OB/GYN Discussion Thread

Dr. Curic is absolutely wonderful in his lectures!!! 😍 Seriously, he’s actually a great guy. He’s attentive, patient, and you can ask him about the most mindless nonsense (like I do, for instance...🙄 😁) and he’ll still take the time to answer everything.

There is just one massive downside—waiting for your paperwork is an absolute nightmare, so if you want to get things done, paying for a private tutor or service is definitely worth it. I was stuck waiting for my papers for four whole months. 😲 Just imagine... by the time your results finally show up, you could practically be dead and gone...😁

So, I went to see a gynecologist at the student health clinic in downtown Chicago for the very first time—just this older gentleman, and honestly, he was absolutely wonderful! But then, I tried switching over to the socialized healthcare option, and let me tell you, I am *never* doing that again. I ended up dealing with a yeast infection three separate times, and according to them, it wasn't exactly an "emergency"—they told me I’d have to wait about two weeks for an appointment! Two weeks?! I simply cannot imagine enduring that kind of discomfort for that long... so, naturally, I just gave up and headed straight to a private practitioner every single time! 😠
Once, I saw Dr. Podobnik—his office is right over on West Madison near the old rail yards—and another time I visited Dr. Jelekovic over on West Roosevelt. Both of them were seriously fantastic! The first one is such a jovial guy; he explains everything and shows you what's going on so clearly, whereas Jelekovic is just incredibly calm and laid-back. They are both total gems! 🙂
But then... there was this one time. I went to a female specialist for an exam—private practice, too—and oh my goodness, I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. This woman, who apparently specializes in pediatric exams or something, treated me in a way I will never, ever forget. She was grabbing my arm like I was some sort of farm animal! It was excruciatingly painful, and while I'm lying there in agony, she’s just shouting at me to "relax" while she keeps digging away! 🙂I call her "The Violator," though her actual name is Dr. Vignjevic—she has a practice near Union Station. I truly feel bad for leaving such a negative review, I really do, but she earned it... especially since I found out from another girl that she’s done the exact same thing to someone else! 🙂

placidjackal97 said:I don't do private practice. There aren't any private doctors here. So yeah, this is her own little boutique clinic—she spends maybe four hours a day at the OB-GYN office, and the rest of her time is in the OR. She’s actually considered one of the top surgeons in town.

But she takes patients covered by standard state health insurance just fine.

Come on, placidjackal97, walk me through what you just typed there???

-Not doing private practice???
-No private doctors around here???
-So this is her own private clinic???

She told you that whether the doctors here are private or not doesn't really matter... they just take your insurance card, so you aren't stuck paying out of pocket like how it works back in the States... 😉

Jack Harris3 said:She told you that whether the doctors here are private or not, they take your health insurance card—you don't just shell out cash from your own pocket like back in the States. 😉

That's true for most, but it isn't a universal rule!!!
Personally, I go to a private OBGYN—which means either private insurance or straight cash!!
No other health coverage works there!!!
I totally misunderstood what placidjackal97 was getting at because she worded it poorly... my bad!

Living in Germany?
I’ve honestly never heard of a doctor there who wouldn't see you if you have standard health insurance, rather than demanding private coverage or cold hard cash upfront. 😕
I mean, I get that certain specialized stuff requires out-of-pocket payments or private plans—you know, things like dental work, braces, high-end glasses, or getting a private single room in the hospital...
But basic, everyday medical care? 🤔
First time I'm hearing about something like that...

Christian Sanchez44 said:Dr. Miller at the university clinic is wonderful!!! 😍 Seriously, he’s a really decent guy. Attentive, patient—you can ask him even the most mindless questions without feeling judged.

I'm Karen White13, and I am super satisfied—definitely the best experience I've had so far.

I haven't seen Dr. Miller myself, but I've heard nothing but great things from a friend.

My former gynecologist was an absolute jerk—Dr. Nielsen, both at the hospital and in private practice. He refused to write me a prescription for Candida (???) and instead suggested I just rinse my vagina with apple cider vinegar. After two months of struggling, when I finally went back to beg him for actual cream and wipes, the guy literally told me it was because my boyfriend was cheating on me! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! What a prick... anyway, he hasn't seen me since...

Ladies, stay far away from Nielsen!

Wait, how on earth did he conclude that some guy is screwing you behind your back??
What kind of absolute audacity is that?

