KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Retirees search for doctor after insurance change
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An unexpected change in retirement benefits has left one local woman scrambling to find a doctor.
Donna English, 86, has Medicare and supplemental insurance through her husbands retirement benefits.
But, she recently learned her insurance provider will be changing from Aetna to Humana.
"I first asked my doctor if they took the plan, and they said no," English explains.
Her Aetna coverage expires on December 31st. By January 1st, she will need to find a new doctor. But, Donna says that is easier said than done.
"I'm finding it very difficult, first of all, to find a physician in the valley who will take on a new patient. Secondly, most of the people I have contact, that I might have a possibility of getting into, do not accept Humana."
She says she has found an Orthopedist and an eye doctor who accept Humana. But, she's still searching for a general care doctor. She would prefer to see an Internist.
"I do need to be able to go to a physician once a year to be sure everything is going along ok."
Donna called a Humana customer support line, hoping for some tips on where to find a doctor.
"That was one of the first calls I made. To find out who was available."
She got some leads, but nothing panned out.
"The numbers they gave me were not helpful at all," she explains.
Donna's thought about trying a different provider, or an HMO, but has reservations. She says under the terms of her retirement plan, dropping medical coverage would cost her vision, hearing, dental and prescription coverage.
"They will not provide unless we go to the Humana plan," she says.
Donna says she wasn't prepared for this type of change and isn't quite sure what to do now.
"I was feeling secure in the fact that we had been taken care of and all of the sudden I'm out in the cold."
She and her husband plan to attend an informational meeting that Humana is scheduled will hold in Grand Junction next week. She hopes they'll get answers or advice on how to get out of this dilemma.
