She literally called me at the time of the appointment to tell me she can’t see me. She was so apologetic, but was like “I absolutely can treat you, but I’m not allowed by your insurance”. Fuck this country.
Update: I went to urgent care. Before leaving home, I called to be sure they would accept my insurance (Aetna). They said yes… After arriving for my appointment, they told me they do not accept my insurance. I will simply leave without paying.
Final Update: I can understand that that differences in physical biology demand different attention. That’s not what I’m complaining about. It’s the way it’s set up. I was told that at my appointment. Why not just refer me to a specialist? The website could’ve even just referred me to urgent care (yes, my insurance requires a primary care physician’s referral for urgent care, according to the urgent care facility). But, no, their goal is to obfuscate and irritate until the patient gives you and pays out-of-pocket.
I was able to receive care at a cost I could not afford. I won’t discuss what I had to do to “find” the money to pay for care and prescriptions. That being said, the condition I was diagnosed with was more serious than a simple infection, and I’m glad that I saw a doctor. I need further treatment and just hope I can get insurance to cover any of it.
If you’re an American reading this, please consider ways to get involved in organizing in support of Medicare For All in your community. Here is one resource I have found. We don’t need to live like this. We deserve better. Stay safe and healthy, friends.
It’s painful to read stories like this. I really feel for all the people who can’t afford to see a doctor whenever they need it.
I live in Spain and here we have a social security network paid by the people through taxes. It has its flaws, as probably everything has, but we have people here saying that it doesn’t work and we’d be better paying for private insurances to get better attention and pay less taxes.
The thing is that today a private insurance can cost 50-100€ per person, something completly affordable, but what the people saying this doesn’t take into account is that the private companies have a backup with the national health service. The private insurance is great for small things, seeing your physician, a small surgery… but if you have a serious problem they’ll send you to the national health service to be treated.
I hope you can have a proper treatment for your illness and that it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. I also hope that your country can find a way to help everyone equally and not just those who can afford it.