#ThrowbackThursday Is Putting the Family Doctor Back Into Your Life

However, Throwback Thursday (and Allison’s Written Words) will not be paying your medical bills.  That’s your responsibility.

Healthcare these days is a delicate subject.  To be uninsured is to take a risk, to be insured to hope your plan handles your needs should they arise.  You worry about the cost of your care, while also worrying about the cost of your insurance.

My workplace offers several plans, each with different features.  One of our plans requires that you know what your specific needs are.  The one I have is the one we’ve had since 2011.  It’s a great plan.  I used to get it for free, but since Obamacare became a thing, I’ve had to pay (not a large amount, mind you) if I wanted to keep it.  I like my plan, it covered everything through two surgeries and one in-office procedure I’ve needed.  I’m relatively healthy, but I have had several right ankle injuries, chronic sinusitis, and high blood pressure. I have to keep an eye on my asthma as well.  I know my specific needs, and yes, they are quite costly.  So I stick with my plan, as it works for those needs.

We always hope there’s a time where we won’t need to utilize the more special aspects of having a great health insurance plan.  But if we do, we hope the insurance will foot at least most of the cost, but also give us a great doctor that will help with the condition, and find us someone who can treat it, if that’s necessary.

Allow me to get off that depressing rant, and into the purpose of mentioning all this.  This week’s commercials are about healthcare, and what the right health insurance can do for us.  Both today’s and tomorrow’s commercial are from 1986.  This was a simpler time in health insurance (I guess?).

Today’s insurance is US Healthcare HMO Pennsylvania and New Jersey…

…and this is Heather O’Brien’s story.

As told by Dr. Jeff Weiner.

Click play to learn about Heather’s story, and how his role in the healthcare system helped her.

Now this is a doctor people want to have.  We all want a doctor who has our best interests at heart, and would go the extra mile for someone needing a unique surgery.

 

I did look up Dr. Jeff Weiner, and according a Google search, there is a highly-rated Dr. Jeff Weiner in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  He is a family medicine doctor, and even though this commercial is from 32 years ago, this could easily be him.

I’m wondering about Heather O’Brien, and what she’s up to these days.  Perhaps playing tennis?

Commercials like this, and actually having doctors like Dr. Weiner in my own life, make me optimistic that not all aspects of healthcare are broken.  It certainly should be affordable and accessible to everyone.

However, I can’t find any information about US Healthcare HMO.  Are they under a different name or company?  I’ll have to keep looking, I’m sure this company still exists under another name.

And while I’m continuing my search, I hope you’ll come back tomorrow for a look at another health insurance plan built on promises and choices.  Exactly the kind of flexibility we need in the health insurance world!

Have a great Throwback Thursday!