Still more about the new PPO

[adrian_turtle]

Well, that was a waste of time. I put so much time and energy and worry trying to find doctors in the Aetna directory that were listed as being near transit, listed as taking new patients, and listed as affiliated with the appropriate hospitals. As I said in the last few posts, I ran into an awful lot of trouble with doctors being covered, but working in hospitals that were not covered. Then I found hospitals in the network, but doctors working in them were out of the network.

It did not occur to me that Aetna would mark doctors as "taking new patients" when they did not. The information looked so plausible it did not occur to me to question it. Like, one doctor's office has 4 doctors and the network says 1 is taking new patients. Or a big clinic has 14 doctors and 6 NPs and 8 are taking new patients. And I finally find somebody I want and call to talk to the New Patient Coordinator, who tells me none of the primary care providers associated with their hospital are taking new patients. None, at any location. The wait list is closed. She suggests I call back in 2 months.

Comments

[redbird]

Ugh.

[evalerie]

Our healthcare system is so very broken. Much sympathy -- this is maddening!!

[redbird]

It is, but also "there aren't enough doctors" and "the insurance limits my choice of doctors" both feel like a different shape of problem from badly inaccurate "information" about what doctors are available at all.

[adrian_turtle]

It is! I think I'm considerably more upset about it than I would be if the insurance website had simply given me no information about whether any of the doctors were taking new patients.

[elusiveat]

Extremely annoying. I've encountered similar things from official (looking?) websites for various health centers. This shouldn't be so hard.

[silveradept]

That's significant amounts of deception on their end to make frustration on your end. Aie.

[evalerie]

I was thinking about this. When it's hard to navigate the special ed system, we bring in an advocate. And my endlessly medically complicated son Corbin also has a person at our health insurance company who is sort of a caseworker who can help sort things out.

I am wondering if there is some kind of advocate who could help you to navigate through this. Maybe your insurance company has a person like my son's caseworker, who could help sort things out. Or maybe a private healthcare advocate, if there is such a thing. There must be someone who is expert in how to make this work! Maybe?

[adrian_turtle]

I've found one doctor. Maybe. I think