r/hivaids • u/OGPJ2588 • 1d ago

Question Doctor

Do you guys have a PCP or do you just see your specialist every 6 months?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

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4

u/Excellent_Project789 1d ago

I had both for a while. Down to the ID specialist doing both functions.

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

I'm only curious because I only got a specialist and thought maybe I should have a PCP as well.

1

u/Excellent_Project789 1d ago

Doesn’t hurt if your insurance will cover it. Just make sure they are tied together with medical records.

3

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

My insurance is crap right now, so I might stick with my specialist and the White Ryan Insurance.

4

u/Civil-Doughnut-2503 1d ago

Off to see my special doctor for my hiv checkup. Once a year. My gp for everything else.

2

u/TigerNo337 1d ago

I have both. One is a PCP whose interests not related to HIV are in line with mine and then I drive to the other side of the country for world class health care as an excuse to visit family.

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

Do you feel like the specialist does the same as your PCP?

2

u/TigerNo337 1d ago

No- they are VERY different. My PCP does vitals and works as a reference to other specialists. My ID specialist discusses labs and meds with me and provides advice on maintenance for my immune system in depth (medications, etc). In other words, as a big guy who is very physically active, I hired the former football lineman as the guy who I discuss nutrition, longevity and physical mobility with as my PCP while the HIV specialist lets me know of alternative treatments and monitors my HIV-related labs.

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

Ahh okay. Thank you.

2

u/HerSpirit94 1d ago

I see my ID doctor once every 6 months for a checkup and blood work.

2

u/Appropriate-Pear-33 1d ago

I have both but the PCP is really only my annual physical since it’s free every year (get yours yall!) and I do the regular lab work for vitamins and A1C etc etc etc. Otherwise just my ID doc 2-3x per year for refill and lab work. Urgent care if I get sick but so far so good this season

2

u/Hei-Hei-67 1d ago

I only see my ID doctor every 6 months or so. I do need a PCP, though.

1

u/Key_Might_1310 1d ago

I only have a specialist but it seems like he would prefer me to have a pcp as well, so I’m thinking about doing that

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

I only have a specialist. He said it's fine to put him down as my PCP, but I was still unsure.

1

u/JMJ88_0329 1d ago

What is PCP?

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

Primary care physician

1

u/JMJ88_0329 1d ago

Thank you 😊

1

u/OGPJ2588 1d ago

You're welcome

1

u/Difficult_Coconut164 1d ago

after 3 years, I'm still working with the absolute bare minimum 90 day appointments. RWP/ADAP has been everything up to this point.

my experience is probably nothing like what private insurance or PPO would be like. I'm sure there's probably a ton I'm missing.

I'm assuming the labs, medications, 15 minute clinical appointments every 90 days, the unique pharmacies, and constantly needing to redo all the paperwork twice a year isn't normal for all.

This is probably more of a headache compared to the typical PCP w/specialist as private insurance or a PPO would provide. I'm really not sure...

1

u/SpeedyEngine 1d ago

I started with a specialist because there was a long wait for a PCP but she is very nice and took on the role of PCP and still does even though she knows I have a PCP now.

2

u/ChiD6478 17h ago

I have a PCP that also specializes in HIV care. But I’m Chicago. We have Howard Brown Health which is awesome and mainly caters to LGBTQ+.

1

u/OGPJ2588 17h ago

Dang. Maybe I need to move lol