Non-Obamacare insurances, who are those?

[tloonya]

Ok, just went to the pharmacy. Heard talk between owner of the lab and pharmacy owner.
Said no Quest or LabCorp accepts Obamacare insurances anymore because they do not pay.
So she is going to be about the only one who will accept Obamacare.
Also doctors will not get paid 'per needle' when taking blood in their offices. They can do it now for free as a curtesy.
Also they said a lot of offices are refusing to take Obamacare...I am kind of confused because we just went to a DH's
cardiologist and they are tier 2 and no problem. However people are talking.

Also are there non-Obamacare insurances available?

[Deleted]

Yes. I suspect that "Obamacare" is any product bought through the government Web site. It may be that they pay providers so little that many providers refuse to accept the insurance. Starting July 1 I have a plan with Coventry that I bought through an insurance agent (I have COBRA till 6/30). Already I've been asked by my primary care doc's office to check with them before my annual exam and make sure I have one of the covered plans. She said that they don't accept insurance bought through the government exchanges.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Also doctors will not get paid 'per needle' when taking blood in their offices. They can do it now for free as a curtesy.

I have yet to get a blood test in a doctor's office, and believe me, I have been in a LOT of doctor's offices, from one end of the country to the other. The norm is that you get sent to a lab and they take the blood and do the testing.

Oh, and doctors don't take blood.....ever.

[Sam_2.0]

My OB's office and our pediatrician both take blood in the office. It's by one of the nurses and they have a separate room all set up for it.

She said that they don't accept insurance bought through the government exchanges.

Doesn't that defeat the whole point of the insurance exchanges? :/

[dannylion]

Jun 25, 2014 12:55:20 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Also doctors will not get paid 'per needle' when taking blood in their offices. They can do it now for free as a curtesy.

I have yet to get a blood test in a doctor's office, and believe me, I have been in a LOT of doctor's offices, from one end of the country to the other. The norm is that you get sent to a lab and they take the blood and do the testing.

Oh, and doctors don't take blood.....ever.

I always had to go to a lab to get blood drawn for tests, too, until I switched from Aetna to BC/BS this year during FEHB open season (I am a retired Fed, so I have don't have "Obamacare" insurance). The last time I had a checkup, the nurse took all the blood for the lab tests right there in the office and then sent it to Quest. I didn't have to make a separate trip to Quest myself. I thought that was an improvement over my previous experience with lab tests.

[NancysSummerSip]

Jun 25, 2014 13:04:25 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Jun 25, 2014 12:55:20 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Also doctors will not get paid 'per needle' when taking blood in their offices. They can do it now for free as a curtesy.

I have yet to get a blood test in a doctor's office, and believe me, I have been in a LOT of doctor's offices, from one end of the country to the other. The norm is that you get sent to a lab and they take the blood and do the testing.

Oh, and doctors don't take blood.....ever.

I always had to go to a lab to get blood drawn for tests, too, until I switched from Aetna to BC/BS this year during FEHB open season (I am a retired Fed, so I have don't have "Obamacare" insurance). The last time I had a checkup, the nurse took all the blood for the lab tests right there in the office and then sent it to Quest. I didn't have to make a separate trip to Quest myself. I thought that was an improvement over my previous experience with lab tests.

Our doctor will draw blood for DH, because he is on Medicare (his secondary insurance is Humana). Won't do it for me because I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The rules and regulations are just mind-boggling. No wonder many doctor's offices have a team of people just to deal with insurance. Or they just stop accepting insurance altogether.

[tloonya]

Jun 25, 2014 13:17:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:04:25 GMT -5 dannylion said:

I always had to go to a lab to get blood drawn for tests, too, until I switched from Aetna to BC/BS this year during FEHB open season (I am a retired Fed, so I have don't have "Obamacare" insurance). The last time I had a checkup, the nurse took all the blood for the lab tests right there in the office and then sent it to Quest. I didn't have to make a separate trip to Quest myself. I thought that was an improvement over my previous experience with lab tests.

