I have been seeing a doctor since the beginning of March that I like quite a bit. He doesn't take insurance so I write a check each time I'm there. He prescribes Sub for me but he will only give me 1 or 2 weeks at a time. He is doing this to keep a check on me because I tend to take more than prescribed sometimes. But I also think he enjoys taking my check each visit. As you can gather, I have paid this man thousands by now.
I am trying to find a new sub doc. There are lots of doctors listed on the website. Is it illegal for me to see another doctor while I am under my current doctor's care? I am asking because when I was taking pain pills, I signed a contract that I wouldn't go to any other doctor. (I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about). So I feel like I'm doing something wrong by looking for a different doctor. I will tell whoever I end up seeing exactly what is going on. But I really need to start seeing someone who doesn't want to see me every week or two.
Is this unethical or should I just stay with current doc?
One of the best things about insurance in our country is that we are customers. Same as with any product or service we buy, we have the right to change brands. I would browse through my insurance booklet and look for another provider... one who takes my insurance. You know, even if this guy is out of your insurance providers, most insurances make at least some payment to an outside the network doctor. Have you checked this out?
There is nothing wrong with changing doctors at all. Even PM doctors can be changed as long as wre go about it in the right way.
Go ahead and check out some other doctors. You can ask for an introduction visit where you sit down and meet the doctor.
Thanks for the advice Reach. I called another doctor this morning and luck have it, I got him on the phone. I told him how much money I have been paying the other doctor. He said that he really hates to say anything bad about a colleague, but that this other doctor's behavior is unethical by the way he was over-charging me to just write prescriptions. I kind of knew it but he made it very easy for me get in whenever I needed.
I was able to make an appointment to see this other doctor whose fees are more reasonable. I never really thought about doctors acting unethically but I really should have used more common sense. Oh well!
you know it's sad, but there are many unethical dr.s. they are people too and people are greedy. it's really sad that most of these sub dr.s won't even take insurance. CASH UP FRONT, just makes them look like drug dealers, legally. charging you every 2 weeks is BS! most charge once a month--mine is $200--just to right a script. but there are many dr.s who do truly care and don't charge hundreds or thousands of dollars just to write a script. but the bad ones are just taking advantage of a very lucrative business right now--sub!! but next year--sub will go generic and maybe now more people can get help. there's no way i could have had this treatment without my ins. paying for most of the script-(i pay $50). the sub alone can be over $400 a month! i am so glad you found a good dr. it's not everyday that you will find a dr. that says another is unethical.
