Type 1 Snobbery and Regional Differences

I can understand the role of the PCP as gatekeeper ONCE - not every time. BTW in NJ self employed people have been able to get insurance WITH pre-existing conditions for at least as long. NJ mandated no refusal AND mandated community rating. Was it more expensive than for example PA? Yes because of mandatory inclusions but you had choices AND more available care.

Thank you for the information. Part of my purpose of this thread is to share real experiences from real people in different regions.

I work and consult in the pharma and biopharma business. The most powerful force in the industry right now are the payers. 75% of prescriptions in the US are handle by just THREE payers.

PCP has nothing to do with better health care, it is all about cost control and service rationing. That claim may seem exaggerated to the healthy citizen. It is not.

I canā€™t complain really. I worked for the state for 28 years and paid my dues and the only benefit besides a check every month and insurance which I pay 140ish dollars a month for. I get the very best money can buy as long as the docs are in network and thatā€™s alot local and national. I had week in the hospital and was treated great except for the lady who tried to collect $300 dollars from me while I was still in the ICU, and of course the crappy way the treat diabetes. If all I owed is $300 dollars that is great, but collecting it while still in the hospital left a bad taste in my mouth.

As far big pharma, there is a lot that can be improved. Like charging people in the US a bit more fairer price for insulin. I get mine for $20.00 because I in the disease management program. Most my drugs cost 0. But I know ppl dying of diabetes because they can not afford insulin, and that is a big crime and they should put drug companies officials in Angola for all I care. LOL donā€™t get me started.

Yeah been in that situation too. Then you get into the drama when you have a PCP or two specialist who hate each other. I have or had that situation now. None of my doctors (PCP or specialists) liked my original endo, so me changing from him will take away some of the emotional stress in my life. You feel like a child caught between warring divorcing parents. Stop the insanity.

Not meaning to cause a problem here, but how do you know that the provider didnā€™t wash her hands before examining you? I work in the OR, and there are numerous handwashing stations and antibacterial foam dispensers that I can access prior to speaking to a patient. How would they know whether or not Iā€™ve washed/disinfected my hands? I am very conscientious about that, as I know are my co-workers. Iā€™m sorry, but it offends me when a patient assumes that Iā€™m not as caring and professional as I should be (because I am!). If you want to worry about this, thatā€™s OK, but donā€™t assume that because you havenā€™t personally witnessed handwashing, that it hasnā€™t been done appropriately.

I respect your professionalism and donā€™t doubt what you write. I regret that you feel offended.

But I will answer your question. This new facility does not have hall hand washing stations. Even if the doctor had washed her hands before exiting the last exam room. She touched that door. Then I saw her stop at an admin station and handle some documents before entering the exam room where I was sitting. After entering, she closed the door.

Another way I check is to look at the published stats on nosocomial infections for hospitals. (They are not available to my knowledge for group practices). If a hospital has an average infection rate - it is not good enough. It has made an economic decision that it wonā€™t or canā€™t (insufficient funding resources) address the problem.

Each one of those surfaces is a potential source for contamination.

Try this CDC site if you want data on the current state of healthcare acquired infections. Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) | HAI | CDC

It is also not only an individual problem. Sometimes the facility and infrastructure are the issue. To put a dent in this problem our local/regional hospital has moved to 100% single rooms and installed technology to monitor performance. When a patient leaves the room everything in the room is also removed for cleaning and is completely disinfected as well as every surface in the room. A confirmatory set of tests must pass before the room can be used again.

Here is an article describing what they were doing in 2012: Behind One Hospital's Fight Against Deadly Infection - WSJ

Type 1ā€™s have compromised immune systems. So I pay attention to these risks as much as BG, A1c and diet.

My immune system is awesome and Ive been T1 for over 37 years. I wouldnā€™t make a blanket statement that all of our immune systems are on the fritz. I rarely get sick with common illnesses or get infections. Some people are germaphobes (Howie Mandel) and others will pick dropped food up off the floor. :slight_smile:

Good point, it is bad form to overgeneralize. I may be, in fact, a germaphobe but I plead extenuating circumstances. It took 4 years to cure infections and close the wound from my Achilles tendon surgery and that was under specialists care.

1 Like

BTW the food on the floor - thing, it is a scientific factoid that the more tasty the food, the more bacteria resistant it is.

1 Like