In 2009, President Barack Obama famously made this promise:
“[N]o matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.”
Unfortunately, many Americans weren’t permitted to keep plans they liked. And many of those forced into Obamacare are facing not only poor customer service but also limited networks of doctors and hospitals. In many cases, doctors say that Obamacare reimbursements are too low to cover their costs.
“The exchanges have become very much like Medicaid,” Andrew Kleinman, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York told USA Today last fall. “Physicians who are in solo practices have to be careful to not take too many patients reimbursed at lower rates or they’re not going to be in business very long.”
These tweets posted by frustrated Californians illustrate the scope of the problem:
https://twitter.com/NCcherie/status/568144114077691904
It seems as if every doctor @BlueShieldCA suggests to us TURNS US AWAY because we have Blue Shield through @CoveredCA. Double plus ungood.
— Larry Gilbert (@L2G) February 16, 2015
And why do most doctors in the San Francisco Bay Area not accept it? @davek @OBAMA_GAMES @cspanwj @CoveredCA
— Big Bertha (@MistralWinds) February 14, 2015
@MistralWinds @OBAMA_GAMES @cspanwj @CoveredCA :Same thing in LA. My doctor won't accept it either.
— davek (@davek) February 14, 2015
https://twitter.com/SFfanIam/status/565936747096186880
https://twitter.com/TheBlakeDriver/status/564473209504821248
@CoveredCA Yes you can sign-up for #CoveredCA but good luck finding a Doctor that will take it. #ObamacareLies
— David Lyons (@Davids4x4Truck) February 3, 2015
@CoveredCA It's almost impossible 2 find a doctor that takes exchange plan. Long lines save $$ cuz peeps die first
— living in america (@libbyconservy) February 3, 2015
HMO'd when I should have EPO'd. I hate you @CoveredCA – why would your system recommend a doctor I can't actually go to?
— Nate Schier (@ntschier) January 7, 2015
@SutterMF and @BlueShieldCA Please work out your contract differences. I just got my doctor thru @CoveredCA and now have to change? Ugh.
— Jessica Clark (@Jessica_D_Clark) January 7, 2015
@CoveredCA if only my doctor, or ANY doctor, would accept covered ca patients, we would be all set. #fraud
— Karen Falzone (@karenfalzone) January 7, 2015
https://twitter.com/johneightclip/status/568857906155646977
Dear @CoveredCA: Why do a large majority of the doctors listed in your medical booklet not accept CoveredCA? Did you throw darts?
— Oh, I’ll hotfire in your RMS know what i mean (@ROCKETDRAG) February 19, 2015
The future of Obamacare has arrived in California, and it ain’t pretty.
https://twitter.com/leo3linbeck/status/549034450068049920
Related:
Doctors Begin To Refuse Obamacare Patients
More Doctors Refusing ObamaCare Patients
Some doctors wary of taking insurance exchange patients
Some South Florida docs decline to accept Obamacare
Why this liberal woman who voted for Obama twice no longer supports Obamacare
Thanks, Obamacare: Missing health care tax forms preclude taxpayers from filing returns
‘This whole thing has been a mess’: More frustration with Covered California
Buten or butten? Covered California misspellings don’t inspire confidence
Whoa! Keep your doctor? Obamacare architect: HA, suckers, only if you pay more
Keep your doctor, period? Meet Americans who say they already lost their docs under Obamacare
Distraught mom: Obamacare ‘takes away all of my baby’s heart doctors’
If you like your doctor … tough noogies!
So, California, how are your Obamacare health plans working out so far?
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