Clark Howard's Tips

February 15, 2008

There's often a gatekeeper at your doctor's office that won't let you talk to the doctor. They'll make an appointment for you, but they won't let you speak directly to him or her over the phone. After all, doctors don't get paid to just talk, right?

Well, now Aetna and Cigna are reimbursing doctors for online virtual visits. You can chat directly with your doctor over the Internet. This creates a market incentive and saves the insurers a ton of money. The fees they disburse for online appointments are less than they'd pay out for an actual visit.

Meanwhile, the CDC reports that visits to the doctor are up 20% over the last 5 years. With fewer general practitioners than ever, that's a train-wreck waiting to happen. Clark has long advocated for nurse-in-a-box practices to alleviate the crunch.

The Los Angeles Times recently published a list of the 10 top issues that doctors are most asked about during Internet visits. Not as much fun as a Letterman list, but here goes: No. 1 medications; No.2 sinus problems; No. 3 back problems; No. 4 colds and flu; No. 5 test results; No. 6 coughs; No. 7 follow-up on surgery or another procedure; No. 8 headaches; No. 9 fevers; and No. 10 asthma.

Consumer advice courtesy of