Whether you already have an insurance cover or you are planning to switch to some other insurance company, finding a doctor near you is important for the management of your health needs. A primary care physician is the first person you visit for routine checkups for wellness and even during non-emergency illnesses like sore throats, headaches, and earaches. He/she must be someone you can easily communicate with regarding any of your health concerns. Additionally, when you need a specialist, your primary care physician can recommend you to one as well.

Finding a reliable doctor for your needs and a hospital near your area can be hard.

• Ensure your health insurance plan has a guaranteed list of doctors or hospitals you can get access to.
• Check with the Medical encyclopedia (MedlinePlus) for physicians, various types of health care centers, and other providers.
• Search primary and secondary mental health services and get help for mental issues like stress and depression.
• The United State’s National Library of Medicine has a catalog of things to look for when choosing the perfect doctor near you.
• If your health is not covered by your insurance, you can get help from community clinics near you or a healthcare service center.

How to check the primary care physician’s credentials?

• Ensure your primary care physician has the license to practice medicine in your state and the area you live in. The Professional Licensing Board will give you the details of the doctors in your areas or state.
• Contact your state’s health department to check how often and how skillfully the doctor treats the patient with your particular health condition.
• To ensure the doctor is certified by the board and a specialist, make use of the American Board of Medical Specialties certification to get the information required.
• Ensure your doctor is free from any disciplinary actions or other complaints.
• You can gather information about the quality of service and care from the veterans administration sanatorium or Medicare-certified hospitals across the country.

How to maintain a relationship with your primary care physician?

• Some patient-doctor relationship lasts for years while others may last for a short time when the insurance is changed or moved.
• Irrespective of how long you wish to see your doctor, maintaining a good relationship is very important.
• You will have to find a doctor near you, whom you are comfortable conversing with, one who is an expert in treating the health needs as well as someone who is within the network of your health insurance.

What is long-term care (LTC)?
Long-term care (LTC) has a variety of services that include medical and non-medical care for people who have acute illness and disability.
Consider the following points before applying for LTC:

• Know what qualifies one for the LTC for benefits. As some insurers may say that you are not qualified to perform some daily activities like walking, eating, dressing, bathing, and getting up from the bed.
• Know if the policy covers home care services, coverage of facilities for dependency living that provide minimum customer care than a home care service (nursing), and if one lives in his/her own house will the insurance pay for the services provided by therapists and visiting nurses.
• Certain policies ensure providing a fixed amount of dollars per day. The assistance one gets for a nursing home is usually more than the benefit for home care.
• Lifetime benefits can be expensive. Less expensive options may have a term period from one to six months.
• Know if there is any waiting period of 20 to 100 days before getting the benefits.