Just lost my pain Doc because of Obamacare.

[Eva 14]

Lil E---I'm so very sorry to hear this. Sorry to hear that Obamacare has actually made things worse for chronic pain patients---how terribly disappointing.

In my opinion, you should be allowed to go to whichever doctor you choose. If your doctor isn't contracted with your insurance and you are therefore forced to pay him in cash, that certainly isn't YOUR fault. I had thought that we all had the choice to see private doctors and pay cash if we had to. Is the government interfering with this right? We should be able to see whichever doctor we choose.

I'm also in Calif. My PM recently recommended that I try medical MJ. In my experience, it didn't work. It actually intensified my pain, in a strange sort of way. But if MJ works for others, I'm all for it. I really hope MJ works for you.

My PM said that the government is cracking down so heavily on opiates (and maybe pain docs too?) that he fears that opiates may not be available to prescribe in the near future. This scares the H--- out of me, because my pain is extremely severe and opiates are the ONLY thing that enables me to function at all in this level of pain.

My PM recommended I try medical MJ in case the feds take away opiates. I tried the medical MJ and was so disappointed in the results. As I said, it actually made my chronic pain worse. (Again, if MJ works for others, I'm all for it. Just pointing out that many CP sufferers NEED opiates just to function, and MJ doesn't work for everyone).

I'm so sorry that you lost your pain doc due to Obamacare. What a nightmare! It almost seems to me like your Constitutional Rights were violated, but I'm not a legal expert. When will the US government learn that SOME chronic pain patients NEED opiates in order to function and lead a normal life? How can they deny us the pain medication that we so desperately need?

If you want to see a doctor of your choice that is YOUR business and no one else's. How dare the government deny you access to your own doctor! It really makes me angry that CP patients are being treated so horribly. I had thought that California was a fairly 'liberal' state in terms of pain management laws, but my own PM told me not to count on that. Scary! If I couldn't get my pain meds, my own pain is so severe that I think I'd be forced into suicide. What a horrible thought. I hope and pray that the government never actually DOES take our pain meds away.

Good luck to you.

Eva

[Eva 14]

Lil E---So sorry to hear about this. Even before Obamacare went into effect, my PM doctor was not contracted with any insurance plans. Apparently insurance payments to doctors are very low, so I've noticed that more and more doctors are refusing to be preferred providers on any insurance plan. Not just pain docs, but most specialists and even many primary care doctors. The reimbursements are too low, apparently.

What I truly cannot understand is that the government is saying that you do not have the right to pay cash to any doctor whom you choose? Is this a new government policy that Obamacare is imposing? If so, it sounds like they are singling out pain management doctors, which seems unconstitutional and discriminatory to those of us who are in chronic pain.

For example, if you wanted to see some other sort of specialist who did not take your insurance and you paid out-of-pocket, would the government step in then? Not likely.

If I were in your shoes, I would write letters to both Senators, my Congressperson, Obama, etc. This is blatant discrimination against a chronic pain patient. I don't know how the government can get away with telling you which doctors you can and cannot see, especially if YOU are paying for the appointments yourself! How is that the business of the government? I've never heard of anything so intrusive. I'd be very, very upset.

I hope that the MMJ works for you. It didn't work in my case. Best of luck to you.

Eva

[Eva 14]

Mark, I definitely agree with you that Obamacare has not lived up to its claims.

Obamacare has NOT made health insurance more affordable. My premiums are ridiculously expensive with or without Obamacare. I also do NOT for a minute believe that insurance companies are no longer looking into patients' pre-existing conditions. I have a couple of pre-existing conditions, along with my chronic pain condition. I strongly suspect that I'm being 'penalized' for having pre-existing medical conditions, because my premiums are so much higher than those of other people who are my age who do not have pre-existing conditions.

Just wanted to let you know that I agree with you, and that Obamacare did nothing to reduce health care premiums, as the politicians promised it would. Unfortunately, it seems that there is no such thing as 'affordable health care' in the US. It makes things really tough financially for those of us with chronic medical conditions.

Eva

[alex44]

houghchrist - we go way back and I am sorry to hear of your situation. MMJ can and is a lifesaver - I hope you are in a state where it is at least medically legal - I do - I can't say more as ,well you know how it is with Govt. Snoops. I wish you well and I hope it gets better for you. I hope you don't suffer from Methadone withdrawel as it is a ^$$%$. Good luck and happy holidays
Blessings
Alex44
Skypilot

[clouds z]

that sounds terrible,so typical of this disgusting era we live in -good luck

[algosdoc]

If marijuana works (there is no such thing as "medical marijuana", it is just marijuana), then go for it. While much safer than opioids, it works for a minority of patients in chronic pain in reducing pain, but causes sedation or giddiness in many that they believe masks but does not treat the pain. Nonetheless, if weed works and you don't mind the side effects, why not?

[alex44]

It is the distraction from the pain - and why should I not want that - anything that makes you feel good these days is, in the governments eyes, no good. Prohibition did not work, neither does the Harrison act.
Blessings
Skypilot Steve