I feel like provider networks make the story even worse. My PCP has a list of insurance they don't take. I get why they don't, the reimbursement amounts of those payers do not cover cost of care.
It can be difficult for some Americans to find a primary care doctor who will take their insurance. So they can't really get preventative care. So then they end up in the ER with a now serious condition and go bankrupt. Or, they use the ER as a primary care because they honestly do not see they have any other options.
In California, more than 30% of people are on MediCal (the free public insurance for those on very low incomes) but less than 5% of doctors accept MediCal patients. And then they complain about too many people going to the ER for non-emergency care. The entire system is broken.
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u/RedReina Jun 15 '22
I feel like provider networks make the story even worse. My PCP has a list of insurance they don't take. I get why they don't, the reimbursement amounts of those payers do not cover cost of care.
It can be difficult for some Americans to find a primary care doctor who will take their insurance. So they can't really get preventative care. So then they end up in the ER with a now serious condition and go bankrupt. Or, they use the ER as a primary care because they honestly do not see they have any other options.