/r/healthcare

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Healthcare: systems, costs, problems and proposed solutions.

r/healthcare Rules

  1. Be civil
  2. Do not seek medical advice
  3. No advertising
  4. No surveys

When making a post, you must add flair *before clicking submit.* If you submit a link without flair and try to add flair afterwards, your post will be removed by automoderator.

Safety Reminder: We do not provide official answers or provide professional judgement. As always, speak to your healthcare professional for answers specific to your condition.

Note that personal medical questions will be removed as they are better suited for:

/r/medical/

/r/AskDocs/

/r/AskHealth

/r/askdoctors/

Your best option for medical advice is to speak with your doctor.

/r/healthcare

90,231 Subscribers

1

Health Insurance options

Id like to quit my job by the end of the year to take a break to focus on my family and mental health the only thing I worry about is losing my health insurance. I don’t have any dependents. I don’t have any serious health conditions but I am on a speciality medication for psoriasis (Skyrizi). What would my options be for getting health insurance for the next year? I know CORBA is an option but my monthly payment would be pretty expensive like $600.

2 Comments
2024/11/02
19:04 UTC

1

Saver Rx vs Assurance Rx Cigna

Looking for information about Saver and Assurance Rx plans for someone on SSDI and Medicaid. I couldn’t understand the rep on the phone due to their accent. Have to choose by December 7. Client isn’t on any prescriptions now. I thought someone on SSDI and Medicaid didn’t have to pay for Rx. According to Cigna $590 deductible for either plan for tiers 3,4 and 5 meds. He’s never paid for meds before.

3 Comments
2024/11/02
17:41 UTC

1

Vida health

My employer is requiring all employees to go through Vida health next year for weight loss medication. I’m trying to get set up with them now so I don’t have to worry about getting all of the information to them later, forgetting something, and missing my medication. This stuff is game changing, it’s the only thing that keeps my sugar cravings at bay, and has helped give me the willpower to no longer be considered pre-diabetic. Moving on. Anyway, I uploaded my most recent bloodwork as directed. Was told there wasn’t enough information, a few hours later labs were ordered. I get home from work, upload my slightly older bloodwork with the rest of the information I’m now aware they need. I’m reminded that I need additional information from my doctor. I let her know that I was struggling to get that information due to being short staffed at work, in combination with working similar hours that my doctors office is working, but I am working on getting that information. She turned on caps and yelled at me, demanding to know information that was literally already covered. I was talked down to as well. I’m not sure why. She was real nice after I took some screenshots though, I don’t know if that was a coincidence or if she got notification I took screen shots. I would like to share these screenshots somewhere. Either with my insurance company, my company, or a board somewhere. A medical professional should not act like that. I have no idea where to start though. Or am I overreacting and should I just let it go?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I have an amazing doctor who has never once treated me like because I responded to a question with not the right answer, he’s always just clarified and we’ve gone from there. Maybe I’m just being a bit of a Karen because this has me shook that I have to deal with this treatment to receive medication.

0 Comments
2024/11/02
01:19 UTC

8

Staff accusing me of being high??

So I had an appointment today for some bloodwork. This is my first time (I’m young) going to a doctor’s appointment and finding a PCP on my own. Literally everyone was super sweet and made me feel welcome. But when it was time for my labs, the lady who walked in honestly gave me not good vibes, I didn’t like her tone.

When she was asking what arm I would like my shot in, she asked what “deltoid” I would like it in. Yes, I’m a CNA who just got off of work and I was still in my scrubs. I’m guessing maybe she assumed I would know but I don’t use that type of terminology at work. I asked her to repeat herself and she snapped “WHAT arm do you want your shot in?” I told her my right would be okay.

Then when it was time for the bloodwork, she asked which arm would I like the blood drawn from. She was talking too fast so again, I asked her to repeat herself. Then she slowed her words down, “which arm. Do you want me to do?” As if I was dumb? Her coworker was there too. Again, I told her my right. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to be funny or what. She was even being nice to me and using my name while talking to me afterwards, it was weird.

Then when I was done, I sat down to wait for my ride. From where the staff sat, they couldn’t see me. I guess they thought I was gone. I heard the lady saying “was I talking too fast or something?” And her coworker was saying that she wasn’t. Then the coworker added “wow and she’s driving too.” Like what does that mean??

I’m just now processing everything because this was my first time and I was a little nervous about the needles. But it put a bad taste in my mouth. If that’s how she treated me, I would hate to see how she treats people with hearing loss or auditory processing disorders.

