Turning 21 (and not being a student) I lost my parent’s health benefits
I also lost my family Doctor when I moved to Halifax
All that I am asking is that I find a walk in clinic or a Doctor willing to write me out a simple prescription for acne medication.
I hadn’t had acne since I was 13 because I was on prescriptions but now I find myself without a doctor so all of the sudden I am covered head to toe in disgusting pimples.
I know there are worse things in life than acne but I also would like to have my confidence back!
If anyone knows of a way to get a Doctor ASAP in this city then please, please respond to my cries!
—Pizza face
This article appears in Nov 5-11, 2009.
There were once these things called “phone books”. They have white and yellow pages. While they don’t often wander the residences of students they can often be found at university help desks. In them there are long lists of doctors. You can call them one by one until you find one accepting patients.
What about walking into any doctor’s office and explaining your situation? I did it once, and it worked! When I first moved away, I was in your situation with my asthma, needing meds right away. i couldnt find a walk-in clinic and none of the doctors I called were taking new patients. So I found a regular office, and went there. I explained my situation to the secretary and she spoke to the doctor, who kindly agreed to write me a prescription right there. He also referred me to another doctor who was taking patients. Good luck- acne might not be a life or death situation, but it’s still a very shitty thing to have to put up with.
There are walk in clinics everywhere. Use your google. Here, I’ll help:
http://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_en…
You can also use this website:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/physicians/
You’re a 21 year old and can’t work the internet?
I sometimes wonder if there really is a shortage of family physicians or just an over abundance of people incapable of finding them.
Hey Pav!
There was once something called “reading the post”
Pizza Face said
“Turning 21 (and not being a student)”
Be careful where you aim that Bitch, you might hit yourself.
Ah, I understand now. A lack of university education meant they did not know about the existence of phone books. I apologise.
Why do people bitch and complain about not being able to find a doctor in Halifax, or even HRM. I simply picked up the phone and called a medical centre, and voila! I had my own personal family doctor. You might want to give that a try. There are plenty of doctors accepting new patients in Halifax.
lol Pav!
The NS government website has a list of doctors accepting patients in the HRM, and their locations (as Miles posted about). When I moved to HRM, I looked one up, gave them a call, and booked an appointment. They’ll probably want to do an orientation visit first, but if you require it right away they might write a prescription, especially if you bring your old prescription in (if you still have it). I will warn you though, because of the flu and everything else going on right now, appointments are definitely tight for all doctors.
Dr. Kevorkian never turned anyone away….
I’m assuming you’re female – go to planned parenthood and get the pill. Acne problem solved.
Oh my goodness some of these comments are so nasty! Yikes!!
They deserve it dartmouthy. Halifax does not have a shortage of GPs. Believe me. I’m with Miles. People are just too lazy to find one.
As far as the medical coverage is concerned, you can buy medical coverage, especially considering that your parents have an existing relationship with a provider, you could probably get a discount.
yeah, I didn’t even use the internet or a phone book and found a doctor willing to accept in under 10 mins… including walking time.
not hard to find, just have to look.
No wonder students today are lously researchers. If they can’t find the answer on Facebook, their cell phone or the Dome then there’s no answer to be found.
When I went to university we had to opt into the school’s health plan. You could only get out of it if you showed proof that you were covered by your parents’ plan.
Is that not the case any longer?
Dr. Nick will perform any surgery for $129.95. Just call 1-600-DOCTORB. The B is for bargain!
“Ah, isn’t it my old friend Mr. McCraig, who has a leg for an arm, and an arm for a leg!”
Classic episode.
OP do not listen to halicowton re:bc pills. Not all BC pills will help acne, and even the ones that do shouldn’t really be taken for that reason alone, even if some doctors are willing to prescribe them. BC pills contain serious synthetic hormoones and the possible side effects might not be worth risking to get rid rid of acne, especially when there are many other options available. Once you find a new new doctor, see if you can stick to the prescription you have
Okay . . . I THINK (but may be wrong) that you can continue to see your doctor at the University Health Services for an indefinite time after finishing your studies.
You still have your personal Health Card don’t you? So you still have your basic medical coverage from this province (or your home province) . . . you just don’t have any extended coverage for anything beyond the essentials. (I am guessing you are taking Accutane or something along that line—not sure how expensive that is if you have to pay out of pocket.)
Again, it’s been a while since I’ve been a student, so I am not sure how this works now.
If you can’t get in to the University Health Services, you can try try the Family Focus clinics. I have had good luck there.
You know, you can also use the doctors at Planned Parenthood as your “regular” doctor.
OP IS NOT A STUDENT PEOPLE.
Also: there are plenty of walk in clinics around the city. I can name 5 off the top of my head just sitting here thinking about it. I’m sure there’s more.
Also: at 25, student or not, you lose your parents’ coverage. I’m guessing insurance companies figure people who aren’t students at age 21 SHOULD have the income to get their own insurance and stop living off their parents.
I mean if they don’t cut you off at 21 if you’re not a student, then when? Gotta grow up sometime 😉
I’ll never grow up and you can’t make me!
If you are not a student, the theory is that you are a working person and many employers cover health insurance for their employees. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many Haligonians and the types of jobs that are generally available. So you either pay for your prescriptions or for your insurance. There are walk-in clinics in Halifax, I can’t imagine breaking out into pimples because I was too incompetent to find a doctor.
Something else: you know all those benefits you get at a job or as part of a student plan? You do pay for them, you know. They are added to your tuition fees or deducted from your paycheck.
As a freelancer, I have to buy my own benefits. And regarding my disability insurance, the amount I pay for it each month is EXACTLY the same dollar amount that I would pay if I was working for a large organization.
Granted, CERTAIN plans are cheaper than others, and different employers subsized different amounts, but a 25 year old working person is most likely “buying” their extended health plan through work, or should be buying coverage of of their own if their job doesn’t include it,
And one other comment: at 25, disability insurance is way more important than apartment contents insurance. You may have few possessions that would equate to an irreplaceable loss, but the loss of lifetime earnings can be catastrophic.
And you don’t EVER need to buy “life” insurance (actually “income replacement insurance) if you don’t have children or dependents, or if your children are grown up.)
I graduated and have two jobs that don’t offer insurance. Go degree!
But anyhow, the website rateMDs has a list of Nova Scotia doctors and they’re rated by patients – so if you need one and want a generally favorable doctor, I’ve found that helps a little.
Well… I’ve been looking for another family doctor for over a year now. I have to go to walk-in clinics because my own doctor is horribly bad.