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It's funny you're discussing this subject because it's a bone of contention for me living in the state of NH. I recently switched health care providers just this past year and a half, now I'm down in Massachusetts for my doctors appointments and I don't care, one bit if it's not convenient with getting to them either! It's been the best best thing I ever did while living in this state of NH. Not only that, but it's only a 25 minute drive down to get to these physicians, it's no big deal. I now have a PPO instead of an HMO (I had Signa and now I have Blue Cross's) and I'm basically much much happier about switching to this brand of health care provider. It's like this...NOW I can finally use the Boston Hospitals if I need to go to them some day, okay?! I like having that option, JUST in case, because ya never know with health issues! Trust me, it's been a relief knowing I have this option now, because now I can go to any and I mean ANY specialist I want to go to in Massachusetts/Boston Hospitals and my PCP is affiliated with a couple of fantastic hospitals too! For that alone I am very grateful. In fact, he's with the Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham & Women's; two good institutions, in my book! Here's one important example just to show you why I switched health care providers....in NH I was told I needed hip replacement surgery and they wanted to operate ASAP, so to get more opinions on this major concern with the osteoarthritis & degenerative bone loss, I decided I'd switch health insurance companies down to Massachusetts to see what they had to say about this issue. Oh, it took me over a year to get the ball rolling, due to waiting for my employers annual switch/change to take place, but finally when I switched and it was all official that following January, I was able to get to 2 doctors (specialists, who were from the NE Baptist Hospital) that surprisingly suggested NOT to have this hip surgery, but instead lose weight. So that's what I'm (supposed!) to be doing these days! I feel that they're right, and it was such a huge relief to hear this diagnose from both of these fine specialists. I'm also so SO glad I switched health care providers, because in the long run, it will be a huge relief to be able to go to any Boston hospital I want to go to without getting the old heave ho from the NH receptionists about it when I ask to go to them! Let me tell you, they definitely lost this lady in NH when it came to MY health care! In NH, I couldn't go to who I wanted to go to and with me? I'm used to the Boston specialists because that's the bottom line, they're the best in the country and NO ones telling me different. It's MY health care NOT theres and it's not a know it all receptionist that loves her job and not the people that she sees every day and yes, it got to be quite an issue, believe me! So finally I decided, the heck with them all, I'll switch for good and stay in Massachusetts' network and this time stay with them for good and it's the best BEST thing I did with this whole issue!
So I pay a little extra for gas to get to them now, hey, it's still worth it in the end because it's their loss NOT mine now!
I use Mid State Health in Plymouth and have never had a problem getting an appointment - same day if I'm sick. My kids go to Plymouth Pediatrics (part of Dartmouth Hitchcock) and same thing there. Maybe you need to look north of Concord Keltic.
having moved from England what has Govt health care I can honestly say that the health care is 100% better than in England and how it is run.
Yes I may every now and again have trouble finding a Doc but it is still easier than back in England.
It took my foster mother 9 months to get checked for cancer,
3 years to have her varicose veins removed.
I have just had knee surgery and it took me two weeks for everything to get sorted, form the going to the Doc to the OP, back in England it would take me maybe up to a year to get he same operation.
The health care is not perfect here but I'll take it over England's any time.
As for the Doc's from Pakistan , well believe me i England probably half the Docs now are from there or India and as for the nurses who come over , well a large % can hardly understand English in the English hospitals
having moved from England what has Govt health care I can honestly say that the health care is 100% better than in England and how it is run.
Yes I may every now and again have trouble finding a Doc but it is still easier than back in England.
I think that a myth has grown up about socialized medicine. Since we've never had it, and we see other countries managing (didn't say 'managing well' ) with it, we assume that it must be better that way. And it means that everybody has health coverage - which is not currently true here. However, unless you talk with a number of folks from the UK or Canada, you don't hear all the stories like your foster mother waiting 9 months to get checked for cancer, or another guy's father waiting a year for heart surgery, or having to wait a year for knee surgery.....
It took my foster mother 9 months to get checked for cancer,
3 years to have her varicose veins removed.
I have just had knee surgery and it took me two weeks for everything to get sorted, form the going to the Doc to the OP, back in England it would take me maybe up to a year to get he same operation. No, our system definitely has problems but gov't run just isn't the answer. Somehow th truth about this myth needs to get out (and maybe if Michael Moore would stop progandizing and perpetuating myths - claiming he couldn't find anyone in Britain that had anything bad to say about the health care there) people might stop with that idea.
