Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Can't keep you doctor under Obamacare? Try simply finding a doctor in California
American Thinker ^ | 02/05/2014 | Rick Moran

Posted on 02/05/2014 8:12:06 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Congratulations! You have successfully signed up for a truly excellent plan on the Covered California website!

It's a really, really great plan. Really. Now, good look finding a doctor who will treat you.

Los Angeles Times:

After overcoming website glitches and long waits to get Obamacare, some patients are now running into frustrating new roadblocks at the doctor's office.

A month into the most sweeping changes to healthcare in half a century, people are having trouble finding doctors at all, getting faulty information on which ones are covered and receiving little help from insurers swamped by new business.

Experts have warned for months that the logjam was inevitable. But the extent of the problems is taking by surprise many patients - and even doctors - as frustrations mount.

Aliso Viejo resident Danielle Nelson said Anthem Blue Cross promised half a dozen times that her oncologists would be covered under her new policy. She was diagnosed last year with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and discovered a suspicious lump near her jaw in early January.

But when she went to her oncologist's office, she promptly encountered a bright orange sign saying that Covered California plans are not accepted.

"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said. "I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

To hold down premiums under the healthcare law, major insurers have sharply cut the number of doctors and hospitals available to patients in the state's new health insurance market.

Now those limited options are becoming clearer, and California officials say they are receiving more consumer complaints about access to medical providers.


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; cancerpatient; coveredcalifornia; doctors; doctorshortage; exchanges; medicaid; medicaidcollateral; medicaidestate; medicaidexpansion; medicaidloan; obamacare; obamacaredoctors; ocarenightmare; rationedcare

1 posted on 02/05/2014 8:12:06 AM PST by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Obamacare would be the funniest joke EVER if it weren’t so, you know, tragic.


2 posted on 02/05/2014 8:14:52 AM PST by Mich Patriot (PITCH BLACK is the new "transparent")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“I can’t imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen.”

Do you mean that you actually BELIEVED him when he said, “If you like your doctors you can keep them?” What a maroon. You must vote DemocRat in every election.


3 posted on 02/05/2014 8:15:31 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Haven't you lost enough freedoms? Support an end to the WOD now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mich Patriot

Elections have consequences.


4 posted on 02/05/2014 8:16:28 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Haven't you lost enough freedoms? Support an end to the WOD now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Next step will be to import doctors or reinstate medical school wash-outs as long as they agree to take ObamaCare patients for a certain number of years. Palefaces excluded, of course.


5 posted on 02/05/2014 8:16:28 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman
Next step will be to import doctors or reinstate medical school wash-outs as long as they agree to take ObamaCare patients for a certain number of years

Already happening. I have a relative in nursing school who is being trained in how do to all kinds of stuff that has historically be done by doctors. Next we'll start cheesing off the Brits by raiding the NHS for Pakistani doctors with modest salary increases.


6 posted on 02/05/2014 8:24:21 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Some Illinois Medicaid patients’ assets at risk
Little-known provision in health insurance expansion allows state to recoup certain medical costs after death, including via liens

Richard Finkelstein, 62, of the Lakeview neighborhood, intended to purchase a new private insurance policy via the Illinois health insurance exchange with the help of a government subsidy. But his low annual income sent him to Medicaid. Had he known about the asset-recovery provision before signing up, he said he would have purchased a private plan instead, with no strings attached. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune / February 3, 2014)
By Peter Frost, Tribune reporter

8:20 a.m. CST, February 5, 2014

More than 200,000 low-income Illinoisans have applied for new coverage under Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance that was expanded in Illinois and several other states as part of the Affordable Care Act.

But for certain members of that group, the new coverage could come with strings attached.

A little-known wrinkle in the federal health insurance expansion could put at risk the house and other assets of those ages 55 to 64 should they require substantial and expensive health care treatments.

The issue arises because of a provision in the long-standing laws governing Medicaid that compel states to recoup certain medical costs after a person dies, either via liens placed on an individual’s home or claims on their assets.

Before implementation of the health care law, colloquially known as Obamacare, only pregnant women, children and those with disabilities qualified for Medicaid.

Further, the asset-clawback provision typically was applied only to people with disabilities older than 55, or those in long-term care, like in nursing homes or other assisted living facilities.

