Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Changing cities, changing doctors, and the perils thereof
I'd like to warn my readers of the perils of moving to another place if you have an extensive medical record that needs to move with you.
I've just relocated to another city, and am settling in and making myself at home. One part of that is looking for a new physician, who will have to continue my prescription medication from my work-related injury in 2004 and my heart attack in 2009. The first is, of course, covered by Workers Compensation, and the second by my private medical insurance.
The fun starts in trying to find a doctor who'll handle both aspects. Some doctors won't accept Workers Compensation patients. Since I don't want to have to go to two doctors for treatment and/or continuation of prescriptions, this limits my choices somewhat. Then, once I've found a doctor, he/she will have to get copies of my files from my previous physician, and from all the specialists who've treated or operated on me in recent years. This amounts to a ton of paperwork, and will be quite expensive to photocopy and get up here. (Yes, I have to pay for it!) I've asked about getting electronic copies of my files on a CD-ROM, but not all doctors and practices are set up to accommodate that.
To make matters more interesting, I have to make sure that whichever physician I choose is acceptable to both Workers Compensation and my medical insurance. If I choose someone who isn't authorized by them to treat their patients, I lose certain benefits, and may end up having to pay a lot more money for treatment.
Finally, for certain issues I still need specialist input: so I then have to find a cardiologist and a neurosurgeon who will accept new patients, are themselves acceptable to Workers Compensation and my insurance, and who will agree to continue treatment based on surgery they didn't perform and a condition they didn't diagnose!
All in all, it's a bureaucratic and logistical nightmare. I'm sure I'll cope, over time, but it would have helped to know about these obstacles beforehand. I'd certainly have obtained copies of my files before I moved, to bring them with me and submit them myself, rather than have to rely on others to make copies for me. If any reader is facing a similar move in future, it's worth bearing this in mind. You might save yourself a great deal of aggravation!
Peter
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8 comments:
Not to worry. After obumble care kicks in in four or five years, the magic unicorn will come to your door and carry you to its magic clinic where all your problems will be taken care of. And you will get cake after your showers...
The alternative will be to stay VERY healthy.
Peter,
It's standard practice in the US Military for a service member on permanent change-of-station orders to hand-carry their own medical jacket with them. After all, nobody cares as much as the individual that his intact records get to the right destination. Why not adopt that practice as a civilian?
Leatherneck
I've done similar moves over the last few years and every time I change my region I have to switch my medical plan and more often than not that means new doctors.
I've not had to pay for copies of medical records, unless I want a copy for myself. Once I have the new plan activated they assign me a primary care physician that is participating in the new plan. The PCP's office then handles prescriptions for chronic conditions (if I can't get them through the new regional VA pharmacy) referrals to specialists, GI, Endo, Chiro, ENT, etc. and basic physical.
Once I have the new insurance card with PCP's name, I call and verify with the specialists, to make sure they will take the new insurance. Don't settle for a quick answer from them on this, make them look up your plan and membership number, make them send you new patient packets in the mail and get names of the office staff that authorized it. Gas is expensive and I hate driving an hour to get to a Dr's office only to have them say we don't take this plan and I have to cover the full cost.
The VA will give you free copies of your records and labs, up to the date you last requested personal copies. There is a per page charge for re-copying a personal set. They also do not charge you for sending records to new private doctors as long as they receive a signed release form.
The VA system is linked and any clinic has access to old records. All you have to do is find out which clinic and DR. you're assigned to now.
All my other doctors include records release forms in their new patient packets. You add the previous doctor's contact info, sign and the new doc sends in the request. Don't forget to request additional forms as you will often need to request info from multiple sources. Some will want records in hand before the 1st appt. others will wait until they've seen you so they know the situation. So far this time it hasn't cost me a dime for records.
On one of my previous moves I had copies in hand and gave them over to the new doctors. This incurred a cost to me for multiple personal copies and then the record packets become the property of that office and they cannot give them back when you move without charging you again. I pitched a fit but was told 'its the law'. I think that's bull, but there are dumber laws.
I've had good luck getting free copies by asking 'can I get copies of what we've done here today?'. But asking for historical type stuff almost always gets me charged.
you're right, it's a nightmare. I'll answer any questions I can for you. good luck
Just curious. Are you still in Louisiana? I'm assuming you are due to the Workman's Comp requirements.
PEter- Agree with the others, you should NOT be charged for the copies, and your PPO 'should' be assisting you with getting new docs... Having said that, I did do a hand carry of my medical records the last move, and the doc refused to accept them, as I could have "removed" critical items... sigh...
One fact, and please don't send hate mail about this, as it is NOT an opinion, but a fact. I also used to refer to records regarding MY health care, prior to learning the truth. Medical, dental, or Optometric records are the property of the doctor. He or she paid for the folders and forms included therein. Now, there is no debate regarding the patient's right of access to the information contained within those records, but for a patient to keep referring to them as "MY RECORDS" is erroneous. Legally, the "records" are the property of the doctor and are kept pursuant to providing care to individual patients. Just sayin. P.S. in Kentucky, by statute, a doctor must provide one "free copy" of his or her records to the patient. Now, the "SSI Lawyers" have jumped on this with both feet, constantly requesting the patients "free copy" as the patient's representative. I personally resent being forced by (unjust) law to provide at my own expense (paper, copy toner, and staff time are NOT free) materials and time to a "for profit" lawyer, free of charge. Just sayin' again. Just a fact.
I don't want to hijack the thread on a technicality here, but when I (the patient) hire someone (the doctor) to do something the results and records of the results are mine not theirs. That's just common sense, regardless of some idiot judge's ruling.
I will however have to agree that most doctors and lawyers (I dunno which is the chicken and which is the egg) seem to think they get to claim ownership of paperwork I view as my itemized receipt.
the point however is that language, written or spoken is about communication of ideas. I'm pretty sure most of the folks know what's being communicated by the term MY RECORDS. Everyone else probably can't figure out how to work their record player anyway.
When leaving one area for another, ask your doctor for a referral in the new area. If he has a friend there, it will go a lot smoother.
WV: togrash - need a doctor for that.
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