Bipolar Support Group

Ok so back in late January or early February when my old clinic decided to close my case, I had to find a new pdoc. I didn't want to pick some random name out of my insurance doc list, so I called a doctor I remembered from the hospital. I couldn't get in til April 7 which was ok cause I had back-up from my primary care short term to fill my prescriptions.

Now, something happened between then and now and this doctor no longer accepts my insurance. He accepts medicare, but not my supplemental (Univera). I never went to any appointment replying ONLY on medicare part B so I have no idea how much it would cost - I believe I have to pay 50%, but 50% of what I don't know...

Does anyone have any idea how much pdoc appointment costs out of pocket? I guess since this is my first appointment with him it would be an intake appointment which I think costs more than the regulat stop-and-get-meds appointments.

I am so flustered right now...I double checked my insurance doctor list and suddenly there are only 61 pdocs in the whole county - there used to be way more than that, I am sure of it...and I KNOW this pdoc WAS on the list 2 months ago...

2 docs on the list I know and will not go back to...one I used to see and I loved him but I tried to get back with him and he wouldn't take me back

I guess I am gonna have to get back on the phone with NAMI again and read the names off the list - they wanted my list so they could tell me who they would be comfortable recommending but I never called back cause I got the doc I wanted but now I guess not...

Maybe I can try one more time to try to get the old pdoc that I really liked to take me back (last time I tried his nurse called me back and said that he said "you need a higher level of care". Anyone ever get that response? I don't know what the heck that is supposed to mean - he is a competent experienced psychiatrist and every counselor I ever had knows him even if they never worked with him - he has a great rep in the community.

I really wish I had a klonopin right now...I shouldn't have been taken off it and the stupid clinic dropped me before I could even tell my doc I wasn't doing so great without it...this all just sucks!

It sounds to me like you have.some.good ideas.about how to handle.this. You could try apologizing to the old pdoc if you did.anything to upset him and promise to follow his treatment plan. Maybe.then.he would take you back. I'm grasping at straws there. Fees vary greatly from pdoc to pdoc. They might give you a discount if you explain what happened. Call the pdoc's office and speak to their billing person. She can tell you how much.

I don't know what level of treatment you receive from your pdoc. Mine is strictly a 15 minute pharmacological visit for a $70 fee of which I have a $40 copay. My prior pdoc was the same, but he charged $120 for a visit. So it can really vary. I hope your old pdoc will take you back, but if not, I'm sure you will be able find someone you can work with.

An initial visit is usually 60 min and is between 250 and 300 around here. Have you applied for medicaid? That would help with the cost. If the doctor said you needed a higher level of help, was he used to treating children or the elderly? There are some pdocs who only treat bipolar II, anxiety, unipolar depression. I interviewed at a pdocs office for an office mgr position and the pdoc told me they didn't treat patients with schizophrenia. Some of them have specialties. Hope this helps.

"you need a higher level of care".

Are we talking maybe some fairies with pixie dust?

Thanks guys...ok my history with pdocs is a bit complicated - the old doc that I really liked isn't from the clinic that just dropped me - I liked that one too but now HE isn't on the insurance's list either! (Obviously he was just a couple months ago when I last saw him).

Here it is -

1998 - Dr. G.

1999- 2001 Dr. R (my favorite Dr.)

2001-2003 - quit meds & just stopped seeing Dr. R.

2003 - back to Dr. R.

2004-2006 - quit meds & stopped seeing Dr. R. again

2006 - after leaving hospital tried to go back to Dr. R - I assume he gave up on me following his treatment plan, he would not take me back, got the higher level of care comment...

2006 - 2008 - Dr. Ka. (didn't really care for him...)

2008-2011 - Dr C. - I liked him ok but the clinic decided to drop me - I don't even know if Dr. C had anything to do with it - my counselor told me they were auditing their case load and I was one of the people they were dropping because she felt I didn't need counseling anymore (I just don't think we ever really clicked)

Now I tried to get in with new pdoc - Dr. Ko. but suddenly he doesn't take my insurance they called today to tell me so...

I feel I am not thinking very clearly right now - not sure if my timeline is completely accurate...I just hate this and it is dumb that the clinic dropped me to begin with - they didn't even give me references! I had JUST been taken off klonopin and didn't get a chance to talk to my doc about how I felt without it! They just faxed stuff to my primary care assuming she was going to prescribe my meds but she wants nothing to do with that so I have to start from nowhere to find a pdoc and I don't want to wind up with someone like a doc I didn't mention who treated me while I was in the hospital in 2006 - he gave me zyprexa only and I felt awful - I had a list of problems with the med every time I saw him but he would say "that's normal" and just wouldn't listen!

I can't see a doc who doesn't take my insurance though...I looked and now Dr. Choe isn't taking it either when he was just back in January when I last saw him! I don't know what is going on with Univera but all sorts of pdocs apparently dropped them from their accepted insurances

I get too much from SSD to get medicaid - I used to be on the spend-down where I paid them the difference between their max monthly income (which is only like $750) and what I get from SSD but then one year my SSD went up quite a bit but the medicaid max stayed the same, now it's just not worth it to pay them when my copays total less than what I'd have to give them to get on medicaid...

A doctor can't drop u without references.

You may have done this already but you said you were in the hospital. Can you call them and ask them for a referance or what you should be doing now that you are going through withdrawls from klonipin? I am not a p-doc but if you are having psychotic features and SchioAffective BP disorder you do need a higher level of care. Also, and again...Not a doctor but unless you have left off some meds on your signature it seems to me that you are undermedicated. I dont know your situation but the other folks around here with bi-polar with psychotic features are treated with meds that are different from us Bi-polar one and twos on the forum. Got to cut this short. Took my meds a while ago and am losing the ability tho think and type clearly. Good luck, hope tomorrow brings you a doc and some meds.

Post edited by: Crow2, at: 04/05/2011 07:44 PM

Wyndrake.... I see that you're in WNY. I sent you a PM.