COBRA or Obamacare?

[RetireAge50]

I'm surprised at how many people have "doctors". What age does this happen? Am I supposed to go to the doctor?

[Aerides]

Getting annuals is a good idea. So that's a PCP.

Then most women also have a OB/GYN that they visit at least once a year in addition, and the lovely mammograms. Assume most men visit urologist for the cough test sooner or later as well? Hence "doctors".

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides But I'd have to drop all my doctors, no longer get the Cleveland Clinic in my plan, and have a much higher deductible for that price. Copays and referrals for everything, stuff like that higher too. So a PITA cost.

I know what you mean. In particular, here in a lot of Texas the only Marketplace choice is an HMO that does not include MD Anderson (among others), and that is a deal breaker for a lot of folks. In contrast, the employer plan I'm on now (lucky to have one for 20-25 hours a week) not only includes MD Anderson, but treats them as a "cancer center of excellence" so we would pay a 10% copay instead of the usual 15% above the deductible.

It's bizarre how the individual and the employer group models are so different in terms of pricing and motivation.

[2017ish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetireAge50 I'm surprised at how many people have "doctors". What age does this happen? Am I supposed to go to the doctor?

Since our early 40s or thereabouts. I get annual exam; DW gets annual exam (she's been doing it for a lot longer). Two different doctors, as she prefers for personal reasons not to go to our friend for her exams--even though they've cross-referred over the years.

[DanP]

Timely topic for me, facing COBRA at ~1,900/month but even a basic search shows closer to 1,400 in the exchange for my particular situation similar coverage. Going to an agent tomorrow to see what makes the most sense, guessing private will win over exchange, and over cobra.

[Fedup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetireAge50 I'm surprised at how many people have "doctors". What age does this happen? Am I supposed to go to the doctor?

Only one doctor here for annual check up. I no longer have an OBGYN.

[mamadogmamacat]

only one now also, as my OB/GYN just retired and I have been researching whether one really needs to continue seeing one past menopause. I'm leaning toward not. Will of course continue with having the annual mammogram, or annual pancaking as I called it at work, to the confusion of the mostly male staff and the generally riotous laughter of the few females within earshot

[Fedup]

Mine can do all the tests that OBGYN can, hence there is no need to see any OBGYN.

[2017ish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fedup Mine can do all the tests that OBGYN can, hence there is no need to see any OBGYN.

True. DW is an OBG. She doesn't see an OBG any longer (56).

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetireAge50 I'm surprised at how many people have "doctors". What age does this happen? Am I supposed to go to the doctor?

Yes, around age 40 you will start to see doctors more often. Other than dental checkups and physical exams required by my job I didn't see any at all until about that age. Then I had a stomach ulcer (long since healed) and I had a gastroenterologist to see a couple times a year. Also around age 40 I had knee surgery and two hernia repairs a year apart. About 45 I had minor surgery for squamous cell cancer on my ear. No recurrence with that but now I had a dermatologist to see a couple times a year.

Through age 60 that was about it, then things started to snowball at 64 when I ended up with two stents in my heart and I had a cardiologist, a couple years later I had a cardiac ablation done for atrial fibrillation so now I have an electrophysiologist to see twice a year. Last December a spot on my arm turned out to be malignant melanoma, so now at 67 I have a dermatologist, a plastic surgeon, and an oncologist in addition to the others. ( The melanoma seems to have been caught early, no issues.)

This "getting old" crap is a pain in the butt but I suppose it's better than the alternative.

[RetireAge50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Yes, around age 40 you will start to see doctors more often. Other than dental checkups and physical exams required by my job I didn't see any at all until about that age. Then I had a stomach ulcer (long since healed) and I had a gastroenterologist to see a couple times a year. Also around age 40 I had knee surgery and two hernia repairs a year apart. About 45 I had minor surgery for squamous cell cancer on my ear. No recurrence with that but now I had a dermatologist to see a couple times a year. Through age 60 that was about it, then things started to snowball at 64 when I ended up with two stents in my heart and I had a cardiologist, a couple years later I had a cardiac ablation done for atrial fibrillation so now I have an electrophysiologist to see twice a year. Last December a spot on my arm turned out to be malignant melanoma, so now at 67 I have a dermatologist, a plastic surgeon, and an oncologist in addition to the others. ( The melanoma seems to have been caught early, no issues.) This "getting old" crap is a pain in the butt but I suppose it's better than the alternative.

Oh boy... so it should be soon for me. I'm so glad there are doctors to help us when things go bad and you are doing ok now.