California health insurance exchange still lacks doctor search tool

[PoliticAverse]

Several days into enrollment, California's insurance exchange still has no answers for people wanting to know if their doctors are included in health plans being sold on the state-run market.

Covered California, the state's new insurance marketplace, said Thursday that its online search tool for doctors and hospitals won't be ready until Monday at the earliest.

The exchange touted the feature when enrollment began Tuesday, but it has run into repeated delays amid other computer problems that have bogged down enrollment.

Many people are worried about holding on to their current physicians with the federal healthcare law creating so much industry upheaval. The California Medical Assn., which represents about 37,000 doctors statewide, has expressed frustration about the delay in disclosing the provider information.

Read the rest at: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exchange-doctors-20131004,0,6689326.story

[kestrel91316]

1. I went to the separate website for the HMO whose plan

I want and was able to look over their doctors there. I didn't think to look for my old doctor, but he's really too far away now that I am car-free. I need somebody nearer to home, and there are several.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Be sure to check that the doctors listed in your area will accept new patients n/t

[kestrel91316]

3. Good point!

[antiquie]

4. I have so many options it will take me time to choose a plan.

63, no insurance for seven years and now I can be picky!
I want my end of the county, doctors in a silver plan that will accept Medicare in 15 months.
Thank you, Mr. President.

[ailsagirl]

6. Yeh-- Silver Plan is the way to go, though there are four different levels

All depending on your income.

[ailsagirl]

5. Tomorrow (Tuesday), I will have gotten all the requisite paperwork done

Last edited Mon Oct 7, 2013, 09:55 AM - Edit history (1)

in order to sign up for Obamacare.

I'm going through a fantastic broker, who takes the time to explain everything, what the best options are for my situation, etc. Best broker I ever encountered! I could never done it on my own.

[PasadenaTrudy]

7. I got a notice

from Blue Shield saying that the plan I have now won't exist at the end of the year. It will be turned into a Platinum plan, and $9 less a month. So, I'm not sure what to do. Apply for ACA, or just go with this one. I want the most coverage I can get!

[PoliticAverse]

8. When do you have to decide?

In a week or two when load is hopefully lower just checkout the plans on the exchanges you can
get, and compare prices and provider networks.

[PasadenaTrudy]

9. By end of Dec I think

I've been on Coveredca.com and I have the choice of Healthnet, Molina, and Kaiser HMOs, and the Blue Shield. Only $1 difference in the Blue Shield PPO on the Covered CA site..

[PoliticAverse]

10. Ok so you've checked the California health exchange site (coveredca). If you are happy with

the new plan (pretty much same as your current one?) then you could just go with it.
If you compare it with other plans on coveredca be sure to check what their provider
(hospitals, doctors, etc.) networks consist of.

[PasadenaTrudy]

11. Yeah

It looks identical to the Platinum one on the CoveredCa site. Deductibles, copays, all the same.