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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Boston Area doctors?

Messages
1
I'm in urgent need of someone to help with massive, almost universal food allergies. I'm also epileptic, have Lyme, MCS, CFIDS and more. Any recommendations? Thanks, Aurora
 

SanDiego#1

SanDiego#1
Messages
280
Location
SouthEast USA
Contact MA CFIDS.

http://www.masscfids.org/contact-us

and/or check out this outdated list:

http://www.co-cure.org/USA_MA.htm

GG

PS Will let you know who my Dr is (via conversation), he does not take most insurance, so you need to pay out of pocket, or perhaps you can see 1 of his other office staff?
GG
How sad as sick as we are as patients- and most of the specialists do not take INSURANCE. An ELITISTS
Group!!!! I am seeing one now and the fees are outrageous!!
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
GG
How sad as sick as we are as patients- and most of the specialists do not take INSURANCE. An ELITISTS
Group!!!! I am seeing one now and the fees are outrageous!!

True, some may be elitist, others just may not be able to keep their offices open with the amount that insurance compensates. To really evaluate us, a doc needs to spend more than the 20 minutes or so that insurance usually pays.

Even to process the insurance claims takes a lot of manpower or hiring an outside billing office--which the doc has to pay.

I've discussed this with a couple of "good doctors" who hated not to take insurance but couldn't pay their expenses with the amount insurance paid them. It is sad both for patients and for doctors.

Sushi
 

SanDiego#1

SanDiego#1
Messages
280
Location
SouthEast USA
True, some may be elitist, others just may not be able to keep their offices open with the amount that insurance compensates. To really evaluate us, a doc needs to spend more than the 20 minutes or so that insurance usually pays.

Even to process the insurance claims takes a lot of manpower or hiring an outside billing office--which the doc has to pay.

I've discussed this with a couple of "good doctors" who hated not to take insurance but couldn't pay their expenses with the amount insurance paid them. It is sad both for patients and for doctors.

Sushi

Sushi- Sorry -but I do not agree with you. They can pay their expenses to do insurance. I would rather go more visits and have a 30-40 min visit. I have found several Physicians who do this. More are Greedy however. What the problem is -We are in dire need of more Dr. that treat out illness. When some of the good ones see how great the need is and how desperate we are-they go up on their fees.Do you really in your heart believe these Dr. cannot keep their offices open if they take insurance? They would still make a big profit.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sushi- Sorry -but I do not agree with you. They can pay their expenses to do insurance. I would rather go more visits and have a 30-40 min visit. I have found several Physicians who do this. More are Greedy however. What the problem is -We are in dire need of more Dr. that treat out illness. When some of the good ones see how great the need is and how desperate we are-they go up on their fees.Do you really in your heart believe these Dr. cannot keep their offices open if they take insurance? They would still make a big profit.

Hi,

Yes, some are greedy, but I worked the numbers with some others who felt they needed to see patients for longer than the 20 minutes insurance would pay for. One had to close her office because most of her patients were on Medicare or Medicaid.

And even for patients with private insurance, they compensate doctors with reference to what Medicare pays.

Another opted out of insurance so that he could provide things like an IV infusion room for patients like us. His malpractice insurance was also doubled for treating ME/CFS and Lyme patients.

Sushi
 

SanDiego#1

SanDiego#1
Messages
280
Location
SouthEast USA
Hi,

Yes, some are greedy, but I worked the numbers with some others who felt they needed to see patients for longer than the 20 minutes insurance would pay for. One had to close her office because most of her patients were on Medicare or Medicaid.

And even for patients with private insurance, they compensate doctors with reference to what Medicare pays.

Another opted out of insurance so that he could provide things like an IV infusion room for patients like us. His malpractice insurance was also doubled for treating ME/CFS and Lyme patients.

Sushi
Sushi- Just for the record- All of the Dr that are saying they don't take insurance are considered Non Participating Providers. However, they can give you a statement listing Diag Codes and you can still file insurance yourself. I just did this with my CFIDS Specialist and I got $2000.00 out of $8000.00. They do not have to file it for you to get some back.
They may not want to do it, as their treatments are questioned. It took awhile, but they did it and I did get some back.
I did not even ask them to file it. So the statement "We do not take insurance" is really not true. I also file my Neutraceuticals and Compounded vitamins and I do get paid some.Have to have someone that puts in the right codes!!!

San Diego
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sushi- Just for the record- All of the Dr that are saying they don't take insurance are considered Non Participating Providers. However, they can give you a statement listing Diag Codes and you can still file insurance yourself. I just did this with my CFIDS Specialist and I got $2000.00 out of $8000.00. They do not have to file it for you to get some back.
They may not want to do it, as their treatments are questioned. It took awhile, but they did it and I did get some back.
I did not even ask them to file it. So the statement "We do not take insurance" is really not true. I also file my Neutraceuticals and Compounded vitamins and I do get paid some.Have to have someone that puts in the right codes!!!

San Diego

Yes, I used to do that when I had private insurance but Medicare doesn't give the option to file yourself. :(

I stick to docs who take Medicare except for my ME specialist who is in another country and whose fees are very low anyway.

Sushi
 

SanDiego#1

SanDiego#1
Messages
280
Location
SouthEast USA
Yes, I used to do that when I had private insurance but Medicare doesn't give the option to file yourself. :(

I stick to docs who take Medicare except for my ME specialist who is in another country and whose fees are very low anyway.

Sushi


Sushi- Can we get your ME Dr. to move over here???
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sushi- Can we get your ME Dr. to move over here???

I wish that were possible too! It isn't ideal to fly overseas to see your doc--talk about PEM! But with licensing and all that, it is isn't possible to switch countries except in places like the European Union where they accept other country's credentials.

Sushi
 

SanDiego#1

SanDiego#1
Messages
280
Location
SouthEast USA
I wish that were possible too! It isn't ideal to fly overseas to see your doc--talk about PEM! But with licensing and all that, it is isn't possible to switch countries except in places like the European Union where they accept other country's credentials.

Sushi

Sushi- Don't know how you do the trip without a week rest in between. The Dr trips here or out of town almost do me in. When are you going to Brussels again? Hope you are doing well and have a Peaceful Christmas. Please let me know in Conversations (if you prefer) how your treatment is going. .

San Diego