So, I went to the student health clinic to see Dr. Zudenig. It’s actually a decent spot. Before starting the pill, he sent me for blood work, but we didn't get to the ultrasound because he was clearly in a rush. The nurse there is unbearable. I called once to ask the doctor a quick question about my prescription, and she basically snapped at me, claiming the doctor wouldn't talk over the phone and that *she* would be the one explaining things. I'm a med student; I literally know more than she does, yet here she is, completely unqualified, trying to lecture me. All I wanted was a quick word with the doctor.
Just an observation: being the nicest doctor in the room doesn't mean they're the best at diagnosing you.
Think about that.
DOES ANYONE KNOW A GOOD OBGYN AT THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER?
ALSO, DOES ANYONE SEE DR. VISNJA LATIN? I'D LOVE SOME FEEDBACK ON HER.
THANKS

I'm currently over at Dr. Miller's office on College Avenue dealing with some social services stuff. He hasn't actually performed an examination on me yet, but he strikes me as a genuinely decent guy, the kind of person you can actually approach with just about anything without feeling judged.

Jack Harris3 said:She was saying that whether the doctors here are private or not, they take your insurance card—you aren't paying out of pocket like you do back home in the States.😉

Exactly—thanks, Jack.

So, the clinic might be her own private practice, but I just use my health insurance card when I go there.

placidjackal97, I didn't mean to confuse you—I phrased that poorly... my bad!

Actually, I said it exactly how it is. I haven't heard of any doctor around here working strictly for cash—not that they don't exist, but 99% of people wouldn't need to pay like that if they have standard insurance coverage.

New York City - Frane Rušinović 👍 🙂

I’ve been taking my car to him for years now 😁

Honestly, I wouldn't trust anyone else touching my "baby" until he finally calls it quits and retires 😁

placidjackal97 said:I think I expressed myself pretty clearly, honestly. I haven't personally heard of any doctors out here just working strictly for cash under the table. I mean, I'm not saying they don't exist, obviously, but I guess 99% of people probably wouldn't even feel the need to pay like that if they have decent health insurance coverage through their job or whatever.

And besides, I think you're totally misinterpreting what Suza was actually getting at earlier:
She was saying there are definitely doctors who will only see you if you're either on a private plan or if you're paying out of pocket upfront!
And look, I’m telling you this from my own experience—it’s true: there are clinics out there that exclusively take patients with private insurance (which is such a pain, honestly).
Like, an osteopath we saw recently charged us directly for her services (we did four sessions total), and her business card literally says "private insurance only."
So, I mean, it’s super likely there are gynecologists out there who work that same way too, only taking private patients.

Gynecologists...

First, I was seeing this family doctor... someone who really started getting on my nerves. 😁 Then I tracked down this amazing specialist who moved into private practice, which basically turned visiting him into a luxury sport. After that, I tried one unpleasant woman who did her exam with one hand while using the other to flirt with some resident—who she didn't even bother to introduce as he strolled casually into the office. To top it off, she suddenly starts snapping at me, asking if I’m a virgin because I'm "too narrow." (!??!! 😲 ) She hasn't seen me since. I went back to the polished, high-end gentleman sitting in his leather chair in front of those medical charts. 🙄 Since then, I’ve moved, and now I go to an excellent gynecologist covered by my insurance—super professional and kind. I just need to get an appointment scheduled sometime this week.

darkviper5 said:And Suza expressed herself differently than how you're interpreting it now:
She said there are doctors who take either strictly "privately insured" patients or cash only!
And that’s the truth—speaking from my own experience—there are clinics that exclusively see private insurance holders (what a joke).
Our osteopath charged us for her services (4 sessions total); her business card even explicitly says: "private insurance only."
There are probably gynecologists out there who work exclusively with private insurance too.

Girls, calm down—I was just explaining myself because I didn't realize how it read!!!🙏
The reality is that some people work solely on a private basis (and it's not just gynecologists, but other specialists too—even back home in the States). Personally, I see a private gynecologist and pay out of pocket; she only takes private patients or straight cash!!!
But I'm happy with her, and honestly, quality matters more than the price tag.
Question for those of you living in Germany!
I need a reliable gynecologist in the Munich area—can anyone help me out???

placidjackal97 said:It’s available here in the States—that was never even up for debate. Why on earth are you asking for recommendations when you just said you’re happy with your current OBGYN?

Just a practical question—what ends up being cheaper: paying the doctor out of pocket in cash or getting private insurance?

