eCheck in for doctor's visit

[Zee09]

I had a medical admin job once that involved screening patients for various clinics. Most of the questions on the script I asked patients about were pretty mundane and pertinent to their visits. One clinic I screened patients was gyn infertility. Some of the female patients were stunning frank and eager to answer the questions. At times I was a little embarrassed to have to ask the questions and sometimes I felt a bit voyeuristic.

Yes medical questions may be necessary and other times silly.

But you enjoyed it..

 

[Dave_T]

If you have Medicare Advantage, almost all the care you need has to be prior authorized. Quite often it is denied. We were worried about death panels, and they are here and no ones cares.

Don't get Medicare Advantage, stay with traditional.

That surely depends on the issue in question. I have Medicare Advantage through Humana and had no problem getting the authorization for cataract surgeries, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, a CT scan, etc. Have been on that plan over 4 yrs now and no denials yet. Thankfully my health has slowly smoothed out, but for a few yrs it was back-back-back tests, procedures, etc. I can honestly see them being somewhat strict thanks to doctors billing Medicare/Medicaid when no actual procedure was done.

 

[John105]

How am I wasting anyone's time? I am paying for that time remember. They like it and laugh and it breaks the monotony.

You have to admit, "Do you like gladiator movies," was sorta strange. I didn't know whether to answer no or yes, so I just put "21" like I did above.

 

[Aredeeem]

I just reply “as needed” to every question. The whole thing is a joke.

 

[John105]

But you enjoyed it..

Back in 1999 when I moved to Philly, I was a young buck and my physician was a female and Czech. She busted on me, you chose me because of my name, didn't you (it sounded German and mysterious). When she told me to cough, I can't say that I minded. And as I think back, my current physican has never asked me to do that, times must have been different....

 

[Zee09]

Back in 1999 when I moved to Philly, I was a young buck and my physician was a female and Czech. She busted on me, you chose me because of my name, didn't you (it sounded German and mysterious). When she told me to cough, I can't say that I minded. And as I think back, my current physican has never asked me to do that, times must have been different....

TMI..........

 

[MNgopher]

I've enjoyed the fact I walk in to my appointments now, and they acknowledge my e-check in, tell me to have a seat, and I've been in starting with the nurse within less than 5 minutes, every time. My time wasted sitting at the clinic has been reduced significantly in the last few years... Helps they now enforce a if you are more than 5 minutes late rule, the doctor will decide if they can still see you rule...

Otherwise, I answer the questions so the doc can take care of me. Pretty simple, and I don't see some vast conspiracy out there. Trends can reveal when something has changed that should be looked at...

 

[John105]

I've enjoyed the fact I walk in to my appointments now, and they acknowledge my e-check in, tell me to have a seat, and I've been in starting with the nurse within less than 5 minutes, every time. My time wasted sitting at the clinic has been reduced significantly in the last few years... Helps they now enforce a if you are more than 5 minutes late rule, the doctor will decide if they can still see you rule...

Otherwise, I answer the questions so the doc can take care of me. Pretty simple, and I don't see some vast conspiracy out there. Trends can reveal when something has changed that should be looked at...

No joke years ago I went to my doctor and saw some corporate nurses present, from downtown. They told me they are here to teach the doctor to see a patient every 8 minutes.

Again he works for a health plan. So if he has to see someone every 8 minutes, 5 minutes late does throw things off....

Would be hilarious if he started saying, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

 

[alarmguy]

I would think a doctor has free rein to prescribe anything at all that he wants. The catch is that some procedures require prior authorization, like a MRI or maybe even a CT scan. Not a blood test. This doctor even screened me and my wife for HIV about 17 years ago, which frankly surprised me. If positive, that is reported to the CDC from what I had been told, and I didn't consent to such a test.

No they do not and can not order tests on anything they want, if they do, it's denied. A1C was an example of blood testing.

Correct on MRI's ect. Insurance industry controls it, not the doctor. I have had MRIs turned down in the past in the hunt for cancer. Once I met the conditions a year or so later they were approved, 3 MRIs so far and 3 Biopsys now approved, no cancer yet. However no matter the symptoms now even now they are still elevating to a higher level, a certain amount of time and tests have to show elevating test results. My next shot at another MRI and Biopsy is 6 more months if the next blood test confirms 18 months of continued higher chances of cancer results.

More or less, one years (or 1.5) worth of blood tests show an even high elevated chance of cancer but even if they want, they cant test again for another 6 months. Which brings me to around close to 2 years since the last imaging.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Regarding the firearms thing- I've told my wife and daughter to never, ever tell anyone whether or not there are firearms anywhere. Just say "no"....

Recently it seems my wife has finally understood the theory of just answering questions with extremely minimal answers with most things (detailed questions with a doctor about serious issues excluded).

Someone asks you a question, just answer it, with as few words as possible. You don't go to the doctor to discuss gun control, caliber, etc.

 

[wavinwayne]

I hear ads on the radio advertising that you can get generic viagra over the phone now.
Just saying.