Our doctor will draw blood for DH, because he is on Medicare (his secondary insurance is Humana). Won't do it for me because I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The rules and regulations are just mind-boggling. No wonder many doctor's offices have a team of people just to deal with insurance. Or they just stop accepting insurance altogether.

mine Blue too. they said you must have ppo to be accepted. I didn't know when I choose. now I don't think I can change.

So WHOM are the doctors going to accept And where were doctor's lobby when all this crap started?

[dannylion]

Jun 25, 2014 13:17:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:04:25 GMT -5 dannylion said:

I always had to go to a lab to get blood drawn for tests, too, until I switched from Aetna to BC/BS this year during FEHB open season (I am a retired Fed, so I have don't have "Obamacare" insurance). The last time I had a checkup, the nurse took all the blood for the lab tests right there in the office and then sent it to Quest. I didn't have to make a separate trip to Quest myself. I thought that was an improvement over my previous experience with lab tests.

Our doctor will draw blood for DH, because he is on Medicare (his secondary insurance is Humana). Won't do it for me because I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The rules and regulations are just mind-boggling. No wonder many doctor's offices have a team of people just to deal with insurance. Or they just stop accepting insurance altogether.

Ooooh, maybe they drew blood at the doc's office because I also have Medicare. I had forgotten about that.  This is my first year with Medicare, so I'm not used to factoring it into the insurance gestalt. I thought it was because I had changed to BC/BS, but I expect you're right. It's probably because of Medicare.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Jun 25, 2014 13:22:59 GMT -5 tloonya said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:17:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Our doctor will draw blood for DH, because he is on Medicare (his secondary insurance is Humana). Won't do it for me because I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The rules and regulations are just mind-boggling. No wonder many doctor's offices have a team of people just to deal with insurance. Or they just stop accepting insurance altogether.

mine Blue too. they said you must have ppo to be accepted. I didn't know when I choose. now I don't think I can change.

So WHOM are the doctors going to accept And where were doctor's lobby when all this crap started?

A PPO is a Preferred Provider Organization.  A PPO is a type of insurance coverage that differs from an HMO, another type of coverage.  PPO's and HMO's existed before the Affordable Care Act.  You can read about the two types of coverage here:  www.insurance.com/health-insurance/faq/hmo-vs-ppo.aspx

[mollyanna58]

Some doctors don't accept Medicare pationts because the reimbursement is too low.  Some doctors have decided not to accept the healthcare exchange policies because the reimbursements are too low.  There may also be other non-exchange policies that are unacceptable for the same reason.

Some labs and other medical providers may have made the same decision. 

[tloonya]

Jun 25, 2014 13:34:42 GMT -5 Rocky Mtn Saver said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:22:59 GMT -5 tloonya said:

mine Blue too. they said you must have ppo to be accepted. I didn't know when I choose. now I don't think I can change.

So WHOM are the doctors going to accept And where were doctor's lobby when all this crap started?

A PPO is a Preferred Provider Organization.  A PPO is a type of insurance coverage that differs from an HMO, another type of coverage.  PPO's and HMO's existed before the Affordable Care Act.  You can read about the two types of coverage here:  www.insurance.com/health-insurance/faq/hmo-vs-ppo.aspx

I know what PPO and HMO are. Is reading about it will help me with an answer to my question?

[justme]

It probably says there right on your insurance card which one you have.

Though I think the policies from the exchange have gone further from the traditional two by having small networks, different levels within it, and no out of network. 

[tloonya]

Jun 25, 2014 13:59:14 GMT -5 justme said:

It probably says there right on your insurance card which one you have.

Though I think the policies from the exchange have gone further from the traditional two by having small networks, different levels within it, and no out of network. 

I KNOW WHAT I HAVE. I have HMO. But I didn't know PPO will be a loving child and HMO will be not...
And plus I do not have proof that that's what those people were saying is the truth.
And when I said blood is drawn in a doctor's office I never said by the doctor. I meant that doctor gets paid for it.
And then doctor pays a nurse who draws...(I just rhymed thang)

But NOW doctor will not get paid 'per needle' and those nurses will have nothing to draw...because doctors will not
going to be able to afford them...

