Can someone explain what is the concern about seeing whatever doctor

a person chooses to see? Do people really care which one of them they see?

now we have the choice, when in fact we don't really have that much of a choice. you pick from the list the insurance company gives you... somehow that is more choice than picking from the list the public insurance gives you.

Just try keeping the same doc more than one year. If your Primary Care Physician does not opt out of the HMO or get dropped, you're one of the lucky few.

mikey_the_rat

Older people are used to the concept of seeing "your doctor". Younger people are more used to the carousel of the HMO. Older people can have longer histories of medical conditions that they don't feel they can really "own" themselves. It's hard - hospitals and doctors have contributed to this by not allowing people to see their own data or own their own information. So people get scared about losing their doctor - they're afraid they're losing their quality of care because the information is now gone as well.

If you have a relationship with a doctor, he's someone you trust and respect, than you want to preserve that relationship. It's like with a car mechanic or any number of similar situations; you don't know enough to know that you are getting good care, absent that personal relationship. A doctor says "Hey I'm sorry you need to spend several thousand dollars (or far more) getting this or that fixed" you want to feel like the person is trustworthy.

Or that's my take on it anyway.

Bryant

many years ago in a small southern town, i needed to see a dentist, pronto.

i damn sure didn't care that the only one that would take me that afternoon was black, but he was visibly surprised to see a white man in his waiting room when he came out to greet me.

Some are pill-pushers. Some don't listen to their patients. Some prefer certain methods of treatment that might not coincide with the patient's priorities.

A doctor is your partner in your plan for health. Being able to choose your doctor is important.

I've had health insurance under a number of HMOs. You get a list of eligible doctors, but only a few have openings, and you "choose" among that tiny number available to you.

I get my medical care from the NHS in England. I have a choice of several local clinics for my primary care. I was assigned a GP as a primary doc, but could have asked for a different one if I wanted to. No less choice than I ever had with a US HMO.

Not to mention that "choice" is a joke when you don't have health care in the first place.

I realize that there are people who have, but not all HMOs are created equally. Some offer a wide range of choices.

the treatment for that was either removal of the eye or a radioactive implant. I was able to go to OSU Medical Center and see a top notch eye specialist and get the radiation therapy, I still have excellent vision in that eye. Locally the "treatment" was take the eye out you have a spare one anyway. I was lucky OSU Medical Center is a leader in that type of procedure and they were in the BC&BS "Network". In some cases though there may be a doctor out of "Network' that you have to pay extra to see. So when you get down to it BC&BS ration health-care to some extent.

on edit: If I was not on a group plan from my employer BC&BS may have just dropped me, especially now that I have a history of cancer.

In an emergency room visit, who cares. For checkups and specific conditions, I want someone who knows me and my history.

Finding a good doctor is a challenge. Most are arrogant fucking assholes who don't bother to listen to anything and are just concerned with getting out of the room as quickly as possible and letting the nurse finish up. We have an excellent family doctor and she knows all of us well. I don't want to change.

list of those doctors who honor the 'plan' or 'HMO'.

Have you ever had a terrific doctor? One you've seen for years and years until he or she knows you and your history well?

That's not easily given up. Especially for some list you have to spend countless hours researching and phoning.

People ought to be able to choose their doctors.

I have a medical history and life history that greatly informs my doctor as to proper and important health care and treatments. In fact, my spouse and child and I all see the same doctor so that our doctor also knows of the life and lifestyle history of our family .. again, to inform health care decisions.

Choice and consistency in seeing a primary care doctor is extremely important in my view.

our own doctors, and the Other Big US Lie that in Canada, the doctors work for the government.

What's so sad is that it only takes 1 minute to google and get the facts; Canadians can see whatever doctor they want to see; docotrs in Canada do not work for the government.

And in fact, the Canadian government -UNLIKE U.S. INSURANCE COMPANIES- has no say whatsoever about anything between a doctor and patient.

If the doctor says you need X then you get X. PERIOD. The government has no say.

In America, if the doctor says you need X, and the insurance company says hell no, what do you get?

But hey, ya'll keep on voting against yours and your kids' own best interests! Hell yeah, that's the American way yeeehaw!



Sigh.

Both my girls have been going to the same pediatric Doctor for years. My oldest has been going there since she was 2 and is now 11. The Dr. knows both their medical histories and has been very involved with their treatments over the years. She will even take phone calls at home on weekends and come into her office if needed. She has her own practice and is the only Dr and does care about her patients. Not something you see a lot of now.
As for myself, I'm not really as picky. My wife usually has to nag me into going to the Dr and will set my appointment for me knowing full well that 'I'll get around to it' means I'm never calling. We both go to the same practice and now that much of the staff left we don't really have a relationship or level of trust established with those there now.
I like my insurance, well, it's far better than what my wife is offered at her job or any I've had with past companies. I have a far bigger 'choice' than I have ever had before.

Mr Pip has diabetes. He wants to be sure that his doctor is familiar with him and his lifestyle, and doesn't just view him as his disease.

I have panic disorder. I don't want some fuckwad doctor who doesn't understand that making me breathe in and out without a brief recovery period between breaths while having a cold stethoscope on my back or chest may trigger a panic attack.

yeah...there are LOTS of reasons why it matters...

Do you think women want to have a new person prodding their privates every six months? Some prefer a female gyno over a male. It's already such an ick experience, why shouldn't they at least dispose of some of the stress by seeing someone of their own gender. Others want the same trusted physician to deliver all their children.

have been restricting choice of doctor through use of networks for several decades now.