Derm in the US what are the costs and waiting times?
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free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 12:25 am

Hi,
I am a bit curious about the US health system.
I am in Canada and on this board I keep on hearing of people visiting dermatologists and and really curious how it works in the US.

(no,do not want to see a derm,but curious how the US system is vs. Canada).

My parents are in the US half t he year,I know they have no insurance and just pay as they go for whatever specialists (I know my mom just payed 6k for some jaw surgery that was emergency a few weeks ago....)

In Canada we do not pay for actual doctors visits,and you need a referal for any specialists for pretty much every kind of medical thing.

I know seeing a derm at a hospital,the waiting list is over 1 year...
Some medical clinics that are walk in they have derms and you might wait 1month to 2 months for am apt.

I also know some regular doctors at walk in clinics they will treat blemishes w cortisone injections and the doctor visit for that is free,but then it is $20 per injection.

Anyway,the health system in Canada is good for emergency things,but everything else is extremely long waiting times!

Hopefully I'm not being too nosy with asking,and hope this post is not too long!

This board is quite interesting so far and I've learned quite a lot Smile

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 7:28 am

Our US health system is totally crazy, it all depends on your insurance or lack of, where you live and how booked the doctors are. For those on Medicare/Medicaid some doctors except coverage and some have chosen not to. Some insurance requires referral to any specialist by a primary care physician, some don't. To top it off there are different Medicare (for the elderly) plans and they work differently. It's complicated and we have many, many uninsured here as well. I know some think national health care is not good, but we have what I would call an elitist system for the most part. Those with the best jobs or retirees with the funds can afford the best. Those on welfare and medicaid wait for anything considered elective. And those without coverage or money are in deep poop!

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 7:34 am

Ottawa Shopper wrote:

In Canada we do not pay for actual doctors visits,and you need a referal for any specialists for pretty much every kind of medical thing.

I know seeing a derm at a hospital,the waiting list is over 1 year...
Some medical clinics that are walk in they have derms and you might wait 1month to 2 months for am apt.

Ottawa Shopper, have you tried to see a derm at a clinic? I'm asking because since hospitals are university-affiliated they get lots of referrals from the more severe problems from all over the province so that makes the wait list a bit longer.

But outside of the hospital, just in clinics, you can usually get appointments very easily.

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 12:37 pm

Josee wrote:

Ottawa Shopper wrote:

In Canada we do not pay for actual doctors visits,and you need a referal for any specialists for pretty much every kind of medical thing.

I know seeing a derm at a hospital,the waiting list is over 1 year...
Some medical clinics that are walk in they have derms and you might wait 1month to 2 months for am apt.

Ottawa Shopper, have you tried to see a derm at a clinic? I'm asking because since hospitals are university-affiliated they get lots of referrals from the more severe problems from all over the province so that makes the wait list a bit longer.

But outside of the hospital, just in clinics, you can usually get appointments very easily.

Not in a few years though.
Around 2 years ago I was bitten by some insect on my leg, and ended up with what looked like a very red "burn kind of".
I went to a medical clinic and the doctor put in a referal....and I waited around 1 year.
Which to me is pretty bad.

The medical clinic "regular doctor" firsttold me to just use cortisne cream....(did not help,mademy skin worse).

I ended up having to take antibiotics because I was starting to get cellulitis.

The antibiotics helped a lot thankfully.

If I would have done nothing and just waited the 1 year for the specialist/derm to do anything I would have been really screwed Shock

So,
a year later I finally see the derm and geee...surprize my leg is better.
But I still have some marks where I was bitten and my skin was inflamed.

But back to the US,
I thought that if you lived in the US medical clinics and hospitals were not allowed to turn away patients, and that they just went to hospitals wich are less fancy,or they get just basic care?

My only experience with the US health system was at a travel medical clinic for a ear problem.
Was pretty expensive for someone just looking at my ear and writing a precription for antibiotics...

I forgot also, in Canada healthcare kind of looks free but people have to pay a healthcare taxbased on income.

And I've seen a few medical clinics lately they are trying to charge patients "administrative fees"for processing whatever paperwork.
I don't think they are supposedto do that,but are trying to get away with it.

I was just asking about doctors in the US because almost every day in the paper there is something about how the US system is worse,then someone aregues it is better...