[justme]

Jun 25, 2014 14:04:54 GMT -5 tloonya said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:59:14 GMT -5 justme said:

It probably says there right on your insurance card which one you have.

Though I think the policies from the exchange have gone further from the traditional two by having small networks, different levels within it, and no out of network. 

I KNOW WHAT I HAVE. I have HMO. But I didn't know PPO will be a loving child and HMO will be not...
And plus I do not have proof that that's what those people were saying is the truth.
And when I said blood is drawn in a doctor's office I never said by the doctor. I meant that doctor gets paid for it.
And then doctor pays a nurse who draws...(I just rhymed thang)

But NOW doctor will not get paid 'per needle' and those nurses will have nothing to draw...because doctors will not
going to be able to afford them...

PPOs are usually more expensive, and that added expense gives you choice and (more) control. With HMOs (from what I've heard/read, I've never had one thank God) it's very controlled on who you can see and how you can see the person. I was in the waiting room a while ago and overheard the staff member saying they can't treat her until they get an updated referral because the last one was X old and expired according to her insurance. 

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Jun 25, 2014 14:04:54 GMT -5 tloonya said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:59:14 GMT -5 justme said:

It probably says there right on your insurance card which one you have.

Though I think the policies from the exchange have gone further from the traditional two by having small networks, different levels within it, and no out of network. 

I KNOW WHAT I HAVE. I have HMO. But I didn't know PPO will be a loving child and HMO will be not...
And plus I do not have proof that that's what those people were saying is the truth.
And when I said blood is drawn in a doctor's office I never said by the doctor. I meant that doctor gets paid for it.
And then doctor pays a nurse who draws...(I just rhymed thang)

But NOW doctor will not get paid 'per needle' and those nurses will have nothing to draw...because doctors will not
going to be able to afford them...

What you seem to have is a bit of a conversation overheard between two non-doctor business people about how 'a lot of' things are going on, none of which seems to have an actual affect on your own coverage at this point.  And apparently, some 'people talking'. I'm not sure what you are looking for, but I'm sure I won't be able to help since these threads seem to always end up with me being informed I suck at reading comprehension.

[shanendoah]

There is NO SUCH THING as "Obamacare" insurance.
Your doctors office has NO IDEA if your insurance was bought through an exchange, a broker, or your place of employment.

What your doctor's office/the pharmacy/lab know is who your insurance is through. They will have different negotiated rates for Blue Cross, Humana, etc. They can also choose, in their negotiation with insurances to be in the preferred provider network or not. They may be contracted only for an insurance's PPO plan and not HMO plan. And whether they are contracted or not effects their rate of payment from the insurance company. It also effects how much you have to pay the provider.

PPO networks tend to be a little bigger, and you often have more ability to go "out of network", but at greater expense to yourself.
HMOs tend to be less expensive to you as a consumer because the insurance company has more control over costs. If you understand how they work, they are just as easy to use as a PPO, but they do require a little more work on your part to understand.

[weltschmerz]

Jun 25, 2014 13:17:03 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jun 25, 2014 13:04:25 GMT -5 dannylion said:

I always had to go to a lab to get blood drawn for tests, too, until I switched from Aetna to BC/BS this year during FEHB open season (I am a retired Fed, so I have don't have "Obamacare" insurance). The last time I had a checkup, the nurse took all the blood for the lab tests right there in the office and then sent it to Quest. I didn't have to make a separate trip to Quest myself. I thought that was an improvement over my previous experience with lab tests.

Our doctor will draw blood for DH, because he is on Medicare (his secondary insurance is Humana). Won't do it for me because I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The rules and regulations are just mind-boggling. No wonder many doctor's offices have a team of people just to deal with insurance. Or they just stop accepting insurance altogether.

No kidding! Between the minefield of red tape and deductibles and caps and in-network and Part Bs and Cs except after Ds, I don't know how you manage.

I really don't.

I have a card with my picture on it. That's it, that's all.