You go see your doctor or a specialist that your doctor sends you to. Now you are wondering if you should get a second opinion. You are wondering if you should have other tests done or should you go through with that surgery or is a certain treatment right for you.
Rest assured that you are entitled to a second or even a third opinion. The question is really whether you’d have to pay for it or if your insurance will pay. Will your doctor make another referral, etc?
Here are a few tips on getting what you want:

  1. Make an appointment to discuss this with your doctor.  Don’t do this over the phone.  Most doctors are happy to return calls for brief consults but not for anything that’ll take more than 5 minutes on the phone.  So make the time to go in and see your doctor.
  2. Make a list of things you’d like to go over.  Remind the doctor what the issues were and why you were sent to a specialist or whatever.  Tell them what happened, why you have concerns or reservations, who else you might like to consult with, etc.
  3. Your doctor may make some specific recommendations for you.  Keep in mind that you’ll get a more positive accommodating doctor if you present your case with relevant and organized facts.  I think most doctors don’t mind that you get a second opinion.  In fact, many doctors would rather have patients just tell them directly what the concerns are and why patients might feel uneasy.  Easier than having another doctor try to explain why the first doctor did such and such.
  4. If you have insurance that is not HMO, you can go to any other doctor you like, as long as you pay your copay.  If you have an HMO, your doctor will need to make another referral for you.  Most HMO will allow you to obtain a second opinion with another doctor.  They probably will ask that you pay for a third opinion but you will likely get the second consult covered.
  5. Once you go see another doctor, you might want to let that doctor know what your concerns are up front and why you came to them for a second opinion.  Some people feel they need to keep things quiet until the new doctor has made new recommendations before they admit that they actually already saw another doctor who told them A, B, or C.  I don’t think this is necessary.  The doctor is going to tell you their own opinion no matter what the previous doctor said.  It might save you time if you just get to the point and the second doctor can focus in on the issues that are important to you and perhaps explain things more clearly.

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