I've been with almost the same group of doctors since I was diagnosed but my office is switching insurance companies and for the first time in my life I have to get all new doctors. I'm trying to see this as a good thing and that I can find new people to help influence my life in a positive way. I love my current endocrinologist and he's made a few recommendations towards a new one but I'd really like to make a team of super diabetes savvy doctors. I'm located in the Sacramento area and am looking into the UC Davis Med Center to assemble my new team. Can anyone recommend a general practicioner, OB/GYN, endocrinologist, diabetes care manager, and/or high risk pregnancy OB/GYN (my husband and I are hoping to start the long process of getting pregnant)??????
[quote user="Stephanie"]
I've been with almost the same group of doctors since I was diagnosed but my office is switching insurance companies and for the first time in my life I have to get all new doctors.
[/quote]Does your new insurance company hava a database of doctors accepting their plan? If the only reason you are switching is becasue of an insurance change, and your old doctors don't participate in the new plan, then one of the most efficient way of finding new doctors is a list of those who do participate. Take the list to your trusted doctors and find out names of those they trust, or equally effective (IMO) is names of poeple they DON'T trust.
cheers and good luck
I have sent a list of available doctors to my current set of doctors and only my endocrinologist has made suggestions, but I still have other docs to pick. I figured what a better way to find a doctor that I like as a diabetic than to ask other diabetics who they like. My current general pactitioner doesn't fill me with confidence when I ask her diabetes questions as much as a doctor that has other diabetic patient would. I love my current endo and have narrowed down the list from his suggestions and I love my OB/GYN because she used to work in the high-risk pregnancy department so she was able to answer my questions very confidently but she doesn't know of other OB/GYN's outside of Kaiser.
Thanks for the suggestion!
You may ask your specific MD's billing office what the contracted per visit rate is or the cash rate they charge. Remember that MDs contract with each Insurance co a different rate of compensation than they charge individuals who don't have Insurance. You may want to strike a deal with your OB/GYN for a contracted rate if it's worth it to you. If your Insurance co sent you an EOB ( explanation of benefits) you can find out how much they were paid for your previous visits and that would be a place to start the negotiations.
Good Luck, I also hate changing the Diabetic plan b/c of Insurance