Friday, May 16, 2014

So, United Health Care doesn't want me to see a doctor. Period.

With the passage of Obamacare, I lost my company provided health insurance. Not that I grieve for it. The one claim I filed for a routine diabetic checkup was denied due to a pre-existing condition, and I ended up paying over $400.00 out of pocket for a 15 minute office visit (GFY Aetna). So, I filled out my online application, and I qualified for the state's basic health plan (aka Apple Care),  in this case provided by United Health Care. I assigned a doctor (who was not the previous doctor I'd been seeing). They call themselves managed care. It should be more correctly called micro-managed care. I looked on their website and saw that my previous doctor was on the network,  but the website wouldn't completely load so I couldn't do anything about it. I asked online how to switch providers, and I was ignored. They just sent me a new ID card with the sand provider. I tried calling them, but all I got a as a voice recognition program that couldn't understand what I was saying (kind of like a menu where they deliberately how the choices).

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago,  when I updated my income (getting more hours at work), and I'm no longer eligible for United Health Care. I'm still covered by it till the end of the month,  and i was finally able to switch to my old provider. So i call and set up an appointment with him. The next day, I get a call from the doctors office saying that I'm not listed in the system, and that I'd be paying for this out of my own pocket. I don't have over $400.00 so I canceled the appointment. After calling United Health Care, I was told that the changes won't take place until I receive my new ID card, which probably won't conveniently arrive until after I'm off of United Health Care.

I'm a type I diabetic. And United Health Care doesn't want me to see a doctor.

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