[stephent]

Having a Difficult Time Deciding

Hi dand,

Unfortunately my Medicare HMO insurance company does not make the names of “Specialists” available to members. In addition, my Primary Care Physician has no input or control as to the “Specialist” the insurance company assigns.

If I’m dissatisfied with their “Specialist”, my only option is to choose someone else at 100% out of pocket cost to me, but thanks, it was a good suggestion.

Stephen

[stephent]

Having a Difficult Time Deciding

I’d like to very much thank each of you for your thoughtful responses to my post, so here’s my plan:

Because I’m in a Southern California Medicare Advantage HMO Plan I’m required to meet with my primary Physician to obtain a referral, which I’ll do on January 24th. That will be followed with an appointment to meet the referred surgeon within my ‘Medical Plan’. This will allow me to determine his/her experience and at which hospital the surgery would be performed.

Following that appointment I plan to return here and share the results of my visit, as this blog has been very helpful in my decision making to this point.

Stephen