Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2306313)

I'll keep the answer short: Because the primary care doctor can diagnose and treat your sciatica just as well as an orthopedist, up to the point where you are in the 10% that need surgery.

Originally Posted by biker1 (Post 2306210)

Just in case you didn't realize, all of the Supplemental Plans are identical in terms of coverage. In other words, one insurance company's Plan G is identical to another insurance company's Plan G. The cost, however, will vary. In addition, some of the insurance companies may allow you change from one plan to another (say move from Plan G to Plan N) without going through underwriting. For example, UHC in Florida allows this.

Originally Posted by BrianL99 (Post 2306319)

I knew the day would come, when I'd agree with you.

Orthopedist seem to want to do nothing but operate. I had two guys tell me they wanted to operate on both my shoulders, for torn rotator cuffs. Gave me cortisone shots and told me to get ready for surgery.

One of my golfing buddies (a chiropractor, actually), said: Are you serious? At your age? After all that golf? It will be like trying to sew 2 pieces of wet toilet paper together. Go get 3rd opinion, bilateral rotary cuff failure doesn't happen over-night.

I know you won't approve of this part, but ... with the help of Google, my daughter & I diagnosed the real problem that my PCP had missed. PMR. Went to a Rheumatologist and 3 years later I'm cured (or dormant) and didn't lose a day of golf.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2306324)

Your PCP missed a diagnosis of PMR? Ouch. Usually pretty obvious, and when your ESR comes back 130, it's even more obvious. Low dose/alt day steroids for you????

Originally Posted by BrianL99 (Post 2306332)

ESR over 130. 1 year of almost debilitating pain. Had PCP do CRP (after our Google research). CRP was 100+..

20 mg of Prednisone every day, taper when the CRP# and pain reduces. Up down, up down, up down for 3 years. Tapered all the way down to 2mg/day (3 times) ... then had to go back up again.

At least I didn't get balloon face and tolerated the Prednisone well. My CRP still runs around 15 or so, but I guess that's just me. "Treat the patient, not the numbers" my Rheumatologist says they taught her in school.

Originally Posted by SusanStCatherine (Post 2306318)

To answer your original question, I believe getting regular Medicare with a Medigap policy, you will have a much wider network than you currently have. Medicare is widely accepted. I currently have Florida Blue from the healthcare exchange and almost no decent providers accept it. I asked my providers if they accept Medicare and they all do. And some providers I am trying to get in to see say they take Medicare. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2306338)

Sorry you've had such a rough time of it---clearly you're in the worst 10% of PMR I've seen. The good news is that low dose and alternate day steroids are generally well tolerated, even for a long time. You will continue to have dosage adjustments, it's not an exact science. Hope you continue to get well.

Originally Posted by SusanStCatherine (Post 2306318)

To answer your original question, I believe getting regular Medicare with a Medigap policy, you will have a much wider network than you currently have. Medicare is widely accepted. I currently have Florida Blue from the healthcare exchange and almost no decent providers accept it. I asked my providers if they accept Medicare and they all do. And some providers I am trying to get in to see say they take Medicare. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by BigDawgInLakeDenham (Post 2305814)

Why are you all so worried about specialists? Why aren't you worried about a solid primary Care doctor that can get to know you and manage your needs? Are you those people that don't have a doctor but want a specialist when you're really f'ed up? I'm really interested in how you come up with your way of thinking because I spent a career working with people coming into the hospital because they believed themselves to be healthy and would see a specialist if they ever needed, but because they didn't pursue primary care, like managed care or an advantage plan, they were too far gone for any "specialist" to save. The general public knows nothing about navigating the Healthcare system. I had an HMO for 40 years of work and have always had everything I've needed because you can get "specialists" and I get all of the same in my "mistake" of an Advantage Plan. You never admit that you can choose a PPO that gives you more doctors to choose from or do you not understand that concept. Please do tell us your health history and how it's negatively been impacted by Advantage Plans and how traditional Medicare has saved your lives. Never once was I told not to do CPR on someone because they had an advantage plan. Never once did I not do labs on an advantage plan patient. Healthcare Professionals don't see insurance in that moment you really need them. Actually I never heard anyone mention a patient's insurance. Other people's health and lives is nothing to tinker with and insurance choices are and should be personal. Everyone needs a Primary Care Physician to manage their care and to recommend appropriate treatment including a specialist, only if necessary. Seeing a specialist unnecessarily is abusing and burdening the health care system but entitled people don't see it that way. I'm done for now

Originally Posted by Pugchief (Post 2306342)

Weird. I have Blue Cross PPO from UpNorth thru the exchange and there are copious choices of in-network doctors down here.

Originally Posted by SusanStCatherine (Post 2306539)

My broker told me that I probably cannot switch between Medigap plans (like switching from plan N to plan G) not even within the same Insurer. So basically you are stuck with the plan you pick your first year for the rest of your life. The one exception is leaving medigap to join an Advantage plan at any time. So when you reach Medicare you are thrown back into the preexisting conditions that the ACA was meant to protect. SMH