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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by zonked on January 30, 2015, at 17:40:36
I'm holding my nose (and my lunch) with my current psychiatrist because I have no other option.
Who here sees a cash-only psychiatrist?
More importantly, does anyone work in the field? What is it in the doctor-insurance company relationship that makes (some) insurance psychiatrists so inflexible? Is it that they push formularies and tiers and things of that nature on doctors?
Or is it that the experts would rather not be bothered with such things at all and spend their time treating patients rather than employing staff to fax paperwork back and forth, negotiate contracts, etc?
When a prescriber or practice signs a contract with an insurance company, what is required besides a license, malpractice insurance and a good reputation?
The reason I'm asking these questions is that I am highly dissatisfied with the person I was referred to (but yet at the initial appointment, he said he "didn't have any referrals") and have suffered a bout of terrible luck - I may cringe at the expense of cash-only doctor but need to find someone willing and capable of taking care of me--at the same time, I don't want to get a quack or get someone uneducated on treating TRD or with unscrupulous prescribing practices either! I (more or less) can tell these people what I need and get it but that should be their job not mine! I've said for years, and I find this to ring true today: When I feel like they (the doctors) know way more than I've taken the time to learn on my own, I am comfortable working with them. When I have to bring things in and they recoil (even if not obviously) because I am a layperson, I recoil myself.
If I don't have my mental health in order how am I supposed to tackle anything else?
* bastard told me he'd start me back on 1mg xanax twice a day - the script actually is for 0.5. wtf?! * please.
(I apologize if I'm not communicating well lately. I've lost some verbal fluency, find myself saying "um" more and more, and stopping in the middle of sentences - because my anxiety and ADD are NOT under control!)
You know, sometimes I just wish I lived in Mexico where things are much more relaxed (in more than one way.)
-z
Posted by Zyprexa on January 30, 2015, at 19:24:13
In reply to Anyone work in the field? Important., posted by zonked on January 30, 2015, at 17:40:36
Cash only docs get paid more, and they can do this because they are good enough at it they have people willing to pay. My last doc, who is not my doc anymore because he went to being a cash only doc. He was a good doc but I knew enough about psychiatry to be willing to work with a new doc, who takes insurance. I've been with her for about 7 years and she is pretty good. But you get the best service from health professionals if you do some of the work yourself. As I've learn over the years, working with pdocs, gpdoc, and dentists. They don't know you better than you and 2 heads are better than one. I will say one thing about my new doc she was willing to rx perphenazine where the cash doc said that was digging deep. So there are good none cash docs. You just need to do research on them and find a good one. When I was looking for a new doc I went on my health insurance website and did a search for a new doc. I looked at what there specialtys were. Like PTSD, schzophrenia, depression, etc.
Your not going to get good service if you expect the doc to do all the work. Doesn't matter how good they are. They also need to know what you want and how to help you.
If your doc sucks so much and is not willing to work with you. I guess you should look for a better one. But not sure paying out of pocket is going to help a whole lot. Find some one you waht to work with. Get an apointment and interview them. Put everything on the table. tell them what you need and find out if they will work for you. If not try anouther one.
Posted by Phillipa on January 30, 2015, at 21:30:41
In reply to Re: Anyone work in the field? Important., posted by Zyprexa on January 30, 2015, at 19:24:13
I think it differs from state to state. Whatever your insurance company and state in call them and ask. I think but haven't used cash only docs. Phillipa
Posted by baseball55 on January 30, 2015, at 22:05:21
In reply to Re: Anyone work in the field? Important., posted by Zyprexa on January 30, 2015, at 19:24:13
I agree with zyprexa. I doubt (but don't know this) that docs are limited in their prescribing because of insurance rules. My p-doc would prescribe anything and, sometimes, when I went to fill the scrip, I would find that the insurance company wouldn't cover it. I don't think that docs and insurance companies are all that synced in.
so I don't think that insurance docs are curtailing their meds based on insurance issues. So I'm not sure that cash only docs are less limited in their prescribing. But you can check around. Go to some private pay docs and some insurance panel docs and see how they work. All docs are different.
This is the end of the thread.
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