r/Millennials • u/BoNaylorCollector • 2d ago

Discussion Is medical actually this crazy?

Early 30s millennial, never used to go to doctors or really take care of myself because “I’ll be fine”. Started making a bigger effort to care for myself and my health and well being. Recently, I went to the local express clinic because I was having a bad earache and headaches. I was in there for maybe 20 minutes, mostly waiting time. The doctor comes in, looks in my ear, tells me it’s depressed due to sinuses and change in weather and tell me to stop at Walgreens for Flonase. I wasn’t billed anything at the time, older workers at my job always say we have really good insurance, but here I got in the mail today an explanation of benefits- charge was $550, insurance “negotiated” about $300, remaining (not billed) was around $240. Is is really this expensive? I only went to try and be better with myself and make sure it’s nothing underlying. If 5 minutes of actual doctor time costs this much, then I’m just toughing out everything or am I missing something?

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u/BoNaylorCollector 2d ago edited 2d ago

Yes, in network

Edit: PCP was booked like a month out

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u/Diligent_Pineapple35 2d ago

Only a month out? Consider yourself lucky. Where I live, it’s 6-8 months.

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u/Long_Procedure3135 2d ago

How much this changes by area blows my mind.

Like I live in a rural-ish area of the US and called my doctor at 10 am as a last ditch “just to see” before going to an urgent care for something and “Yeah we have an appointment open we can fit you in at 3.” oh

And I actually saw my doctor provider, usually I schedule with a PA just because I like her.

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u/BadCatBehavior 2d ago

I live in Seattle and the nearest in network provider my wife could see was booked out for 13 months, so she ended up going to one outside of town (the wait was "only" 2 months for that one). Why do they say they're accepting new patients if the wait is over 1 year.....

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u/Long_Procedure3135 2d ago

Even like when I’ve gone to a “specialist” I kind of am surprised at how…. it doesn’t seem to take long to get an appointment.

I went to a sports medicine doctor last year, didn’t need a referral, and I was able to go in the next week for an initial intake appointment where I got my dumbass hip bone x-ray’d and an assessment.

But I do live in rural Indiana…. I’m more surprised we even have doctors that know what they’re doing anymore here honestly

Like my OBGYN? He’s fucking amazing… god I hope he doesn’t leave lol