I use Mid State Health in Plymouth and have never had a problem getting an appointment - same day if I'm sick. My kids go to Plymouth Pediatrics (part of Dartmouth Hitchcock) and same thing there. Maybe you need to look north of Concord Keltic.
Thank God your family is healthy newhampshiregirl and yes Mid State Health in Plymouth is a wonderful Primary care organization which I think works in conjunction with Speare Memorial. But if that is the only Health Coverage you have I will say again, thank god you are all healthy, as if you ever had a very serious illness and say wanted to go to the Pittsburgh PA or Houston Tx Cancer Centers you would be out of luck. Make sure you also have a good PPO like Anthem Blue Cross PPO or Health Indemnity plan.
Primary Care facilities like Mid State truly serve a great service to our community! but one must also consider having good Comprehensive Major Medical Insurance!
Well, actually, my family hasn't been all that healthy. No cancer or other extremely serious illnesses, very thankfully, but multiple surgeries for shoulders, knees, a rib excision, suprascapular nerve entrapment, thyroid disorder, tonsillectomies, adenoidectomies, multiple ear tubes, hearing tests, hearing aids, arthrograms, echocardiograms, EKGs, pulmonary function stress tests, ultrasounds, x-rays, MRIs, CAT scans, three family members in multiple months of physical therapy, etc. Phew....I think that's it for now...
We use to have Anthem BCBS, but now have a very good MVP plan and don't need to be preapproved for a referral. We've been very happy with Mid State, Plymouth Pedi and the referrals we have gotten to Dartmouth-Hitckcock in West Leb, Concord and at Concord Orthopedics.
I also find myself thankful to get a doctor who speaks English!! Many have such strong accents that you have no idea what they are saying. I think we spend too much money importing Indian doctors and exporting to Indian call centers.
The health care is not perfect here but I'll take it over England's any time.
I have a friend who lives in England and she says the same thing. Her dad nearly died after a heart attack because there was such a wait to see the doctor before the attack. With the proper treatment, it may have been prevented.
Having once been in an HMO I can tell you it certainly restricted my accessibility to many physicians.
They also restrict testing. I had an HMO most of my adult life. I was diagnosed with everything from arthritis to fibromyalgia to mini strokes. Of course most docs just told me it was in my head because I "looked too good". Finally my husband got a job that offered a PPO plan. I was feeling so miserable, that the social worker who helped my MIL whom I was taking care of with the assistance of hospice, called her doc to see if he would see me. He took me the next day. After listening to me, he said he would get aggressive and ordered all sorts of tests including an MRI of the brain and got me in to see a neurologist. I had MS. When they told me, instead of feeling scared or upset, I was actually relieved that I finally had a dx and didn't have to cry after every dr visit when they told me that there was nothing wrong with me.
Guess it was in my head after all though... just not the way they thought.
We pay more for the PPO, but it is definitely worth it.
Right after we moved here, my husband started to have problems with his vision, the eye doctor took one look at him at 11 am, called a specialist in Boston and sent us down there, the specialist saw him at 1 pm, and he was operated on at 4 pm for a retina that detached in 3 places. Our insurance never even flinched.
Yep, definitely would choose the PPO. If we waited for an HMO, he probably would have lost his vision in that eye.
We are trying to choose a plan from Dh's work. We will have Blue Cross Blueshield MA. We have one of 3 choices EPO, which I guess is their HMO, PPO basic, and PPO plus. In looking at them I am very surprised to see that the EPO has the highest premium. Of course then you have no deductibles or coinsurance, but still the difference in the premium is pretty big. Can anyone tell me why this is? We are probably going with the PPO plus, but I was just curious.
And BTW, if we do go with one of the PPOs, does this mean we have the option of seeing docs in MA?
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For that alone I am very grateful. In fact, he's with the Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham & Women's; two good institutions, in my book! 
) with it, we assume that it must be better that way. And it means that everybody has health coverage - which is not currently true here. However, unless you talk with a number of folks from the UK or Canada, you don't hear all the stories like your foster mother waiting 9 months to get checked for cancer, or another guy's father waiting a year for heart surgery, or having to wait a year for knee surgery.....
