"Medical Homelessness"

[houcoogster]

My son has Blue Shield of California. Please tell me when he can go to Tarzana Hospital (local), Cedars (best), UCLA (also best), City of Hope (best for Cancer), and other quality facilities in the Los Angeles area.

He could go to all these with Blue Shield prior to Obamacare. But I guess a limited network is a feature. Or is it a benefit to keep people from having to worry about getting quality care? (If people die, the cost of care goes down).

BTW, the network in and out of Covered California is identical.

Rick

I should have mentioned I was referring to the HMO network...I'm sure your son has the PPO.(My Clients aren't rich like Andy The Blue PPO here is stronger than 100 acres of garlic...come on over!

 

[GreenSky]

I should have mentioned I was referring to the HMO network...I'm sure your son has the PPO.(My Clients aren't rich like Andy The Blue PPO here is stronger than 100 acres of garlic...come on over!

If he was in an HMO it would even be worse. The largest medical group only accepts one HMO plan. And the hospital situation would even be worse than in the PPO.

There is nothing about Obozocare that works wells. Increased insurance costs, increased cost to taxpayers, difficulty finding providers and a nightmare for doctors.

But I know you like it.

Rick

 

[houcoogster]

Man I am glad I sat out the on-exchange plan sign-ups this year...I sent out a notice to my clients, "I will only offer off-exchange plans, if you qualify for a subsidy and would like to redeem it for your plan then you must go to healthcare.gov"

Some were smart enough to go off-exchange, the rest wanted the government cheese...little did they know it was RAT POISON!

I'm glad you sat out too maybe I'll get lucky and all you haters will sit out the next one and the next and the next!

Ratt N' Roll

 

[DS4]

My son has Blue Shield of California. Please tell me when he can go to Tarzana Hospital (local), Cedars (best), UCLA (also best), City of Hope (best for Cancer), and other quality facilities in the Los Angeles area.

If you were a good father, and, really loved your son, you would send him to one of the above hospitals, and, you would pay the difference.

 

[somarco]

Matt, it is a bit more clear cut in GA than other states. Almost all the HIX plans are HMO. Most HIX carriers created new networks for HIX plans.

KP was the exception.

Blue only offers HMO on or off exchange.

Between skinny networks and 90 day free ride for subsidy plans, not many docs jumping on board for HIX patients.

 

[GreenSky]

If you were a good father, and, really loved your son, you would send him to one of the above hospitals, and, you would pay the difference.

Correct. A good father would do that.

Rick

 

[houcoogster]

If you were a good father, and, really loved your son, you would send him to one of the above hospitals, and, you would pay the difference.

I would add to that....a good father understands new docs need a chance to prove themselves. Give those other guys a shot man they deserve that. You act like his life is on the line by a thread.....save the drama fo yo mama.

 

[lisamc]

I should have mentioned I was referring to the HMO network...I'm sure your son has the PPO.(My Clients aren't rich like Andy The Blue PPO here is stronger than 100 acres of garlic...come on over!

What area have you searched that you are seeing more hospitals today than previously in the HMO network? As of Monday, April 14th, when searching for providers, the HMO Blue TX network and the Blue Advantage network provided the same search results. As of searches after the 15th (utilizing a Houston zip code within a 25 mile radius), the Blue Advantage network provides many less providers as follows:

HMO Blue TX Blue Advantage HMO
General Acute Hospital 43 20
Pediatric Hospital 3 1
Urgent Care 70 10
Primary Care Family 322 288
Specialist All 11,589 2,945

Once the provider search was "updated" there were many less providers. Whether or not it is accurate I am still not convinced as each day you may receive different results when you search utilizing the same search criteria.

As for the PPO network, pre-ACA plans and ACA plans are "utilizing the same network" purportedly. You cannot even search a network providing a pre-ACA plan as only the ACA plans show in the search option. Even today, we have clients attempting to utilize a doctor or facility clearly showing on the provider list on the carrier website but the doctor or facility is VERY CLEAR to advise they DO NOT participate in these plans and they have notified the carrier of same and have asked to be removed from the network for these plans. We have seen other providers advise they will accept the insurance as long as it is an OFF Exchange plan. Unfortunately, as time progresses, we have been seeing this more and more.

 

[Norwayguy]

Correct. A good father would do that.

Rick

So how do you fit in Rick?

 

[GreenSky]

I would add to that....a good father understands new docs need a chance to prove themselves. Give those other guys a shot man they deserve that. You act like his life is on the line by a thread.....save the drama fo yo mama.

I guess you're ok with the government choosing who will be your son's doctor. Some of us like quality healthcare.

Others (maybe you) are fine with clinics.

Rick