I decided to make an appointment with my primary physician since it’s been more than a year since I had my last physical. I’ve been training so much that I felt it would be best to get a check up before my upcoming triathlon in Florida.
I got to the appointment on time. I sat and looked at my cell phone. I read my emails, looked at my Facebook and Twitter feeds and surfed the Internet. Finally, the office manager asked for my new insurance card. We recently switched from the Oxford Freedom Plan to the Oxford Liberty Plan. We’ve been paying so much in health insurance, we wanted to go on a less expensive plan.
“Umm, we’re sorry Hilary, but we don’t take Oxford Liberty,” the office manager told me.
“Really? Why didn’t the insurance company tell me?” I asked.
“I don’t know but the doctor won’t see you. You can leave,” she said.
I felt as if I was going to cry. I was so angry. I have been going to see this doctor for nearly 15 years. Why didn’t she offer for me to pay for the physical? Why didn’t she offer me any other options?
“I think Dr. G takes Oxford Freedom. He’s not too far away,” she said feeling bad for me.
I took the card from her and left.
I called Oxford as soon as I got back to the office and told them what happened. “Why didn’t you tell me that my primary didn’t take Oxford Freedom?” I asked.
The people who answered the phone had no clue.
“So now what?” I asked.
“Well, go on the oxford website and search a physician, pick one and make an appointment,” the representative said.
I went through the doctor list and finally found a woman doctor in Bellmore that looked good. When I called to make an appointment, I was told she wasn’t taking any more patients. “But you can use her partner,” said the office manager, “however, she won’t be back until after November 1st.”
I made the appointment but felt totally frustrated by the whole process. It seems like health insurance is just getting worse and worse. Perhaps it makes sense for us to have no insurance, pay out of pocket and just have insurance for a major catastrophe? I’m not sure. What I do know is the system doesn’t work! For more than $2000 for a family, we should get some decent benefits, no?
That is horrible. But not surprising. This is Obamacare in action. Doctors are opting not to take certain plans because there just isn’t enough money in it for them. Can you blame them? That totally SUCKS. I would have been so furious if it had happened to me. When we changed our insurance recently, I asked over and over and over to make sure we wouldn’t have to change doctors. Luckily, it worked and all seems the same. And the administrative staff of these companies don’t care at all and wouldn’t go out of their way to make sure, when you request a change, that you will have access to the doctors you want. Where is the “Hate” button when you need it?
Agree! I really think it’s getting worse instead of better…