I've spent a long time working in healthcare. I've always been shocked by how complicated it is - even for people who understand how to navigate the system. In your opinion, what would you say is the hardest part about it? I expect to pay more for my healthcare as I age, so for me, it's the uncertainty about these costs and making sure I have enough savings. I'm US-based but welcome responses from any nation.
Getting it when it's needed. Yesterday i had to take my wife to wound care at the hospital. When we went in we were told masks were required even tho we had fsace shileds. They caid that holding a mask in place to cover nos and mouth while wearing shield was acceptable. When a CNA came out to help my wife she said that the mask must be attached. I explained that my wife can not breath with a mask attached. CNA said that for her safety the mask must be attached. So I said you're denying her service? Answer yes. We're going home.
Managing my health care is easy for me because it is done for me by my HMO. They offer a health insurance plan so I'm getting my medicare through it. They have a number of clinics throughout the area and mine is only five minutes away. They also operate a hospital nearby and a medical college. They have a website for patients so I can re-order drugs or contact my doctor. In the distant past when I had a private practice doctor, I hated it when the choice was up to me to find a specialist if needed because I have no idea of who the best might be. I am pleased with what I have now.
I am covered for my health care with Medicare & a United Health Supplement and have no problems managing any of it.
@Beth Gallagher I see I must "lay off" your case a bit lest you catch too much of my "drift" for my own good! Frank
I have also worked in healthcare, medical billing and insurance. I have seen how it has changed through the years - kind of like the deregulation of utilities. What used to be general practice has now become branched out into specific fields, internal medicine, gynecology, physical and occupational therapy, radiology, maternity, etc. So now primary doctors refers patients for treatments or care preferably one within the insurance network of providers. The hardest time for me was finding a primary doctor that accepted my insurance after contracts between the provider and insurance companies were not renewed. That happened with Anthem and United Healthcare at different times of course but only last a year or so.
My hardest part these days is finding doctors who listen rather than dictate. I've never had that problem before, and I now find myself in yet another such spot. I'm making phone calls tomorrow to find a doctor in the town 45 miles away outside of the system in the town that's only 25 miles away.
The most difficult part is finding out the truth. This has been true since the 1930's for many people, and for more people when the honest doctors were legally silenced in the usa in the 1950's. (i.e. when the known and proven , used regularly, cures for many diseases, became by federal law illegal because of bigfarma controls and lobbyists and owning most of the hospitals and medical schools (with help from the 'famous' (wrongly so) reocky fellas and carn a gees and so forth (the rich beyond rich who closed the healing schools across the country by denying them funding for not bowing down to man's drug cartel/monopoly ... In some places, the advice was to ask to speak to the supervisor, and then the manager, on up the ladder to explain the issue. Most places it might not have been necessary to go too high up the hierarchy locally to receive the needed or desired service appropriately with due regard to the federal and state and other RULES about when not wearing mask was medically advised (with several known different health reasons, including anxiety and ptsd, as well as asthma, shortness of breath, dizziness, need for oxygen (the masks restrict) and so on ---- ALL IN LINE with the RULES (so far, or until recently, in the usa... some states I think still do not even require masks all or some of the time anyway - they (the states and feds and locals) do not overall have a medically legal reason to force people to wear masks that cause harm, and have almost always stated clearly the exemptions. The power and money behind the masking system is so powerful, they might get a lot more forceful before they fall down. (we hope and pray they fall soon) Hundreds or thousands of lawsuits in Germany, Europe , the USA, besides the riots in England and mask-burning parties elseware are hopeful signs the general populace is not going to just cave in to the oppressive and wrong demands of the drug makers.
The consolidation of practices under large umbrellas, having "choice" in some geographies is difficult. Quality suffers along with it. As I stated in an earlier comment in this thread, I went to a practice 45 miles east of me (Richmond) rather than the nearer one that was only 25 miles in the opposite direction to have a bladder stone remediated. I did this so I could find a doctor I trusted. I had no luck after seeing multiple urologists within the local University of Virginia Hospital (UVA) healthcare system. UVA Healthcare has gobbled up tons of the independent practices as it expands, really limiting my local choices. My GP got bought by them, and the level of service has declined...he's now a UVA corporate employee. They are the only game in town for many surrounding counties. I visited my brother when he had cancer, and when I arrived at his hospital 80 miles north of here, there was a big UVA Hospital sign out front. The only reason they have not migrated farther north is because they've butted up against the southern territorial boundary of another conglomerate (INOVA Healthcare.) There is an upside to all this. My referrals are immediate and "no hassle," I suspect because the business is incestuous. But there's a huge loss of competition going on through this consolidation, and I believe a loss of quality and independent thought along with it.
"independent thought" all along has realized the 'consolidation' has prevented people from being taught the truth about what happened to medicine in United States. The honest health care persons who know, if they go public, usually lose their jobs , or lost their job already before that. The fake news just now on cbs this morning.... they don't even realize the fake positive tests being used to promote fear and submission....
I just read of a doctor who had his license yanked after an "emergency hearing" for (A) publicly criticizing the COVID narrative, and (B) continuing to operate under "business as normal" conditions. So his patients had the opportunity to go elsewhere if they chose, while many doctors (mine included) are scheduling appointments many months out (if at all) due to NOT operating under "business as normal" conditions...yet somehow getting no care is perfectly acceptable to those who then tell us we are not permitted to make our own independent adult decision.