"A friend" told me that even if you can get V over the phone, the prices they advertise are still crazy high. "Friend" said you can get generic V 100mg for around $10/30 pills through the SingleCare app.

 

[Leo99]

Absolutely as the My Chart system is one of the best things to happen with modern medicine. Those that don't have access are really missing out. Being able to schedule appts, request refills, request a referral, contact the physician directly with no wasted time/visit, see any test result, doctor's notes/summaries, etc.

Most of my doctors are participants buy my main guy is a Luddite. He doesn't even accept credit cards or send out appointment reminders.

My mother in law was going through cancer treatment so we signed her up for My Chart sot that we could see her appointments and test results. Unfortunately, the appointments listed in My Chart were not accurate and we were told to ignore them.

 

[Vil_Riker]

My mother in law was going through cancer treatment so we signed her up for My Chart sot that we could see her appointments and test results. Unfortunately, the appointments listed in My Chart were not accurate and we were told to ignore them.

The hospital spends millions of dollars on the EHR every year and can't have MyChart work correctly?

 

[alarmguy]

If you have Medicare Advantage, almost all the care you need has to be prior authorized. Quite often it is denied. We were worried about death panels, and they are here and no ones cares.

Don't get Medicare Advantage, stay with traditional.

Not true
By the way, traditional, Medicare is nothing more than hospital, if you would like for part, B, then you pay 20% of all your healthcare costs and you pay 100% of your drug costs. Furthermore, you pay for your own hearing, eye care & dental care.

So if you don’t mean that by traditional, then you mean electing for private supplemental insurance (N or G) at a substantial cost and it still doesn’t carry dental and vision and drug costs. You then opt for additional private drug cost insurance. (D)
And it still doesn’t cover vision, dental and hearing.

Awesome note complete misinformation old is bologna about authorizations with advantage plans

 

[CKN]

If you have Medicare Advantage, almost all the care you need has to be prior authorized. Quite often it is denied. We were worried about death panels, and they are here and no ones cares.

Don't get Medicare Advantage, stay with traditional.

I felt the same way until I looked very closely at the Advantage plans. And of course I guess this will vary state to state, but I could find no discernable differences between traditional Medicare and my Advantage plan. Same Doctors, hospitals, no pre-approval needed for specialist, etc. And I'm saving $300.00 a month over the traditional Medicare I had. And I did use it these past months.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I felt the same way until I looked very closely at the Advantage plans. And of course I guess this will vary state to state, but I could find no discernable differences between traditional Medicare and my Advantage plan. Same Doctors, hospitals, no pre-approval needed for specialist, etc. And I'm saving $300.00 a month over the traditional Medicare I had. And I did use it these past months.

Everything is fine until you actually need real care. The denials are so bad that even the Congress has noticed it (haven't done anything about it but they have talked about it).

 

[CKN]

Everything is fine until you actually need real care. The denials are so bad that even the Congress has noticed it (haven't done anything about it but they have talked about it).

I have used it-as I have stated. No denials. BTW-sometimes when it comes to medical care-one needs to be a strong advocate for themselves.
quote-
Medicare Advantage (MA) is projected to grow by 2 million members this year reaching 26.5 million beneficiaries. The top-25 Medicare Advantage insurers enroll a combined 21.6 million lives, or 87 percent of the national market. Nine of these plans saw growth over 10% this past year.

Yea-it must be really bad to have this kind of enrollment.

Medicare Advantage statistics 2021 from industry Association

Medicare Advantage statistics, facts, data 2021 from the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance. Industry resource page.

medicaresupp.org

 

[CKN]

No joke years ago I went to my doctor and saw some corporate nurses present, from downtown. They told me they are here to teach the doctor to see a patient every 8 minutes.

Again he works for a health plan. So if he has to see someone every 8 minutes, 5 minutes late does throw things off....

Would be hilarious if he started saying, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

There are different visit lengths depending on what you going in for. Again-part of the reasons "questions" are asked. There are also different amounts billed depending on length of visit.

 

[PandaBear]

I can understand the reasons to ask about some of those stuff. Certain groups have higher risk on heart disease (diet) and others have high risk (or no risk) of STDs. Maybe they are trying to skip some testing and go straight to prescription or skip some STD tests. Either way is to save money.

 

[alarmguy]

That surely depends on the issue in question. I have Medicare Advantage through Humana and had no problem getting the authorization for cataract surgeries, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, a CT scan, etc. Have been on that plan over 4 yrs now and no denials yet. Thankfully my health has slowly smoothed out, but for a few yrs it was back-back-back tests, procedures, etc. I can honestly see them being somewhat strict thanks to doctors billing Medicare/Medicaid when no actual procedure was done.

You are 100% correct. Advantage C plans are paid for through Medicare, Medicare reviews the plans on a yearly basis. Advantage C plans MUST provide the same coverage or more of what Medicare covers.
Of course, we know Advantage C plans cover, much much much more than what Medicare covers.