Yeah, it sucks. They shut down one location and are really struggling to keep primary care doctors on. I had a pulmonary embolism diagnosed in the CHA ED. The doctor there released me with a week’s prescription for medication and said that I needed to see my primary care doc immediately to get a treatment plan and the right medication. I called CHA (where I was already a patient) and the front desk receptionists were like “sorry, how about in a month?” When I explained the situation, they were like “what do you want us to do about it?” I had to raise a huge stink just so I could talk to a nurse so I wasn’t being triaged by a receptionist and then an even bigger stink so I could be seen within a week and get the prescription and referrals I needed. I was a big fan of CHA’s primary care before the pandemic, but they are struggling right now in a way that means I cannot recommend them.

When I was looking for new doctors, Mt Auburn Primary Care said they could get me in that week if I didn’t mind being seen by a younger doctor (maybe a resident?) and didn’t mind that the doctors would rotate. That might be an option for you if you’re not set on having one specific doctor?

CHA’s primary care has been really overstressed lately. My partner and I haven’t been able to get appointments to see our existing providers any sooner than 6-8 weeks out, and I imagine it would be way worse for new patients.

Every time I’ve been to an urgent care lately they’ve sent me to the ER and basically yelled at me for coming in.

I went in because my asthma was worse than usual and I needed stronger meds for it, but it wasn’t actually a full-blown attack. I tried to make an appointment with my PCP’s office and they said they had no available appointments for six weeks and to go to urgent care. Urgent care said “they can’t treat asthma” and to go to the ER. I ended up arguing with them and they finally gave me the meds.

Our health care system is crazy overburdened and broken and it’s all exacerbating that. People end up in the ER for little things for so many reasons but most of them are not there because they’re overreacting. Not saying that’s what you’re saying, just some context.

So let’s say you sell that business for a net $4mil and pay no other taxes except income/have no liabilities reducing your burden. Pre Q1, you’d pay flat 5% income. That’s a 200k burden, leaving you $3,800,000 to fund your retirement.

But now 3million of your 4million are subject to a 4% surtax. 4 percent of 3 million is $120,000. So now you have $3,680,000 for your retirement.

Is that really the margin? “I could retire on 3.8 but I can’t on 3.68?”

I don’t even know why I’m arguing with someone on r/boston about an already-passed question, it’s just funny that there are so many valid questions about the wisdom of doing tax policy by constitutional amendment but the antis seem to have focused their messaging on “I won’t be able to retire because I’ll have to pay slightly more on my millions!!!” when so many people in this state, especially younger people, are struggling to get to a place where they can even think about retirement.

Yes, go to the ER and they will be able to do the scans, etc. if it happens again (not urgent care.)

Also, having an ER referral/record can speed up the system for you. My insurance also doesn’t require referrals, but specialists do in part because it helps evaluate whether or not you can wait. I recently had a medical emergency. I went to the ER and got treatment I needed to stabilize me. My PCP saw me a few days later and sent referrals into specialists at Brigham and Women’s. Even though my insurance doesn’t require them, the hospital did in order to 1) make sure I was matched with the right doctors 2) I was getting timely care.

One specialist at BWH originally scheduled me for the end of November, but after a nurse in the office reviewed the referral, they were able to offer me an immediate appointment for the very next day. Another specialist’s office scheduled me for December. That’s frustrating for me because they’re likely the one who will be able to tell me what’s going on and the long-term plan, and I’m eager to get in there—but the nurse who reviewed the referral explained to me that the treatment course they put me on for the next three months stabilized me and that as long as I’m seen before the end, it’s fine.

It’s really frustrating and scary to know something’s wrong and to be told that you have to wait for answers. I know how panicky it feels and how bad waiting feels.

And the American health care system IS broken and it is incredibly frustrating to navigate, and the pandemic and staffing shortages are making it so much worse. These hospitals are busy, because people do come from all over, and they also have to weigh who needs to be seen ASAP and who can wait a few weeks. And as you said, you are stable and you didn’t go to the ER.

If it happens again, definitely go to the ER, preferably one associated with the specialists you’re hoping to see.

Good luck to you and I hope you get some answers soon.

From personal experience, I’d avoid CHA—they’ve been hit super hard by staff shortages.