Looking for a PCP in SoCal Area

[Julie R]

In particular the high desert, but I would consider Orange County or SB / Riverside for a good one. I have printed out the letter that Diana Cox posted to take to your PCP, and that will help, but I really would like a word-of-mouth referral. Most of the doctors I've met with lately I've...not been that happy with. So thanks in advance for any assistance. This is my original post on the "Hello" forum:

I'm looking for a new PCP. We lost our employer-based insurance on July 1 after my husband, a teacher, was laid off in June. We wrangled our way through Covered California and now have Medi-Cal. My old PCP was, well, old (in her 80s), and even though she was also a hematologist, she would not send me for an iron infusion even though my iron has steadily trended downward even on 10mg of Proferrin Heme Iron 2xper day. So....if you know anyone in the High Desert (Victorville / Palmdale / Apple Valley / Rancho Cucamonga / San Bernardino) folks, if you know of a DS friendly PCP who takes Medi-Cal (it's finally straightened out), and a hematologist I would appreciate it. Thank you!

Julie

 

[southernlady]

Julie, look at your list of available PCP's (check family docs, internists, and primary care) all different ways of saying similar things...your PCP. Find one fresh out of school and see if you can educate them. You may have to go thru a couple/three/four to find the best fit.

 

[Julie R]

Hi,

Thank you for your input. Here's the thing:

1. Every doctor I've Googled in my "approved book" has had horrible reviews, on multiple sites. (Do only horrible doctors get approved to be Medi-Cal doctors? I've never had or used Medi-Cal before.)
2. If I want to change doctors, it's a minimum 45 days to meander through red tape. I needed an iron infusion last month. I'd like to get it right the first time.

Surely there are people who live in this general area that have a PCP they like who is DS friendly and takes Medi-Cal???

Off to the dentist. Good times. NOT.

J.

 

[Julie R]

Well, found an OB/GYN, very highly rated, took four days to get a real person on the phone, got an appointment for less than two weeks from now. Still searching for a PCP. The only PCP listed in our town was convicted of some kind of misdemeanor and is on probation. NO THANKS. Last ten doctors I researched all had less than two stars and lots of complaint about wait times, rude, staff, and dismissive doctors. I may need to make in person visits at this rate. Wow. I'm not digging Medi-Cal so far. PLUS, they really make it hard to get prescriptions. Unreal.

 

[Larra]

@Julie R I'm sad to say that you are probably in for a rough time of it, finding a pcp you like who isn't a convicted felon or some such thing. Many, many docs in CA don't accept Medi-Cal at all because of the low reimbursement rates. Some who do accept Medi-Cal keep their Medi-Cal patients to a certain percentage of their practice because they couldn't pay their bills if they did otherwise, so until one of their patients leaves the practice, they maintain a waiting list. And those who do accept Medi-Cal can be so overwhelmed with patients that it takes forever to get an appointment.
I'm sorry, but this is the reality, and it will remain so unless and until reimbursement rates rise. And because there are so many new Medi-Cal patients right now, the problem has worsened.
so, I think you will need to make an appointment with whatever pcp seems least objectionable based on reviews, check him/her out for yourself, and hopefully find someone who is willing to provide the care you need. Be prepared for a challenging process.

 

[DianaCox]

Do you have straight Medi-Cal, or is there an HMO option? I'm helping my brothers work the system in Los Angeles, where HealthNet HMO is an "option" (and I assume they have somewhat more "vetted" doctors than straight Medi-Cal, though I could be wrong) - though having an HMO is almost not optional when you're in LA County - they WANT you in one of their HMOs.

For my brother who is very ill, I am constantly fighting the system to keep him OUT of Medi-Cal, so he can get directly to specialists at UC Irvine and UCLA. For that, I needed to initially find him a PCP, and what I did was to write to her and TELL her what to do (OK, ask her with a great deal of detail and why) to get him referred to specialists I had already picked out; then, it is a constant battle to keep him exempted from the HMO (I just won an appeal for him after he was kicked off despite his doctor saying he needed to stay exempt). For my other brother, who mostly just needs routine medical care, the HMO is just fine.