Swine Flu

Woke up with muscles so stiff that I could only move like the Tin Man. Since this had gotten progressively more painful over the last two days and I had a fever, I decided to go to the doctor. This was quite a learning experience.

We have not been in the area long enough to have a family doctor so I went to an after hours clinic. While I was waiting, several persons were denied treatment because they did not have insurance or the right kind of insurance. I wondered what these people would do and frankly it was hard to watch those conversations. Some of these people were obviously quite ill.

After about an hour, my name was called and the receptionist requested my insurance information. After glancing at my papers, she quickly informed me that they did not accept Blue Cross/ Blue Shield and told me to call the number on the card to find a local provider. Stunned, I retreated to my car to make some phone calls.

It turns out there is only one network provider who is an internist in my town and who is accepting new patients. The first open appointment would be in the second week of October. The other four phone numbers were either disconnected or no longer accepting patients. At this point, the pain in my muscles was significant and I could not stand without using something to pull myself up. I seriously considered going to the emergency room. Instead I called my physician in my former town (2 hours away) and I was able to get an appointment.

My husband generously left work early to drive me. It turns out that I have swine flu and it has aggravated a problem in my back since the flu affects muscles. I have a bag full of drugs and will have to stay home for a few days.

But what about those other people who did not have any place to go? How many of those people just go home? I know that I did not want to go to the emergency room because of the potential cost and I also know that no matter what I said on the phone, the physician offices I called had no other suggestions. They did not have any place to refer me to other than the emergency room.

Think about this.

This means that if you do not have insurance, you either must ignore the problem or go the emergency room. This is because by law the emergency room must treat you.

Notice that since my insurance was not accepted, my only local options were to go the emergency room or wait weeks to see a doctor.

One of the big arguments against health reform is that we would have to wait weeks for an appointment. How is this different from what we have now?

Another argument is that you would have to travel to receive health care. Travel? You mean drive two hours one way to see a doctor like we did today?

One thing that might be different is that those dejected people who left that clinic this morning might not be spreading whatever illnesses they have to their communities since they would receive treatment.

I find it hard to believe that the current system is best we can do