I’m asking because I’m looking into switching—right now I have standard public coverage plus some supplemental stuff—to full private insurance.
It isn't about being able to see specific doctors—everyone I've seen so far accepted my current plan—it's more about dental, hospital stays, and a few other things that make a huge difference. Especially since the new laws regarding public coverage are changing everything significantly.

I'm looking for someone else because I'm moving—I need frequent check-ups, and I can't exactly 373 miles drive all the way to my current doctor.
As for what’s cheaper???
That depends entirely on how often you actually need a doctor. If you go with private insurance, you cover everyone—not just an OBGYN!!! How much care do you actually need? Personally, up until a year ago, I never needed a doctor for anything besides childhood vaccinations... which means my basic public coverage was plenty, even back then. But then, in this last year, I've had to see a gynecologist, and by total coincidence, a friend and I went to a private clinic that blew me away!!! After seeing the bill from that first visit (which absolutely floored me), I tried someone through my insurance—total disappointment—then a third one... Eventually, I went right back to the private specialist! In this past year alone, I've seen him six times, which means paying cash ended up being way better for me than paying for private insurance, which runs about $130 a month. Anyway, I'm expecting a baby soon, so I'm weighing the private insurance option, but honestly, I'm not exactly a genius at this math...

Thanks for the reply—you hit the nail on the head with that last sentence. State insurance is great... right up until you actually get seriously ill.

I recently got a quote from a private provider where they estimated my monthly premium would be around $380. Right now, with state coverage, I’m paying more than $130—it’s about $190 total once you factor in the $40 monthly supplemental health fee—but since it's deducted from my gross pay, it scales with my salary. Plus, you can customize the supplements to cover only what you actually care about.

I opted to make sure everything was covered for the dentist. Honestly, though, when you go the private route—which most of my friends do—you don't have to deal with those annoying little bureaucratic headaches or people messing around with your claims.

placidjackal97 said:Thanks for the reply—that last sentence hit the nail on the head regarding what I’m actually worried about. Government insurance is great... right up until you get seriously ill.

I recently got a quote from a private firm where they estimated my monthly premium would be around $380. Right now, with the state plan, I’m paying over $130—that’s the base deduction from my gross pay, which scales with my salary—plus another $35 for supplemental health coverage. With that extra bit, you can actually pick and choose the specific items you want covered.

I opted to make sure everything dental was included in that supplemental part. But honestly, when you’re a private patient—which is how most of my friends are insured—you don't have to deal with incompetent interns messing things up or whatever else.

I suspect you might be able to find private coverage for around $130, though I'm not 100% certain—I’ll definitely have to look into it. As for those medical interns? God, I dread the thought. I haven't personally experienced them cutting corners, but I’m sure it happens... Last year, my husband had surgery through his employer's insurance... Good grief, it was a nightmare. We were constantly hunting down doctors or nurses in the hospital; food, service—it all just broke even at best. Then, shortly after, a friend of ours who has private insurance ended up hospitalized—talk about luxury. They had a doctor on call the second the bell rang, and he got top-tier rehab right after the procedure.
For those reasons, I’m seriously weighing private options—at least until I get through this post-op period!
I think some providers offer family packages if you bundle it with life insurance... doing it for both me and my husband should make it worth the cost!

I think you could probably snag private insurance for about 130 bucks.

It depends—I'm honestly not sure about this specific one. It all comes down to their criteria. Are they looking at a provisional amount? When I was asked, they wanted my gross salary—mostly for coverage regarding family illnesses and stuff like that.

Basically, private insurers try to dodge people who just sign up for a short stint to cover a massive medical bill—they aren't charities, after all. There’s usually a minimum commitment period; you can't just jump in, get an operation, and cancel your membership immediately.

If I remember correctly, there's a minimum term of 12 months—they won't even draft a contract for less than that. Also, premiums are higher for women than men, and it really fluctuates depending on whether you opt for a deductible or how much daily disability pay you want.

You can run some rough estimates online to see what it might cost. I plugged in my info—opting out of a deductible and requesting a daily benefit of at least $75 (which is way lower than my actual paycheck)—and it came out to about $465 a month.

Sorry, here's the link

Oh, and just a heads-up—if you’re under the Beamte plan, you’re only covering less than 50% of your premiums; the rest is picked up by your employer—basically the government. That’s why most of my colleagues stick with private insurance.