Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Stupidity Abounds

Seeing that I am fighting for Social Security Disability, I learned my daughter and I automatically qualified for the state medicaid program, SoonerCare. Thinking I could use it as a secondary insurance, I applied. We were quickly accepted.

I've been using my regular insurance until I received a letter stating I had to choose a primary care physician that accepted SoonerCare. My regular doctor doesn't accept it, so my search began. I called the number on the back of my card. The woman who answered the call shocked me. This is a bit of our conversation.

"Due to my health issues, I need an internist," I explained.

"No, honey. An internist hasn't finished medical school. They aren't doctor's yet," she replied.

"I need a doctor who specializes in internal medicine, an internist."

Again, she explained her definition of an internist. She also added, "We don't have specialists as primary care physicians. You must see a family doctor or nurse practitioner. They would refer you to a specialist if they thought it was necessary."

I was taken back by her answer. This meant my four year old daughter couldn't see a pediatrician, unless the family doctor referred her to a specialist.

"My daughter can't see a pediatrician, unless another doctor refers her to one?" I asked, needing clarification.

"A pediatrician isn't a specialist. They are family doctors."

HUH? Pediatricians specialize in treating children. Ask anyone. I tried to explain this to her.

"No. They are family doctors. Just like OB/GYNs are family doctors."

I stifled a giggle. "OB/GYNs specialize in women's reproductive health."

"I work for SoonerCare and I know what doctors are specialists and which aren't. We don't have any specialists. Pediatricians and OB/GYNs are not specialists." She sounded as if she knew what she was talking about. She then gave me the website address, adding "You won't find any internal doctors on it, only family doctors like pediatricians and OB/GYNs." She went on about the hours of training she had been provided about doctors and what they do.

Once I got the member of MENSA off the phone, I went to the website. There I found several pediatricians who were limited to only treating those between the ages of newborn to 14 years old, some went up to the age of 18. I guess Ms. MENSA had never visited the website. I also found several OB/GYNs, many of them worked in offices or clinics with names like "Women's Health Services" and the like. I scrolled down and I even found a few doctors that had "Internal Medicine Specialist" type by their name. Many were nurse practitioners. Not even real doctors; just nurses who took a few extra classes in college.

Barrack Hussein Obama and his blind sheep socialists want to care for the entire nation, providing health care for everyone. Obviously, they can't even can't even take care of those on medicaid. They can't finish what is already on their plate, yet they are going back for seconds.

Folks, I'm scared. My own doctor, an internist, doesn't take medicaid because they pay pennies on the dollar for treatment and won't pay for the necessary tests his patients need. He explained how medicaid wouldn't pay for the types of tests I need such as MRIs, CAT scans, sonograms, EKGs and EEGs. He also said they only paid for blood tests once a year, how they wouldn't pay for my mammogram because I'm a few years short of 45 - despite my family's history of breast cancer. He's worried that he'll know what is wrong with one of patients, but won't have the test results to prove it - opening him up to all sorts of malpractice suits.

I called SoonerCare back. I wanted to know if my doctor was exaggerating. I found out he had left out a lot of information. The list of what medicaid won't pay for is much longer than the list he told me about. One example is that they will only pay for one urine analysis per year. What about those with recurring kidney and bladder infections? So sad, too bad; I guess they will have to suffer.

I also learned from SoonerCare will not pay for my Lyrica, a medication that I can't function without. Valium can only be paid for if prescribed by a psychiatrist. From what the new member of MENSA told me, Lyrica was used to treat fibromyalgia which is not a real medical condition. "Your primary care physician will refer you to a psychiatrist for treatment, seeing you made up that ailment," she explained in a mocking tone.

Did I mention I'm scared? I am terrified! What is it going to be like once Obama gets through with it? He can't possibly improve things without it costing an arm and a leg. Maybe a kidney or liver - SoonerCare doesn't cover organ transplants, either. Maybe other state programs cover such things, but not here.

This ObamaCare must be stopped. Let them fix what we have and then they can move on.