- Mar 23, 2010
- 31,794
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I agree with you. It's the doctors that really count. Best advice I had about medical care is if one doctor can't help you, try another. It's surprising how many people will stick with the same doctor even thou that doctor provides no help whatsoever.My daughter's family lives in Seattle and they have had group health for years and love it. In spite of my son's experience, I think non-profit co-ops provide good healthcare at a reasonable cost. Integrating insurance and healthcare delivery makes possible real cost controls.My wife and I have been satisfied members of Group Health of Washington for many years. When we discovered my wife had an inherited neurological disease, Group Health sent her to the UofW Medical Center - we've never had a problem getting in to see her doctor(s). The only hassle for us is, we have to go to Seattle to see her doctor instead of the much easier accessed Bellevue Clinic. But then back in the day, when I had neurological issues of my own, the VA also sent me to the UofW Medical Center for treatment. What is it with neurology departments, is there a shortage of neurosurgeons?
I'd recommend Group Health of Washington, and if they're anything like GHW, co-ops in general to anyone who's looking for healthcare.
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My wife's condition, due to a head on collision, has given us two and a half decades of substantial experience. Access was never an issue, whether it was Medicare, Medicaid, alone or in combination with an employer group plan. It is our experience that health care quality has had more to do with individual doctor's approach and attentiviness to care than it has had to do with insurance plans, PPO or HMO the like.
Shere "luck of the draw" made all the difference between a doctor that didn't find the problem and one that knew how to find the problem. For instance, a weight bearing x-ray will reveal the problem in a joint where any standard x-ray, taken while laying down, reveals nothing.
The single greatest issue was overwhelming out-of-pocket expences that varied depending on the insurance policies we were able to carry at any particular point in time.
We will see, over the next five years, how well PPACA does in increasing the supply of doctors, nurses, and other medical care professionals to meet demand. The only way we will know is if we count the health care employment level.
Contrary to most critics of the ACA, I think shortages in medical personnel will lead to increase supply because there's going to be a lot more jobs in the future.