13 Comments
2024/11/01
22:19 UTC

1

Need advice on health coverage

Hi all. I am 26 year old female. I do not qualify for health insurance at my job because I’m part time and will continue to be part time. If I go through market place, what can I expect it to be monthly? I tried doing it and it gives me a preview of the lowest at $280 per month. This is crazy. I just want to be able to get blood work done, annual check ups, see gynecologist, and dermatologist about my hair. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!’ I make 80k now.

10 Comments
2024/11/01
22:17 UTC

1

RN or rad tech

Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right reddit to post this on but a bit of background information I am torn between becoming an RN or rad tech. Currently I am doing prerequisites at a local college for their RN program and I only have 1 class left before I apply. However, I’ve been speaking to someone who is a rad tech and the job seems to be a lot more enjoyable than an RN. If I decide to go for the the rad tech, I will be delayed about 8 months until I am projected to graduate so I’m just unsure. I see people say nursing has better progression throughout the field, it’s hard to find good shifts as a rad tech, etc. At the same time they say rad tech is much lower stress. I am torn between the two.

5 Comments
2024/11/01
12:44 UTC

0

Radiation oncologist's office dressed up for Halloween, cool or not cool?

On my last week of radiation therapy for skin cancer( 6 weeks.) Kind of strange going into the radiation machine with the tech dressed as a clown and the nurse dressed as a fortune teller. The office was decorated, there were about 5 other staff members costumed, and they gave out free popcorn. I was tired, wasn't bothered by it, but didn't have it in me to follow their festive mood and just wanted to get in and out. Maybe it was for office morale...comments, opinions, anything?

8 Comments
2024/10/31
19:37 UTC

1

UK citizen moving to USA and medical care?

Hi,

I’m British (30, M) and have been dating my girlfriend for a year. We met while both in Australia, She is from California. I’m currently in San Fransisco visiting her for a month right now.

Have been starting to wonder about how things will go with healthcare if one day we should get married? She wants to stay in the US so it would mean me moving here.

If I became a permanent resident of the United States and had an address here; from my understanding I would lose my rights to free NHS healthcare that we have in the UK. I googled this and it would seem the only way I’d be entitled to NHS healthcare would be if I permanently moved back to England.

Understanding the US medical care system is all very new to me. Neither of us is high paid (in fact we are both currently unemployed and will be seeking work in our home countries after this month.) but have supportive families. Could someone give me a general idea of what I’d be in for in future with getting medical insurance as a foreign green card holder? If that was the route we decided to go down.

The other option of course would be for her to move to the UK with me if we married but would like to consider all possibilities as we do both like it here in California and she is close to her family.

Thanks

14 Comments
2024/10/31
15:41 UTC

0

What am I supposed to put as my income for the upcoming year if I’m currently unemployed, but looking?

I had a seasonal job as a farmer and it ended. I don’t have other work lined up. But I’ve been doing side gigs for some elder ladies 2x a week this past year. They pay me in checks, which I’m not sure if that means I have to write off as income on my taxes; I’d rather not as I couldn’t get by living on my own; I live with my parents.

If I don’t have a job lined up, and applying for healthcare again (it’s that time of year I have to update my income) and they’re asking me what my income for this upcoming year will be. …. I have no idea?

How am I supposed to know? Do I just give a guess? What if the guess is too high or too low? Will they know?

All I know is as these I made 7% above poverty level (so no free health care) last year making $28k from another farm job (but I went down to 4 days a week so it wasn’t even 28k in the end). Now this past farm job I was making $3 less/hr so I wonder if I’ll get Obamacare or whatever the free health insurance is.

I just gotta say; this shit is so unnecessarily fucking confusing, for no reason really.

11 Comments
2024/10/31
11:45 UTC

92

Speaker Johnson hints at getting rid of the ACA if Trump wins…

So speaker Johnson made a comment at a recent press conference saying that getting rid of the ACA/Obama care will be a top priority of Republicans if Trump gets back in the office. And once again, they have no plans in place for anything better that would replace it – they just want to get rid of it as is.

When pretty immediate pushback started hitting them, some tried to backtrack things and the Trump team is saying that that’s not how Trump feels. Even though Trump repeatedly tried to dismantle it when he was in office.

https://www.rawstory.com/mike-johnson-2669506539/

41 Comments
2024/10/31
10:40 UTC

0

growing healthcare clinics .... advice needed.