I don't know anyone in in the US other than family,so it's kind of hard to find out how everything works there.

(or I guess I could ask Micheal Moore Laughing

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 1:48 pm

It depends where you live in Canada. I've lived in Quebec, Ontario and BC. Halth care services are quite different in those three provinces, being Quebec the most accessible to me.

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 5:46 pm

I thought that if you lived in the US medical clinics and hospitals were not allowed to turn away patients, and that they just went to hospitals wich are less fancy,or they get just basic care?

~~~~~~~~~
Hospitals cannot turn you away for a true emergency. They have to treat you whether or not you have insurance, but only in an emergency. If your condition is not emergent, and you don't have insurance, you probably won't be seen unless you can pay on the spot.

free skin care · Mon May 31, 2010 6:14 pm

margarett wrote:

It depends where you live in Canada. I've lived in Quebec, Ontario and BC. Halth care services are quite different in those three provinces, being Quebec the most accessible to me.

Yeah same here. I got my appt. with my derm (in Quebec) within... a week. And in Alberta within... a month?

OttawaShopper, if you can't get an appt. in Ottawa come to Quebec I'll hook you up with a derm....it will definitely be cheaper than in the US!

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:08 am

Working for a good company that provides good insurance will give you really good health care choices.

Decent insurance is included in one's salary and can add a good 5 to 7 thousand dollars (sometimes more)to one's annual income. With that, the employee may have to pay for family members (they don't usually come free). Then, there is usually a deductible that has to be met before the charges get reduced for services (can be the employer's choice - usually from $100/year to $500/year). Once deductibles are met, then big discounts apply for visits and services met. But, then, the employee also has to pay a percentage (sometime not) of the fee - say 20%. All in all, visiting doctors is quite expensive.

Insurance companies may(or may not) also provide 100% coverage for emergencies and for well-being check-ups. My children's annual physicals and my yearly physical are paid for at 100%. Emergency room visits are also 100%. But for other visit: sick calls, accidents, derm visits, etc - you have to build up towards your deductible and then will start recieving discounted pricing.

There are so many different insurance companies out there and each company has different policies to offer. No one person you meet will have the same coverage.

And, medical insurance is usually only offered through larger organizations. Small businesses and self-employed people cannot afford to buy insurance. That is why our country just went and wrote a national insurance program - for those types of people (and there are lots of them).

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:17 am

As far as the waits go - our family has had good insurance thru my DH's job and we still need to wait to see different doctors. The better ones or the specialists will have longer waiting lists - months usually. Never a year, though.

My DM-in-law needed surgery last year and the specialist had a 2 month wait for a consultation and another 2 months for surgery. And this was with referrals - which usually speed up that process.

I usually book my gyne appt 3 mos ahead (so I can get a preferred time) for physicals and will book a follow-up derm appt for my kids 6 wks ahead (while I'm at the office - I just make my next appt). So no wait really there. If I try to get in to see the kids's pediatrician, for sick visits - I call in the morn. For physicals, they are usually 3 wks out. All specialties and different doctors have different waits. Heck - if I need to get a hair appt (my stylist is a popular one), I will book THAT 6 weeks out!! This is esp true around the holiday time.

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:21 am

Many large companies have been instituting policies in the last few years where the new hires are given just enough hours to preclude them from being full time and therefore ineligible for any benefits, including insurance. Very few corporations offer coverage for part time employees. Also many insurance companies only cover hospital stays at 80% which can leave the individual with a huge bill plus a copay.

As far as being turned away, hospitals only have to stabilize a patient, anything above and beyond is not legally required if they can't pay or have no insurance.

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:12 pm

Josee wrote:

margarett wrote:

It depends where you live in Canada. I've lived in Quebec, Ontario and BC. Halth care services are quite different in those three provinces, being Quebec the most accessible to me.

Yeah same here. I got my appt. with my derm (in Quebec) within... a week. And in Alberta within... a month?

OttawaShopper, if you can't get an appt. in Ottawa come to Quebec I'll hook you up with a derm....it will definitely be cheaper than in the US!

Hi,
my dentist is in Quebec actually- Montreal!
just that is a hassle to go to as it is 4 hours away...

I'm not really looking for a derm right now though.

I heard recently that in Quebec to see a doctor the government is charging a $25 fee?

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