After being bedridden for almost 45 days due to a vertebral fracture, I am almost as normal as I used to be before my freak accident. I was also diagnosed as having spinal stenosis. To all my friends and family who cared for me when I was crippled, a million thanks to all of you.
But I would like to mention two people who have been instrumental in nurturing me back in good health, as well as in providing me the best medical treatment that I could possibly get from my health insurance.
These two people are Dr. Kais Alsharif and Joseph Doratan. I was just lucky and thankful to God that I had these two wonderful fellows on my side during my ordeal. The pain on my back before I saw Dr. Alsharif was intensely violent that, sometimes, I couldn’t even go to the bathroom to relieve myself.
Dr. Alsharif is a practicing pain management doctor and head of the Pain Management Associates Inc in Orange county. His expertise is in interventional and chronic pain management and musculoskeletal disorders. Dr Alsharif is a double board certified in both pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Joseph Doratan, on the other hand, owns the Global Wealth Insurance services. Global Wealth is the official storefront of Covered California health insurance (Obamacare) in West Covina area.
Through Doratan’s help, I was able to switch my health insurance from Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) for me to be able to see the best orthopedic doctor to treat by excruciating lower back pain as a result of the fracture.
Doratan even went out of his way to help me beat my deadline for me to shift my health insurance from HMO to PPO, by driving to my daughter’s house in Irvine to get my signature. You normally get that from any health insurance agent.
But Doratan, I guess, is a different kind of a person. He said he feels great whenever he does an extra service to help people badly in need of assistance, particularly people in need of immediate medical help. God bless you Joseph Doratan. And your wifer too, Annabelle.
I was disappointed the first time I tried to make an appointment to see Dr. Alsharif in his Anaheim office. The lady that I spoke with told me that the earliest time I could see Dr Alshariff in Anaheim will be in two weeks. She was very nice and contrite, but said Dr. Alsharif is swamped with patients in his Anaheim clinic.
After explaining my situation and the excruciating pain on my back as a result of a vertebral fracture, she was so nice to schedule my appointment with Dr Alsharif fhe following week, but in Laguna Hills and not Anaheim.
My first consultation meeting with Dr Alsharif was very pleasant and informative. He has a very nice bedside manner. He took time in explaining to me the intricacies of my lumbar fracture as well as the spinal stenosis i had which he found out from the MRI done to me recently.
For a while, I was fearful that he would recommend back surgery as soon as possible or at least a vertebroplasty to end my excruciating pain. He, however, calmly told me that he will not resort to that kind of invasive treatment.
He told me that my vertebral fracture might heal by itself in a couple of months. If it does not, he said he will try another form of medical treatment. Surgery on my back, he said, will be the last resort.
He convinced me to try getting epidural shots on my back to ease the pain in two weeks. He prescribed Percocet tablets (a potent pain killer medication) for me to take until I get the epidural shots in two weeks.
After two weeks, Dr Alsharif gave me the steroid shots on my back (on my left and right side). Surprisingly, I felt no pain when he gave me the shots, although he said that I might feel a sting or sharp sensation. There was no sting or sharp sensation.
The steroid shots I got gave an instant relief on my back pain which have given me sleepless nights for more than three weeks. The day after I got the steroid shots, I started driving again and doing my daily routine, except heavy lifting . It was incredible.
Hopefully, within a couple of months, I will be back in the bowling alley again to play in the senior leagues which I love so much. For people experiencing severe back pains, go see Dr Alsharif. You will not regret seeing him. He is good for what he does. And he is honest.
Dr Alsharif has five offices in Orange county – Laguna Hills, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Anaheim and in Long Beach. His office phone number is (949) 588-7246 or (562) 426-7246 or (714) 645-7246.
With the start of open enrollment for health insurance coverage this week, people who are not happy with their health plan provided by their health insurance, can now switch to another medical insurance that could provide them quality care and affordable rates.
If you are not sure what health plan that will fit in your budget, go and see Joseph Doratan at Global Wealth Insurance Services in their West Covina office located at 1559 E. Amar Rd Unit M West Covina, CA 91792. Office Phone # is (855) 955-1800.
He and his wife, Annabelle, will be more than happy to see you and explain to you how you can save money even if you get the best health plan that you deserve. They might be even a possibility that you might be eligible to get a medical/medicare health plan based on your income and if you are 65 years old plus.
Choosing the right medical plan and health insurance company is not easy. People should find time to study carefully the rates as well as the benefits being offered by different insurance companies. This is where Doratan and his wife, Annabelle can help you find the best health care and the most affordable rates.
Consider your medical needs whether to get a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or a Preferred Provider Organization ( PPO ). PPO is more expensive than the HMO.
An HMO gives you access to certain doctors and hospitals within its network. A network is made up of medical providers (doctors, therapists, dentist that have agreed to lower their rates for plan members but also provide quality medical care.
But unlike PPO coverage, care is covered only if you see a provider within the HMO’s network. In HMO’s coverage, there are more restrictions for coverage such as allowing only a certain number of visits, tests, or treatments.
PPO plans provide more flexibility when picking a doctor or hospitals and has fewer restrictions on seeing non network providers. You can see a doctor or specialist anytime you’d like without having to get a referral from your primary care physician.
However, insurance premiums are higher for PPO plans. In short, HMO tend to be more affordable, but patients will get less coverage and more restrictions. PPO, on the other hand, gives patients more freedom to choose their preferred doctors and hospitals, but their medical cost will be higher.
So if you’re not sure whether to get an HMO or PPO plan, go see Joseph Doratan. Once you sign up with a particularly company and later on, six months down the road and you’re not happy, it will not be so easy for anyone to sign up with a different health insurance.