GOING TO THE DOCTOR

The mother/daughter team of Dunns presents health-insurance fundamentals to help readers keep from digging ever deeper into their pocketbooks.

With the advent of managed medical care comes the critical need for readers to manage their health insurance. The Dunns, who ran the office of their neurologist husband/father, are all business–though genial and thoughtful in tone–as they navigate what it means to go to the doctor, and what to expect from your insurance provider. They outline the roles played by primary care physicians and specialists, and how they fit in the matrix of preferred provider, health maintenance and exclusive provider organizations. The authors make sure readers understand the big financial issues, such as deductibles and co-payments, but also take pains to bring readers up to speed on the care aspects of health care. They stress the importance of giving doctors all necessary information, recognizing the importance of follow-ups, learning which questions to ask and how not to waltz blindly into doctor-recommended procedures or regimens. Perhaps of greatest value is a crash course on the culture of medicine in the managed-care arena, which boils down to this: “No one will care as much about your health–or your money–as you do.” So while doctors may have all the intelligence and empathy in the world, readers still must read the coverage booklet their HMO sends upon enrollment. In a priceless nugget of advice, one with which your mother would agree, the Dunns urge readers to be medical diplomats: “Treat people as you want to be treated.” If readers feel for any reason their medical care is coming up short, they should respectfully make concerns known and deploy the patience of a saint if need be. Per the Dunns, “Acting hostile or condescending will get you nowhere fast.”

An unvarnished explanation of the right approach to health-care decisions.