Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Video: ObamaCare enrollee can’t get doctor to see her
Hot Air ^ | February 20, 2014 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 02/20/2014 5:13:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

CBS affiliates bring us two updates on the ongoing disaster of Covered California, the ObamaCare exchange in the Golden State that has begun to look a lot more like Uncovered Californians. In Sacramento, Nick Janes reports on the plight of Katherine Cadman, who eagerly signed up for an insurance policy through the state’s exchange — and then tried to use it to see a doctor. Doctors, however, are not anxious to see customers from ObamaCare plans, thanks to the lousy reimbursement rates:

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

One viewer said she did months of research before picking the plan that Blue Cross recommended. But it’s still been a nightmare.

Katherine Cadman says her emails and calls aren’t getting anywhere. She says she signed up for an Anthem Blue Cross Plan, but doctors keep refusing to see her.

“It’s just not right,” she said. “It does make you feel like you’re a second-class citizen.”

Chris and Tammy Dunn told us the same exact thing about their experience trying to find a doctor to fix Chris’ back. He says an in-network doctor turned him down.

“I haven’t slept in four months,” said Chris.

When we again reached out to Anthem again for answers on Wednesday and they issued the following statement:

“Our records indicate that this doctor has a contract with Anthem Blue Cross to treat our Covered CA members, and we will reach out to him to determine what the issue is.”

The doctor apparently was on the plan … emphasis on the past tense. The providers in question decided not to provide service under the reduced reimbursement rates that Anthem’s ObamaCare-compliant plan delivers. That’s his choice; doctors don’t have to accept insurance plans, after all, especially if the reimbursement doesn’t cover his or her costs to provide services. That, however, leaves Covered California consumers asking this question:

“What are we left with as far as being Covered California subscribers?” Cadman asked. “The bottom of the barrel?”

When payments get cut to bottom-of-barrel rates, what do consumers expect to happen?

In the San Francisco area, they’re discovering that the doctors that will accept them work in areas they’d rather not visit:

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

California’s health care exchange promised potential customers they would have enough physicians to choose from. But some new enrollees, including an Alameda County woman, are discovering that their doctor choices are extremely limited.

Julia Turner is surprised that she even has to search for a doctor. When she signed up for a policy through Covered California late last year, her long-time physician was listed as participating in her Blue Shield plan. It turned out; however, that he is not accepting patients with her Blue Shield policy, purchased on the Covered California exchange.

When Turner called around to find someone else to treat her, she got more frustration. “The only doctors accepting new patients are urgent care clinics,” Turner told KPIX 5 ConsumerWatch.

None of the doctors are located in the city in which she lives. Instead, Turner said, “They are in areas of East Oakland that have a lot of violence.”

Only one doctor on the Blue Shield list for Turner’s plan in her area was both board-certified and accepting new adult patients … out of 41 listed. KPIX got Blue Shield to add her existing doctor into the network, but Turner isn’t happy with the outcome:

“This is not what we were promised. I see those (Covered California) commercials now and I want to scream,” Turner said.

Yes. You were promised a free lunch, and expected that to be realistic. The laws of supply and demand, and cost and pricing, do not get wished away or legislated out of existence.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; medicine; obamacare; socializedmedicine
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last
Bet they all voted for him.
1 posted on 02/20/2014 5:13:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

The tip of the coming iceberg...

Before long, people will be BEGGING for single-payer...


2 posted on 02/20/2014 5:19:27 PM PST by bfh333 (William Wallace was right! ~~~ FRRRREEEEEEEEEEEDOM ~~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
“I haven’t slept in four months,

Get a job, work hard, and miraculously you'll begin to sleep better.

3 posted on 02/20/2014 5:22:22 PM PST by ladyjane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ladyjane

That’s considered being cussed at in California.


4 posted on 02/20/2014 5:23:35 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

The freakin’ dopes got “health insurance “ policy. Democraps never spent a minute of thought about the the actual health care part.

The leftist scum don’t give a rats ass either.


5 posted on 02/20/2014 5:26:22 PM PST by dforest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dforest

I’m too busy laughing to care.


6 posted on 02/20/2014 5:27:22 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Too bad,suckers. The grinning Marxist got your vote,and you got the shaft.


7 posted on 02/20/2014 5:28:05 PM PST by txrefugee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

In the San Francisco area, they’re discovering that the doctors that will accept them work in areas they’d rather not visit


This part is darn funny! San Fran is Pelosi central, every area should be paradise!!!


8 posted on 02/20/2014 5:28:07 PM PST by RginTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bfh333
Before long, people will be BEGGING for single-payer...

Yeap, if there's a SINGLE DOCTOR left...

9 posted on 02/20/2014 5:31:49 PM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

The same thing is happening elsewhere. Not just on the west coast. People signup after seeing a list of doctors on a plan only to find out none of the doctors will accept the insurance. Personally I would call that Fraud by the insurance company. These people can’t even get their money back.


10 posted on 02/20/2014 5:38:12 PM PST by Revel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bfh333

But won’t Single payor be about the same as Obamacare except they will take the premiums right from your paycheck if you have a job? There wont be more Doctors


11 posted on 02/20/2014 5:40:23 PM PST by funfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Revel

Perhaps people should call their Doctor to see what insurance they take before signing up. Or can they just pay the Doctor out of pocket and not use the insurance would the Doctor see the person at least


12 posted on 02/20/2014 5:44:23 PM PST by funfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

13 posted on 02/20/2014 5:45:42 PM PST by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
When we again reached out to Anthem again for answers on Wednesday and they issued the following statement:

“Our records indicate that this doctor has a contract with Anthem Blue Cross to treat our Covered CA members, and we will reach out to him to determine what the issue is.”

I'm getting so sick of the phrase "reach out".

14 posted on 02/20/2014 5:46:34 PM PST by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: funfan

Yes... But these a$$hats don’t know that... Uncle Sugar will save them from the eViL Insurance companies who are screwing them...

And a doctor shortage will be temporary... Immigration “reform” will bring in plenty of government “owned” foreign doctors...

It couldn’t be ANY better... /S


15 posted on 02/20/2014 5:52:24 PM PST by bfh333 (William Wallace was right! ~~~ FRRRREEEEEEEEEEEDOM ~~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Most likely in both 08 and 12.


16 posted on 02/20/2014 5:56:09 PM PST by matt04
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
This is not what we were promised. I see those (Covered California) commercials now and I want to scream,” Turner said.

This is an amazing statement for an adult to make.

17 posted on 02/20/2014 5:56:20 PM PST by Texas Songwriter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas Songwriter

Yes. Pathetic. But illustrative of the advanced state of the dumbing down of America. Imagine, believing in a promise spewed by politicians, ‘rats especially.


18 posted on 02/20/2014 6:11:38 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Texas Songwriter
This is not what we were promised.

That anyone believes what a politician "promises" is astounding to me. Don't they realize it's just pablum to get elected?

19 posted on 02/20/2014 6:21:03 PM PST by Lizavetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I should be ashamed of myself but I do get a perverse pleasure reading these stories about these LIVs getting a taste of what they voted for. Of course, I cannot be sure that these particular people voted for Democrats but since it’s California the odds are good that they did.


20 posted on 02/20/2014 6:38:51 PM PST by OldPossum ("It's" is the contraction of "it" and "is"; think about ITS implications.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson