>