I'm Pregnant and new to San Diego HELP ME (health insurance, home)

[DubHaze]

Hello,

To all that chose to read this, thank you for your time and I appreciate and opinions or advice you may have. I recently found out I am pregnant. My husband and I moved here about 6 months ago from Minnesota, and I do not have a Dr. yet. I also do not have medical insurance. I called the Prenatal network to see if they could help me find a dr and get on Medi-cal but I am just unsure about the two doctors they reccomended. If I have a visit with one of the Dr's do I have to stay with them?

Dr. Deena Tajran -- Read reviews online that were horrible, she has done unneccessary c-sections etc...

Dr. Myron Schonbrun -- seems okay he is rather old (very experienced though)


What I am wondering is if anyone can reccomend and Family Practioners or OB's to me... I am looking for a Dr. I can trust and connect with. This is my first pregnancy and I want everything to go as smoothly as possible... I am just not sure where to start.

I know that I want to deliever at Scripps memorial because of the private rooms and staff ...

If anyone can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it!!!

THANK YOU

[thepinksquid]

I'm sending you a PM.

[nmnita]

Well a couple of things come to the surface, 1-do you qualify for medi-cal and 2-if you do, you may have to go with the hospital and doctor they recommend. I hope you realize that is the fair way. Good luck with your pregnancy..

Nita

[moved]

Yes, when you're on MediCal, you don't get much in the way of choices. You will qualify because you're pregnant, and they'll probably give you a list of doctors to choose from that will accept MediCal, because not all of them do. All the Family Health Center Clinics take them, as well as all of the other clinics, so don't count on having a private doctor.

You should apply right away, because it can take a few weeks do to all the paperwork.

[DubHaze]

I am sure I will be eligible for Medi-cal. there are doctors, I've called the prenatal care network, but they only gave me the name of one, like i had to settle for that doctor... I had to fish for more names...

Another reason I guess I stand for United Health Care.... It sucks that my Quality of care depends on my income. Pretty shameful really. Considering the hospital and doctor are paid the same regardless if I have Medi-cal or Blue cross.

I think it is discusting. that I either get someone on the verge of not having a license or someone who just got there license... for my first pregnancy and it took 5 years to get pregnant... sucks that I might have an idiot who may complicate things.


Another question for you people is... does anyone know (aside for Scripps Memorial La Jolla) if any of the hospitals in the area offer Private rooms? back home all of our hospitals are that way... here I know Kaiser and Sharp Mary Birch only offer double rooms....

[DubHaze]

Hey moved... do you know of any decent Family Health centers (Family Practioners)? That was the type of clinic I went to at home, and we had two wondering doctors who delivered many babies... Maybe instead of looking for an OB I might want to find a great Family Practioner who can connect with me and my baby for many years instead of just having an OB get me through pregnancy and then me being on my own to find yet another doctor for my baby and I. I hope to hear from you soon!

Heather

[moved]

Originally Posted by DubHaze

Hey moved... do you know of any decent Family Health centers (Family Practioners)? That was the type of clinic I went to at home, and we had two wondering doctors who delivered many babies... Maybe instead of looking for an OB I might want to find a great Family Practioner who can connect with me and my baby for many years instead of just having an OB get me through pregnancy and then me being on my own to find yet another doctor for my baby and I. I hope to hear from you soon!

Heather

You can't do anything until you're on MediCal. That's the first thing that you have to do. Once you get your MediCal card, I think they give you a list of physicians. I use the Family Health Center Clinic in North Park, and there are lots of pregnant women that go there. But just remember, you're not going to have many choices. When you're on MediCal, you take what's given to you. The Family Health Center Clinics are a chain here in San Diego, look in the yellow pages under clinics for the other locations.

The Family Health Centers have OB/GYN's, Pediatricians, and Nurse Practioners. They also may have some Physician's Assistants, I really don't know. But don't bother calling anyone, lots of physicians don't like to take MediCal, because I think it's only half of their regular fee, plus they have to go through the hassle of MediCal paperwork.

To apply for MediCal, you have to go to an HHSA office and fill out the paperwork, and I would do it ASAP. Get there right after they open in the morning, and expect to wait at least two hours for your intake, and all they'll do that day is give you an appointment and a list of documents to bring back that day. Each office goes by zip code, so check online to see which one you have to go to. If you go to the wrong one, they'll send you to the right one, and you will have wasted your time.

And like I said, you don't get hospital choices, and MediCal won't pay for a private room. MediCal pays for as little as possible. Chances are you'll be discharged the next day anyway.

[thepinksquid]

Dub, I just want to say that I wish you the best of luck. I'm not pregnant, nor am I trying to be, but that sort of "what if it happens" idea is always in the back of my mind. We have health insurance through Blue Shield, but it kicks in after a 5k deductible, then it's 30% of cost...still a ton of $$$ if I were to become pregnant. Something inside of me just feels that it kind of isn't "right" that I'd have to worry so much about money if it was to happen... but that's discussion that's neither here nor there.

Anyhow, I'd be curious to hear how your luck with Medi-Cal works out.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DubHaze

I am sure I will be eligible for Medi-cal. there are doctors, I've called the prenatal care network, but they only gave me the name of one, like i had to settle for that doctor... I had to fish for more names...

Another reason I guess I stand for United Health Care.... It sucks that my Quality of care depends on my income. Pretty shameful really. Considering the hospital and doctor are paid the same regardless if I have Medi-cal or Blue cross.

I think it is discusting. that I either get someone on the verge of not having a license or someone who just got there license... for my first pregnancy and it took 5 years to get pregnant... sucks that I might have an idiot who may complicate things.


Another question for you people is... does anyone know (aside for Scripps Memorial La Jolla) if any of the hospitals in the area offer Private rooms? back home all of our hospitals are that way... here I know Kaiser and Sharp Mary Birch only offer double rooms....

the private room idea is just starting to catch on. Here in AR we have the same as does Ok, but you are not going to find it everywhere. By the way, where are you getting the idea the doctors are paid the same regardless.? And what is giving you the idea the doctors that take medical patients are all bad, many very good doctors also participate.

You know you probably need to apply for medical before you do anything more. You seem to be sure you will qualify. I would assume you and your husband are not employed or in min paying jobs.

And I am sorry, it is not shameful, I am on medicare, I can not always choose my own doctor as many doctors do not take medicare patients. Why should we get the same benefits as someone who pays thousands of $$s a year for their care.

As for your views on government run health care, that is a different thread, but believe me, if you think you are going to have a choise as to what doctor you use when we get a form of government sponsored care you have a lot to learn. I might add, I hope you realize, whatever program becomes the law, there will be charges involved. You will either pay monthly or accept the general hospitals for your care as was the policy until about the 60s. Before medical you either paid, much of it up front or you used the county run hospitals.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DubHaze

Hey moved... do you know of any decent Family Health centers (Family Practioners)? That was the type of clinic I went to at home, and we had two wondering doctors who delivered many babies... Maybe instead of looking for an OB I might want to find a great Family Practioner who can connect with me and my baby for many years instead of just having an OB get me through pregnancy and then me being on my own to find yet another doctor for my baby and I. I hope to hear from you soon!

Heather

Most family practioners do not deliver babies anymore, In fact it is rare to find one that does.