Please Help! Medicare Doctor who is kind, gay friendly and can help chronic illness????

[Sonoma]

Hello,

I have been on a long long long search for a medical doctor who takes Medicare / Medi-Cal and is accepting new patients in the Sebastopol (or surrounding West Sonoma County) areas. I would love to find a doctor who has some familiarity with holistic care, or at least open minded in treating illnesses such as Lyme, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia and other rare chronic diseases. I need someone who is gay friendly as well. ...Sad that this has taken years to find. Still no luck. So I thought I would ask this great community for some assistance.

I went to the Sebastopol Community Health Center and the Vista Community Health Center in Santa Rosa, and both were horrible nightmare experiences, where you are treated like scummy poor cattle, so going there is not an option. It breaks my heart to think that you have to be wealthy to get better. I need primary care and I need specialty care such as Chiropractic and any other complimentary care possible. Please, can someone help me?

[poetrytalks]

I am happy with Gravenstein Community Health Center, Dr. Zelk. Everyone is caring and helpful. Have you heard of SCAN? It is free to Medicare patients and pays way better, even pays for chiropractic. You will need to enroll. https://www.scanhealthplan.com/discover-enroll/

...I went to the Sebastopol Community Health Center and the Vista Community Health Center in Santa Rosa, and both were horrible nightmare experiences, ...

[LaughingDarling]

Another vote for the Forestville Wellness Center! But here's how it works - first you need a "primary doc" at one of the West County Clinics. i use the Gravenstein Health Center and then I asked my doc for a referral to the Forestville Wellnes Center. It can takes months to "get in" because the waiting list is long, but it's worth it! Once you are in at the Wellness Center, I have found Dr. Earl very helpful for addressing chronic illness related issues. They take you seriously and then you get access to acupuncture, ayurveda, low cost massage, heartmath, NAET, nutrition support, etc. Pretty awesome!

here's the website - https://www.wchealth.org/location/fo...ellness-center

I have been on a long long long search for a medical doctor who takes Medicare / Medi-Cal and is accepting new patients in the Sebastopol (or surrounding West Sonoma County) areas...

[Sonoma]

Thank you for your replies!! I really appreciate your input so much!!

Unfortunately, Gravenstein Community Health is not accepting any more patients. That has been part of the challenge; most people do not accept Medicare (which is shocking around here) and those who do accept it won't accept any new patients. This has been the biggest disappointment about moving here. I came here to this area for help, and it has been a very uphill battle just to be seen, let alone to receive any care!

In general, people in Sebastopol and surrounding areas have been so kind and loving, warm and inviting. I just wish that the local medical community was the same. I called the new Sonoma West hospital, too, and not much luck there. And believe me, being gay and disabled makes this challenge even more difficult. What do housebound elderly and disabled people do for medical help around here??? How do they survive???

…Siiiigh. I would appreciate any and all thoughts on this. THANK YOU for all of your help and kindness. It means a lot!! Thank you!

[Shandi]

Being gay shouldn't present a problem in getting care, and it seems to me that it's not necessary to say what your sexual orientation is when you're trying to get medical care. I've never have mentioned it. If I had to prioritize, I'd say that getting medical help for my chronic illness far outweighs finding a gay friendly Medicare practitioner, but that's just me.

There are some missing pieces to your story. All we know is that you're gay, on Medicare, with a chronic illness, and can't find anyone who will treat you. We don't know your age or your illness, or your disability. Or why you thought you might find help here, and couldn't where you were before. I know that being on Medicare does makes things more difficult, but I don't believe it's impossible. I have a friend who has a chronic illness, in addition to neck and back issues. She's not on Medicare, but on MediCal, and has seen several doctors who have prescribed various medications for her over the last couple of years. She has severe IBS, and sees a variety of health practitioners, both alopathic and alternative, in addition to a psychotherapist who takes MediCal, and has posted here on Wacco. She indicates she's gay friendly.

I could understand it if someone who lived here, told you about a wonderful kind, gay friendly doctor who specialized in your chronic illness, and took Medicare: so you came here on that basis. But it seems that you came on a wing and a hope.

If I were in your place, and I'm unsure exactly what that is, I would find out what legal help is available to you....if you're disabled. It would seem that a chronic illness is disabling. Since I don't know the necessary details to point you in the best direction for care, I'm going to start by sharing an advocacy resource. We have a wonderful "Disability and Legal Services office" in Santa Rosa at 521 Medocino Ave. They open at 8am, and you need to go through an orientation before getting assigned an advocate case worker. I would try them, if you haven't yet. I'm offering this potential resource, since going direct hasn't been successful. All the employees and volunteers there are disabled by one thing or another.

