Especially if you're dealing with chronic illness

I recently had a patient who had a rare autoimmune disease. She was in her twenties but had to deal with conditions that most people don’t experience in a lifetime. She began to cry as she described worrying about not being able to work because of her condition. She talked about not being able to get the treatment she needed because she had just moved into the area and didn’t know any doctors. This was her 3rd time calling 911 that week and she was getting frustrated.
Sadly, she is not alone.
As of this year, about 133 million Americans are living with at least one chronic illness. That’s a little over a third of the total population! A lot of them have nowhere to turn except the emergency room when things get rough. While the ER is a good resource for emergencies, you will need more than an ER doctor to address any chronic illness you might be facing.
What is Chronic Illness?
Chronic illness is any illness that you live with. Some common examples may include arthritis, high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes. They’re the kind of illnesses that you manage over time with the goal of either keeping them from ruining your life or eventually getting rid of them altogether. The difference between chronic illness and an acute illness is that while a chronic illness is something you deal with over time, an acute illness needs to be dealt with right now. Occasionally, some chronic illnesses will turn acute. Just ask anyone who has ever had an asthma attack.
So how do you set yourself up for success in dealing with chronic illness? Here’s what you need to do:
Step #1 - Get a Health Insurance Policy That Fits Your Needs
The only thing worse than not having any health insurance is having health insurance that doesn’t cover the things you need the most. Getting affordable health insurance that works for you has gotten easier since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. With so many health insurance options available, finding the right ones for you can be a daunting task. Fortunately, the folks at NerdWallet created the perfect guide to figuring out what kind of health insurance you need.
Come back when you’re ready for step 2.
Step #2 - Find a Good Primary Care Doctor
Your primary care doctor (also known as a Primary Care Physician) is the one who will determine the best way to address your medical needs. Sometimes that may mean a diagnostic procedure like an x-ray or blood tests. It could also mean taking a look at your current prescriptions. Often, your primary care doctor will lead you to the specialist whose sole purpose is to take a closer look at the exact cause of your chronic illness. Your primary care doctor essentially takes the lead in your medical care team. The specialist should always report their findings to your primary care doctor.
Because of this, it’s important that you find a primary care doctor that you like and trust. It’s also important that your primary care doctor listens to your concerns and does not dismiss them. It’s okay if you need to switch doctors a few times. It happens more often than you think.
"Your primary care provider is going to be a problem-solver and an important advocate for your health. It’s critical that you trust them and feel comfortable asking questions." – United HealthCare
Tip #3 - Find a Specialist That Works For You
Just like the previous step, you need to find the specialist that believes you when you say that you’re hurting. Your specialist also needs to be open to listening to your observations. My wife spent 18 months trying to find an allergist that would listen to her, let alone prescribe her the medication she needed to treat her asthma. Your specialist may know more about their field, so they might correct some misconceptions. Having said that, they should never discount your observations about your body or your condition.
Tip #4 - Take Care of Yourself
Your healthcare team can only do so much for you. Most of the work in recovering from chronic illness happens at home. This could be as simple as keeping up with your prescribed medications. For most people, the biggest change comes in the form of changing one’s diet or adding an exercise program. For a lot of people living with arthritis, simply cutting out fried foods reduced the amount and severity of flare-ups significantly. Remember to keep your doctors in the loop if you’re making any major changes to your lifestyle.
It Can Be Overwhelming
The healthcare system in the United States is complicated. Between insurance premiums, copays, and prescription drugs, the cost of health care can become astronomical. While there is a lot we covered today, there are a lot of details I didn’t cover today. That’s because today’s post is very much an overview of what you need to do to access the healthcare system. In future posts I will go into a bit more detail on how to accomplish these steps without breaking the bank.
Comentarios