doctors appointments
 

at the risk of sounding very stupid!!!!! :o what happens in the usa if you need to see a doctor or need medication? does insurance cover this or do you pay? what if you need certain medication regularly (like the pill heheh) what happens then? :confused: its funny how you get to take the nhs for granted oh and p.s. whats the best type of health insurance to have

Re: doctors appointments
 

Dick Cheney has his own doctor whom is on call for him 24 hours a day.
I think his is the best health insurance to have.

Re: doctors appointments
 

lmao :D
who the hell is dick cheney? :confused:
lol

Re: doctors appointments
 

You're kidding me?

Re: doctors appointments
 

I wish I didn't know who he is either!

Re: doctors appointments
 

http://kko.flaming-chibis.org/img/lj/dickC.jpg



Dick by name........................

Re: doctors appointments
 

I was also really confused about this when I arrived, you register with a doctor in th same way and also make appointments in the same way, it seems you have to wait a while to get one though (or maybe I was lucky in the UK, never had to wait more than a day). If you have medical insurance this will cover the cost of the appointment, but I think the type of cover will determine whether the whole cost is covered, same with prescriptions, insurance will cover it in certain cases. Prescriptions are given out for longer periods, an example I have is I was given a prescription that lasts for twelve months but I wasn't given all the drugs at once, I have to phone the pharmacy every month to confirm I want another months worth..
Still confused with it all really, we have excellent insurance provided by my husbands employer but yet I still have to pay for part of my prescription cost, do you need to register with 'specialist' doctors for different ailments, I know people that see one doctor for one thing and another for something else, sorry can't advise you on the insurance cover, still don't really understand the policy we have :eek:
I have found the experience rather stressful but have to say when I did get to see a doctor, he was fabulous, did more in 2 months than the NHS did in 5 years..

Re: doctors appointments
 

1. Make sure you have insurance.
2. Call doctor's office.
3. Go see doctor, but be prepared to wait for hrs.
4. You'll probably have a co-pay where you pay a certain percentage of the doctor's visit. They send the other to your insurance.
5. If you need medications, you'll have to get a prescription from them, then go to the pharmacy (drugstore) to get it filled, and there you'll probably also have to make a co-pay on the medication.
6. Insurances here don't cover the pill. You'll have to pay that out of your own pocket.

Re: doctors appointments
 

Please read the threads and posts in this forum about health insurance in the US.

There's a big difference between the kind of health insurance one would like to have and what one can in fact afford. This will become apparent when you read posts from Brits (and even Americans) writing about their experiences of healthcare in the US.




NC Penguin

Re: doctors appointments
 

so i have to pay for the pill???? have decided to use above picture of dick cheney as contraception, sellotape it to husbands head-as a disguise i wont feel frisky ever again lol

Re: doctors appointments
 

Are you visiting the US at the moment? Just wondering...




NC Penguin

Re: doctors appointments
 

I can assure you you are in for a rude awakening. Some prescriptions are less than £6 others are a a great deal more. Example Zocor 40mg is around $112 (£60 at todays rate) dollars for 30 tablets. I could pay more insurance to help cover some of the cost but I cannot be assed at the moment. A number of old people have $4000/6000 (£2100/3160)prescription costs per year. In the UK you could get a 2 month prescription for the same £6. That is not as it works here.

Re: doctors appointments
 

Either thinking about Georgie boy or it's his colostomy bag.

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PMSL :D :D

Re: doctors appointments
 

Your insurance company may give you a list of doctors who you have to choose from (HMO-type coverage), or a list of doctors that they would prefer you to choose (PPO / preferred providers, etc...).

If it's HMO, they usually will not pay for treatment by anyone else without first being referred by the company or its representatives (who may or may not be doctors). Remember this because HMOs can be very city-specific. If it's PPO, they'll cover more of the bill if you choose one of their doctors, and less if you don't (maybe zero if you don't get referred). Typically, emergency coverage is different and the bills can be settled after the fact, no matter who did the treatment.

Some plans still allow you to go to any doctor you want whenever you want, but these are more expensive. If your employer offers you one of these, think about it.

Take money with you, because like izibear said, you will usually have to pay some of the bill on the spot.

The pill usually is not covered. If you take anything else regularly and you have no medical records in the US, I would advise: i) get as much of it as you can before leaving the UK; ii) do not admit to needing anything when you sign up (unless the plan ignores pre-existing conditions); iii) when you run out, go to the doctor and pretend you have a new ailment. (Most plans will not cover any health issues you already had when you signed up.)