I don't know what other seniors do, but you might ask that question in the senior category, or even call the Sebastopol Senior Center. They can be very helpful, and they are gay friendly. I don't know who to refer you to there, but give it a try. It just seems that you need some real support to guide you, rather than trying to do it all on your own, except with suggestions from us. There are people called "Navigators" and they know the system, and how to move through it. Sorry, I don't have a name for you, since I haven't used them myself, but maybe someone here has, and can help direct you to an "ally".

There's a lot of caring people in our community, so don't give up.

Unfortunately, Gravenstein Community Health is not accepting any more patients....

[Sonoma]

Shandi, you must live with privilege that I do not relate to. I am doing my best, trying to find some help. I opened up vulnerably on WaccoBB, telling as much information that I am comfortable with putting out there publicly. I came here because there are many wonderfully kind people here; most of whom do not judge others' needs, or the fact that they are gay. I figured if someone happened to know of a doctor who was gay friendly (yes, it is extremely important, and if you are not gay, you do not have a right to judge my experiences or to prioritize my needs for me) then I might get a great recommendation. It's very simple. You do not need to know my entire story in order to know that I am a kind person in need, hoping for some help. …This has been the most difficult journey of my life. I am reaching out as I can, trying to survive something that most people do not understand. I took a leap of faith and put a lot of my personal circumstance for everyone to see, in hopes that I would be received by kindness and perhaps nonjudgmental open-hearts…. Thankfully, the majority of responses have been from kind-hearted people.

Thank you for your recommendation and the portion of your reply that was written with kindness.

Being gay shouldn't present a problem in getting care, and it seems to me that it's not necessary to say what your sexual orientation is when you're trying to get medical care. I've never have mentioned it. If I had to prioritize, I'd say that getting medical help for my chronic illness far outweighs finding a gay friendly Medicare practitioner, but that's just me.

There are some missing pieces to your story. All we know is that you're gay, on Medicare, with a chronic illness, and can't find anyone who will treat you. We don't know your age or your illness, or your disability. Or why you thought you might find help here.

[Shandi]

I actually didn't judge you or your experiences. I belong to an LGBT group for seniors. Age does seem to matter sometimes when we need help. I was relating to what I would do in your situation, except that I really don't know much about it. Many people only want to give bits of information on themselves, and they have their reasons. I forget about that, in my sincere attempt to help. I was going to suggest another resource, but I'm sure you'll find out about it from others who are more kind-hearted than I. I do hope you will be guided to the gay friendly Medicare doctor that will be perfect for your needs. There's gotta be some around here. It's just a matter of time.

[LaughingDarling]

It is indeed very difficult here. As it is in many places. Medicare is now not taken by the majority of less conventional doctors, or even many conventional doctors. It's tough! Being poor and disabled is not such a good combo! I personally understand! The problem right now is that the population in Sonoma County is changing so fast that the few good doctors who take Medicare aren't taking new patients. So I'd get on waiting lists. I'm finding that to be the only option sometimes.

Also, the Gravenstein Clinic is not your only option in terms of getting to the Forestville Wellness Center, as any of the West County Clinic doctors can refer you to the Forestville Wellness Center. I would not expect much from most of the primary care doctors at any of the clinics for your situation, but just get the referral, get on the waiting list and get to the Forestville Wellness Center, where you'll get better support.

I have a few other friends who are on Medicare, also gay, and over 60. I will send them your post and see if they have any other suggestions.

Good Luck!!

Thank you for your replies!! I really appreciate your input so much!!

Unfortunately, Gravenstein Community Health is not accepting any more patients. ...

[Allorrah Be]

Today I found this listing in my Partnership HealthPlan provider directory:

Brookwood Health Center/Santa Risa Community Health Centers PCP#24455-0002 FQHC
Open to new Patients
Specializing in care for those experiencing homelessness
Internal Medicine
Ages: 19 years and older
Hospitals: Santa Rosa Memorial and Sutter Santa Rosa
983 Sonoma Avenue
Santa Rosa CA 95404
(707) 583-8700
(707) 303-1086 fax
Spanish available
Mon-Wed, 8:30am-5:30pm
Thu 8:30am-12:30pm
Mary C. Papsco, N P

Surely this clinic could help and apparently take new patients on Medicare/MediCal. Not many around here do.
For hands-on help, try Dr. Gail Dubinsky in Sebastopol; orthopedic and osteo manual therapies, nutritional counseling, RxYoga...

If you can't find someone locally, try the Petaluma Health Center, open to new patients, at 1179 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma 94954 (707) 559-7500/(707) 559-7620 fax. They help a lot of people!

There's also an agency called HICAP; I don't have their number handy. They know about all things insurance and are set up to advise consumers.

Good luck!!
Rev. BE