Posted on 11/16/2025 8:17:27 AM PST by 4Runner
My wife age 81 recently developed the need to see a cardiologist for A-fib (non-valvular) which has been releasing blood clots into her lungs causing pulmonary edema and inability to breathe on two occasions requiring EMT intervention and hospitalization.
These events have also caused her to lose most of her ability to ambulate and have also caused loss of mental clarity.
The hospital has not provided us with a referral to a cardiologist only saying my wife needed to see one on an out-patient basis, and this despite having referred her the second time to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy because she isn't able to walk on her own or even with my assistance.
Because of her increased disability I can no longer transport her on my own to medical facilities and appointments. I now use a wheelchair transport company to assist us. Problem is I have discovered dozens of "pediatric cardiologists" practicing in Tampa, but the only ones taking "adult or elderly" patients are located many miles away, which makes the wheelchair transport arrangement hellaciously expensive.
Additionally, the "pediatric cardiologists" practicing locally to us are all foreign nationals and not American. This is shocking to me.
Why are there so many of these non-American doctors in Tampa practicing in pediatric cardiology, but none in elder or adult cardiology?
And whom are they ministering to, the illegal alien anchor babies?
It is generally known the birthrate for Anerican women is at its lowest in decades, while for Hispanics and other foreign-born women it is out of control.
If anyone on FR knows of an American cardiologist not in pediatrics practicing locally in Tampa please let me know. It would be most appreciated.
Thank you.
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Aopologies for not having corrected mis-spelling in header.
I hope and pray you find a great heart doc nearby and soon.
Try finding a cancer clinic where foreign born doctors are not majority. Cancer treatments is a booming lucrative business. My cancer patient wife was billed $32k to 37k every MONTH from 2017-2023. Without Medicare advantage insurance we would be flat broke.
Thank you.
Pediatric cardiology.
A growth specialty.
For some reason.
Sorry to hear. We also both have Medicare Advantage PPO. It has helped on the hospital end of things.
Some Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans do pay for non-emergency medical transportation. Original Medicare does not.
Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba (the most likely countries for Hispanic doctors in Florida) also suffer from low birth rates (as seen in the US, Canada, China, etc).
Some of the Hispanic doctors in Florida likely have families that have been in the US for decades if not centuries.
Now why there are foreign doctors could be tied to the highly expensive education system we have in the United States. It’s much less expensive to be trained overseas and there’s not enormous debt associated with it.
I’ve known students who opted for medical/dental/veterinary school in other countries for this exact reason.
Deliberate
Intentional
Exclusionary
Go to any hospital and you wont find many white people at any level. If you do they are likely to be obese nose ringed blue hairs.
I tried to get the transport expense covered but our insuror said the service is not covered by our Advantage PPO. I also spoke with my wife’s PCP and he told me he couldn’t write an order for transport, he’d never heard of such a thing.
I sometimes think there’s a conspiracy afoot to eliminate senior US citizens en masse, you know, all the ones who voted for Trump.
They know who we are.
Sorry, can’t help with the question, but prayers up for the Mrs. and you. Hope you find a good cardiologist soon.
I live in NYS and haven’t been able to see a doc except for a procedure in years.
You might try your primary care providers. If you’re church goers, minister and fellow congregants.
Try your pharmacist, any physical therapists you have had. Any other health care provider friends and family.
But excellent care for your wife is what’s needed.
If a well trained foreign born doctor can provide it, you should consider that provider.
We’ll keep you both in our prayers in the meantime.
Would such transport be covered with regular Medicare? This is the season for changing if it is. It seems that Medicare advantage is an awesome program only as long as a person stays relatively healthy.
The Japanese discovered a great anti-clot supplement.
Nattō is a strong smelling dish made of fermented whole soy beans. The fermentation produces a slime that contains “nattokinase”, an ingredient that safely ‘cleans your pipes’. It is the cat’s pajamas against blood clots. In powdered form it is odorless and tasteless, and inexpensive.
High dose is key: One large study found that a high dose of 10,800 FU/day over 12 months was effective, while lower doses of 3,600 FU/day were not. A typical pill containing the powder ia 4,000 FU.
Praying for you and THAT is an interesting question. Hope someone can find an answer. I suspect the money trail will lead us to an answer.
When my parents reached their late 80s, early 90s, it seemed like the medical industry stopped caring in a big way. They were nice sometimes etc... but it seems like people are put into a type of informal palliative care system.
Follow the money is my guess.
Depending on your insurance situation, have you looked at other hospital systems, specifically target a hospital that performs the most cardiac procedures in your area.
I had open heart surgery about 1.5 years ago and I live in Jacksonville, FL, I was referred to Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville, which is the largest Hospital group in Jacksonville with the most cardiologists on staff, leading up to my surgery, I did see a couple of foreign cardiologists, I also saw American cardiologists and my surgeon was American born.
My SIL has Afib and recently had an ablation done at the Mayo Clinic here in Jacksonville, she was treated by multiple cardiologists before the procedure all of them American to my knowledge.
Based on my personal experience, I would not let any hospital treat me for a heart problem, I would always choose the hospital that treats the most heart patients, simply because of the range of issues they treat plus the experienced surgeons they have on staff, many have done thousands of heart operations.
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