Because Illinois opted to expand eligibility of its Medicaid program to all individuals who make less than about $15,800 a year, a cross-section of relatively healthy early retirees and older workers who unexpectedly lost their jobs and who are too young for Medicare is in danger of getting snagged.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-some-illinois-medicaid-patients-assets-at-risk-20140205,0,1367534.story


7 posted on 02/05/2014 8:34:06 AM PST by KeyLargo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Health Care rationing. Right out of the box


8 posted on 02/05/2014 8:35:39 AM PST by rdcbn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman

Next step will be to import doctors or reinstate medical school wash-outs as long as they agree to take ObamaCare patients for a certain number of years. Palefaces excluded, of course.


Or import them from Pakistan like they do in Great Britian


9 posted on 02/05/2014 8:37:14 AM PST by rdcbn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: rdcbn
The next step is already being taken in large measure, the substitution of nurse practitioners for doctors. The time is coming soon when it will be unusual to see an actual MD for direct care. Instead each MD will have a cadre of "care extenders," NP's and physician's assistants, practicing under supervision.
10 posted on 02/05/2014 9:01:11 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

If you want to keep your doctor........


11 posted on 02/05/2014 9:03:23 AM PST by Vaduz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said

Proof positive that it is true, no such thing as "too stupid to live."

12 posted on 02/05/2014 9:03:25 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard

Exactly- and don’t forget pharmacists. Anyone and everyone that can be roped into doing things that used to be done by doctors is/will continue to be. And of course none of these faux md’s is paid any more- they are just told by whomever they work for ‘now you take blood pressures, give vaccines, do BMI’s and health assessments’ along with everything else you do. They even try to say you should be thankful for it because now you get to seem more professional- like a doctor! I really don’t even understand what the ‘real’ doctors will do anymore except oversee legions of the faux-doctors.


13 posted on 02/05/2014 9:12:35 AM PST by usmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“”I’m a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can’t sleep at night,” Nelson said. “I can’t imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen.”

You’re a complete fan of stupid, is what you are.


14 posted on 02/05/2014 9:15:44 AM PST by lowbridge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said. "I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

Then she is clearly lacking in imagination. Or to paraphrase Zappa,

'imaginary doctors dispensing imaginary healthcare, exist only in the imagination of... the IMAGINER!!!

And besides, who gives a f__k anyway.'

Cue John Lennon,

'Imagine there's no people, I wonder if you can,
No need for feed or comfort, a global fascist plan,
Imagine there's no people, sharing all the world,

You-oo-ooo, you may say that I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one,
I hope some daaay you'll join us,
And the world will be less one.'

OK, so I'm dating myself. If communists weren't so stupid, destructive, and deadly they'd be a lot more amusing.
15 posted on 02/05/2014 9:25:51 AM PST by Carry_Okie (0-Care IS Medicaid; they'll pull a sheet over your head and take everything you own to pay for it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Oh, well. You can’t make a scrumptious omelet without breaking a few eggs!


16 posted on 02/05/2014 9:28:55 AM PST by Gritty (Inside every liberal is a totalitarian screaming to get out! - David Horowitz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
"I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

Isn't that what the Zeks in the Siberian camps used to say about Stalin as they were chopping the salt out of the frozen mines?

17 posted on 02/05/2014 9:31:51 AM PST by Gritty (Inside every liberal is a totalitarian screaming to get out! - David Horowitz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“It’s probably only a matter of time before states start passing laws that all doctors will have to treat any patient with any insurance plan that asks.”

This will be interesting, because although I do believe that the Leftist states will probably resort to these tactics, it is much less likely that the freer states will do the same. The leftist states will find that doctors will leave or quit, and they will be forced to rely on nurses and foreign MDs. However, the Leftist states will not be able to retain and replace qualified specialists- neurosurgeons ,cardiologists, orthopedists etc.
In the same way that high tax/regulation states drive out business, coercive policies will drive out health care providers. The freer states will reap the reward.


18 posted on 02/05/2014 12:39:03 PM PST by grumpygresh (Democrats delenda est. New US economy: Fascism on top, Socialism on the bottom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Aliso Viejo resident Danielle Nelson said Anthem Blue Cross promised half a dozen times that her oncologists would be covered under her new policy.

Braggart. How many people in California have actually been able to contact their provider, or have had their provider contact them, or mail them a policy book or just confirmation that they are now insured, since they started and maybe even finished the sign-up process.

19 posted on 02/05/2014 1:45:43 PM PST by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson