Take Care Clinic.

[Cinderella89]

So, as a college program participant in times such as these, I am faced with what many, many American families are dealing with: A lack of health insurance. Now, I used to have it and I was supposed to have it during this amazing program. Unfortunitly, my father's company switched insurance and, low and behold...I wasn't covered because I wasn't getting college credit for this program. Let the party begin.

Now, my experience has been good so far. I had a cold, I took care of it, and now I have strep throat. I worked for three days with strep throat and today would have been my fourth had my AMAZING managers hadn't sent me home. If you were in the parks today (March 14, 2009), you may or may not have had a cast member who couldn't talk. That was me. While I was completely ready to explain to kids, via writing on some paper, that Ursala had stolen my voice and I couldn't talk until I broke a spell. By my third hour of work, a manager noticed that I was talking less and less and appeared as if I were in pain. I was. So I got sent home, had my friend pick me up, and we started our journey to the Take Care Clinic located at the first Walgreens just pass the Crossroads.

I was not looking forward to this visit. Not in the slightest. There is nothing wrong with going to the doctors office, I usually enjoy it much like I enjoy going to the dentist. But I was pleasently surprised. There was one nurse practitioner on staff and she went through people quickly and I didn't have to wait twenty minutes. Soon, I was sitting on a bed, being told that I have strep throat. She didn't even have to take a culture to know what it was! I was amazed!

My amazement waned, hhowever, when it came to paying. Granted, it could have cost an arm and a leg, it cost a mere, $68. My amazement was wanned by the fact that it took forever to pay. It would have probably be easier had I used my own card but my parents insisted on paying despite the fact the are over a thousand miles away/ But that was the only snag I hit. After I finished my appointment, I headed to the Pulix by Seaworld and got my medicine for free.

For being extremely ill, I'm having a great experience with my nurse and free medication.

If you ever have sick children and you don't have health insurance, I would highly suggest the Take Care Clinic.

 

[dis-happy]

I'm glad for you and happy to hear that you got meds. But as a mom, I have to say: please take care of yourself! Strep can be dangerous (can attack your heart, also cause secondary illness). It you don't feel A LOT better in 2 days (3 days max) go back to the doctor, you may need a stronger antibiotic. Of course, in the meantime get some rest, drink fluids. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[DisnyMama]

Hi Cinderella89! My 17 year old DS and I ran into a similar situation when we were at WDW last summer. We were at the end of our vacation and he came down with a high fever and sore throat. We were to check out of POR the next day and begin our drive back to TX so I needed to get him seen ASAP. I took him to Centra Care where we spent close to 4 hours for diag. of strep throat...duh! With DS's insurance since his dad works for Costco we can only get prescriptions filled at Costco pharm. or CVS so I went to CVS. That's when I discovered "Minute Clinic" at CVS and spoke with the Nurse or she may have been a NP (nurse practioner) but we would have been in and out of there including prescription filled in about 30 to 40 minutes and insurance would have covered the visit. Without insurance the visit was around $77 which includes lab fees. You can go to their website at www.minuteclinic.com for more info. They treat other ailments also such as bladder and ear infections. However, They will not treat small children under 18 months old.

I know for us, we will definately use minute clinic because it's usually strep that we end up dealling with when travelling and this could really save time not having to sit around at Centra Care.

 

[DisneyDayTripper]

Glad to hear! DW and I just graduated college (May '08) and our senior year we were married and thus off our parent's health insurance. Neither of us were working full-time and thus had to pay for our own health insurance. We looked around and most of the things we could afford were completely useless, thus we went without health insurance for over a year. We lived the entire time scared to death that one of us would get sick and have to go to the hospital and we'd be stuck with thousands of dollars in medical bills...once DW woke up with 103 degree temperature, I've never prayed so hard in my life. Luckily, we've since been able to get insurance since we've graduated and got jobs. Hopefully things continue to go well for you!

We did notice a CM at Epcot on 3/9 that was obviously struggling in the American Pavilion. Not you was it?

 

[Cinderella89]

We did notice a CM at Epcot on 3/9 that was obviously struggling in the American Pavilion. Not you was it?

Nope! I think something must be going around Epcot then. I work in Future World and sometimes the World Showcase Promenade, but that's it.

 

[DisneyDayTripper]

Nope! I think something must be going around Epcot then. I work in Future World and sometimes the World Showcase Promenade, but that's it.

We were in American Adventure and at the end when the CM came up to say "Thanks for enjoying the show blah blah blah.." you could tell the CM barerly had a voice and wasn't feeling well.

Hope the Mouse is able to destroy all the germs so whatever is going around can stop!