Delaware, as we know, is touted as a haven for retirees because of the moderate climate, low taxes, beaches and more. Two of us, in our 70s, moved here in early May and have enjoyed the climate, the nearby ocean, the lovely forested areas. The people we have met, particularly the true Delawareans, are delightful. Yet this area, contrary to the media or retirement brochures, is no haven for the aging or the ill. A recent story confirmed this, citing the Delaware Women Status Report. According to the September report, Delaware meets only 5% of dental care needs, only 12% of mental healthcare needs and, shockingly, only 16% of primary care needs for citizens. Sussex County has the worst problem attracting physicians.
We have experienced this on a frightening, personal level. Having moved to the Lewes area in early May, even before unpacking, we began seeking first-time patient appointments with family physicians, dentists (including hygienists), and one specialist. Attempting to make appointments as first-time patients revealed the truth of the stats cited above, as we were told the wait for a family physician was seven months, for a dentist six months (for a dental hygienist even longer), and a specialist was out of the question. As we waited, all these appointments were, in the next months, either canceled or pushed back another four months.
Many new people end up trying to find doctors in nearby cities such as Wilmington or Dover. But this is hardly the best solution for seniors. Many we have met simply continue medical care in their home cities of Philadelphia, D.C., and Baltimore, returning, at some expense, to their old doctors.
However, some people we have met, regardless of political views, opt for a far-from-egalitarian solution, one available only to well-off citizens. This is concierge medicine. These MDVIP physicians cost between $2,000 and $5,000 per year, and many are specialists. For this price, the patient gets faster access to appointments and longer time with that doctor. If a patient is referred to a concierge specialist, she is out of luck unless she enrolls in this elitist, undemocratic, two-tiered system. Access to this preeminent band of physicians requires funds many of us do not have. We are philosophically and politically opposed to participating in this discriminatory system that favors only those who can afford it.
Sussex County has clearly not addressed its growing population (the traffic, for example is horrendous). Friends, Realtors, travel writers, AARP magazine, retirement websites and other entities should tell the truth. If healthcare is not provided here, it is off limits to the aging with moderate incomes. And what about lower-income citizens? Today, we are now packing up again and preparing to leave the state. We will no longer contribute to the local economy, participate in volunteer organizations, or be a part of the communities here. This area does a major disservice to those of us who may some day need a doctor.
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