An Alien in ‘Health-care’ Land

8/9/2019 An Alien in ‘Health-care’ Land

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An alien in ‘health-care’ land

In the wonderland of United States medicine

I have had some amazing experiences with doctors in the USA and Iam eternally grateful to those wonderful human beings and

professionals for their healing and life saving efforts as well ascontributions to me and mine. As I relate these experiences, I am sograteful that these shining exceptions came into my life and adoptedme. The words that follow do not apply to them. I now that they andthe members of their staff are outstanding exceptions to what I writebelow.

I believe that most US citizens are the victims of a systematic scamperpetrated upon them by a large number of insurance andpharmaceutical companies, doctors, other medical professionals and

pharmacies woring in tandem.

!et me tell you what led me to this belief.

"aving spent almost #$ years in another country, being cared for bymedical professionals who are members of my family, I am somewhatspoilt, and perhaps innocent about the ways of this %brave new world&.

'y wife wors for an organisation and so we have health %benefits&.The fundamental benefit here is that we do not have to stand in line tohave a sum of approximately ( )# deducted from every one of her

paychecs to receive these %benefits&. *e live in Tampa, +lorida.

'y saga begins with problems with my eyes and a pain in myshoulders. I called an individual who is designated as my %rimary -arehysician&, let us call him r. -.

The woman that answered the phone ased me if I was a new patient.I confessed to being one such. Then, I was ased what insurance I wason, rather than what my problem was. I said that my carrier wasAv'ed. This did not soften her attitude any. She put me on hold

several times during the conversation. I was unable to get anappointment with the one supposed to %care& for nearly a wee. I couldonly be seen during the period 'onday to +riday. In other words, I hadto tae off from my woring hours to mae the appointment. octorshave yet to learn to wor when their patients don&t.

/n the appointed day and hour, after spending half an hour looing forthe doctor&s office, we called them, only to find that they had moved


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some time ago to a new location. The receptionist had taen down myinsurance information since I was a new patient but had omitted to tellme the new address or offer me directions. 0either the Av'eddirectory nor website had the new address. Since I was late for myappointment, I would have to wait for an %opening&. The doctor&s office

was beautiful, but the reception area was bereft of a T1 set, coffee orwater fountain. There were several magazines.

I was not deprived of human company however. lenty of people werewaiting to be seen. eriodically a name would be called and a relievedperson would spring out of their chair and run for the door for fear of losing their chance.

A wait of one hour is normal and to be expected in medicalestablishments, even if you have an appointment, I was told. The timeof appointment is the time you are expected to arrive and meet thereceptionist. 2now well that the doctor will not see you then. 3ach of my visits to a doctor&s office has taen up at least half a woring day.

A name was announced and I could not recognize it as being mine.Since my name is arguably the most famous human name in worldhistory and was the title of a movie that won several Academy awards,I expect a reasonably close interpretation or rendition of it. Imistaenly expect people to have learnt it during school. *hen thatunintelligible name was called again, I decided that this might 4ust bemy opening and if it was not my name, I could always come bac and

sit down. The chart showed my name and I crawled through my %opening&.

0o, that young woman was not the doctor. She unsmilingly too myblood pressure, weight, height and pulse. She noted down mysymptoms with complete detachment and departed saying, %"e will bewith you shortly&. In the meantime, I found out that the rest room wasspic and span and even fragrant.

5y and by, the doctor arrived and examined me thoroughly. "e

promised to refer me to an eye specialist and offered me all possiblehelp. "e ased me to exercise my arms to reduce the shoulder pain."e was unhurried, solicitous and charming. I wondered what he haddone in life to be punished with staff lie this. I informed him that Iconduct management training and offered him all my help at no cost."e promised that we would %sit down& some day. Three months later,the opportune day is yet to arrive. 'ost people do not now that theyhave a problem till something blows a gaset, I suppose.


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I have two inds of eye problems. 6laucoma and corneal opacity.5ecause of this dual problem, I need a corneal super7specialist and aglaucoma super7specialist. These doctors see no cases other than onesin their super7specialty.

Armed with advice from the doctors I have mentioned in the firstparagraph, I found a corneal super7specialist who was in the Av'edprovider directory and website. "is business office steadfastly told methat they did not tae Av'ed. I called Av'ed, who ased me to usethe magic words %rimary lus&. This whole process too nearly a wee.I used the mantra and the doors swung open into a large, mostlytightly run, efficient and friendly organisation. octors respond tomessages on the same day, are cheerful and uplifting and patientlyanswer all 8uestions.

A laser surgery was the best alternative and the insurance companypromptly refused to pay for it. After an alternative surgery costing fourtimes more was proposed to them, they ased the doctor&s office tosend the bill to them. The business office did not call me bac with thisnews the same day and I could not schedule myself for the surgerywhich taes place only twice a month, thereby wasting a preciousthree wees.

*hether the bill will be paid or not, remains to be seen. Three weesafter the surgery, they sent my wife a document wherein she was to

certify that I was not covered by any other insurance.

I did undergo the surgery. 'ore time was spent on signing documents,than the surgery itself. I signed away most of my rights. +or example,legal problems with this doctor will go for arbitration and not a 4urytrial 9:uries consist of patients;


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grams of Sodium -hloride. Also nows as common salt. Tal aboutprofiteering.

harmaceutical companies here must mae incredible profits, sincetheir profit margins are uncheced. So do retailers or pharmacies,

since they can sell any medicines at any price they lie. The samemedicines are available in many other countries at a small fraction of the cost.

After much research, I have concluded that there is no board certified6laucoma super7specialist accepting Av'ed or rimary lus in theTampa 5ay area. In private conversations, other doctors have told methat this insurance company is notoriously slow in maing paymentsand they prefer not to wor with them.

id you forget that I have pain in my shoulders and armsB

A friendly doctor and her spouse, a one7time orthopedic surgeon 9Ces,two of the first paragraph doctors


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An Alien in ‘Health-care’ Land