I was thinking of starting a consultancy that would help bring people to healthcare centers to get treatment, specifically I would concentrate on bringing people with substance abuse disorders and mental health struggles to psychiatrists.

Does anyone have any input on how one would reach potential patients and bring in more traffic to the doctor's office? Any ideas would be appreciated.

7 Comments
2024/10/30
23:21 UTC

13

Hospital won’t release pathology report

Long story made short, I found out through my insurance that I had a pathology work up completed June 2020. As a result of the report, I was diagnosed with blood cancer. I had already left the hospital when the results came back and someway the hospital never got ahold of me. That’s in the past, but I need access to this pathology report. I have signed the appropriate ROI’s and the hospital acknowledges having them on file, it’s past the 15 days state allows them to release the report and they still have not. What is my next move here?

12 Comments
2024/10/30
16:31 UTC

1

Dental Insurance in Canada

Hi,

I recently moved to US from Canada. I had an ongoing Invisalign treatment in Canada that I now want to continue with the same dentist. Is it possible to get dental insurance that can cover my treatment in Canada while I continue to work and stay in US. Needless to say, I will be travelling to Canada for the treatment when required.

TIA

0 Comments
2024/10/29
22:19 UTC

1

Help point me to the right place? Looking to consult a mental health professional

Hi! Apologies if this isn't the right place, I'm just unsure where to post this. I'm working on a documentary and looking to consult someone with experience caring for those with schizophrenia. Fiver seems too unprofessional and dodgey, what would the best way to approach this? Willing to whatever ofc, ide appreciate any help, thank you :)

0 Comments
2024/10/29
20:49 UTC

0

Mental health in other countries

Not sure if this the right/appropriate question, but I wanted to ask about how mental health laws work in other countries in contrast to the United States.

In the United States, as far as most states that I’m aware of—a patient experiencing a mental health crisis that could pose harm to themselves and/or others can be involuntarily hospitalized, but the inpatient hospitalization is only to destabilize the patient and then works towards outpatient.

Readers, is that something similar in your country or do mental health laws favor longer-term inpatient treatment for individuals? Thanks.

0 Comments
2024/10/29
14:28 UTC

4

Would you let an AI assistant handle your specialty pharmacy calls?

Hi r/healthcare,

Getting medication in Canada was straightforward - quarterly bloodwork and medication delivered every 60 days. Then I moved to LA and got introduced to American specialty pharmacies.

After four years of dealing with this system, I built an AI that calls specialty pharmacies on patients' behalf, and I'm looking for feedback from others who deal with these pharmacies regularly.

The customer service ratings speak for themselves - here are their Yelp reviews:

The AI assistant is straight forward:

  1. You tell it what you need
  2. It makes the calls and handles the back-and-forth
  3. You get updates on what happened

I'm curious:

  • How much time do you spend dealing with specialty pharmacies?
  • Would you use an AI to handle these calls for you?
    • If not, why?

We're looking for beta testers (it's free during beta). If you're interested in trying it out or sharing your thoughts on the concept, check out Tagin or let me know in the comments.

If you want to get started right away click on the "Get started" link and use the invite code "Reddit"

0 Comments
2024/10/25
20:08 UTC

1

Transferring Prescription

So, first time needing to transfer a prescription. I'm curious about what the rules are about this. I was prescribed a medication and called the pharmacy to see if my order made it over. They said it had but stated my insurance wouldn't cover it and out of pocket it would be about $500. They asked if I was still interested in getting the prescription filled and I asked them to hold off on it so I could talk to my provider because I couldn't afford it right now. They said no problem.

I did some research online and found out I could get the same prescription for cheaper (for less than $100) either using GoodRx or having my order transferred to Amazon pharmacy. I decided to try Amazon pharmacy. I called my clinician's office to see if they could fax the order to the new pharmacy. They said no. I asked why not. They said "because we already sent the order out to the other pharmacy." I asked what I needed to do to get the order transferred and if I could just call the pharmacy to have them transfer it? They said "no, your only option is to pick up the medication from that pharmacy."

I found out afterward that you can just have the new pharmacy call the old pharmacy and have the order transferred that way, which I've done. But, now I'm just curious as to why my providers office was adamant about me picking it up from that pharmacy when there IS the option to transfer the order?

If it makes a difference, it's a brand new script, never picked up the order before, this is in California, insurance will not cover it. It's for a corticosteroid for a skin condition. I don't really want to make any assumptions about my provider's office if there's some rules or general practices I'm just not aware of.

1 Comment
2024/10/25
17:38 UTC

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