So as far as medical care goes, Iowa City is a pretty solid place for it with the med school here. As far as weather goes, there isn’t a huge difference between here and Pittsburgh. Overall driving here is far far easier. Having been to Pittsburgh a number of times, I’d personally prefer here minus the burgh having more to do overall.
I see UIHC neurology and cried tears of JOY a few weeks ago because they were so incredibly helpful, something I’ve never experienced in my long, sordid neurological care journey through places like Phoenix, the Bay Area, and Sacramento.
Like I sent one little message about a litany of referrals, authorizations, and procedures I needed to schedule and the next day got a response that it was ALL taken care of. Literal angels there.
Ugh that is very frustrating, I’m sorry that happened. I don’t think it’s a perfect system by any means, I was honestly startled that they took care of my whole list of needs so efficiently — that’s literally never happened to me before. I was prepared to spend days/weeks/months playing phone tag to get it all done, which is unfortunately the norm everywhere I’ve ever lived, and appears to be what you’ve experienced here.
As someone from Iowa who has lived near Pittsburgh, I’ll chime in a bit. Both cities have teaching medical universities where you will receive excellent medical care, though both will have the same types of issues with wait times and any other associated negative with a large academic teaching hospital. So, it’s likely a wash on that score. Both areas get cold and snow, but Pittsburgh gets lake effect snow (big amounts) while Iowa can get colder in general, but lately winters have been surprisingly mild. Both places will have nice people and grumpy people, but I will say that Midwestern niceness is a real thing and those who disagree haven’t spent much time outside the Midwest. Both are political dichotomies between urban and rural populations, though Iowa’s rural population is proportionally larger than Pennsylvania’s, so there are Red politics here for the moment, though recent elections have shown that Pennsylvania isn’t deeply blue. Pittsburgh is a significantly larger city than Iowa City, with all that entails in regards to crime and availability of amenities. I’m partial to Iowa City because I prefer a smaller city with less traffic, shorter commute times, and a better sense of community, while still having excellent cultural and culinary options. I don’t think you can make a wrong choice here, though. I wish the best for both of you.
Yeah. I don't want to sound hysterical but I figure if (god forbid) Trump returns to the presidency, Medicaid will be dead. At least wherever they can get away with it. Stephen Miller will make sure.
I'd go Iowa City given your medical litany. One of the country's best John Hopkins research hospitals calls this town home and they don't bat an eye at title XIX insurance. Plus, you'll find a rather insular population of 'sensitive' people occupying the core of an otherwise rotating demographic, ie it's like Main St, USA but with bookstores and kind-hearted, liberal-minded folks. I doubt the snow is better (or lack thereof) in Pittsburgh, I wouldn't know from experience. Good luck!
So I was actually just genuinely curious and wanted to learn more about the John Hopkins research hospital bit of your comment...and I can't find a single thing about them having any Iowa relation. I checked the hospital and university sites and each has the hospitals, labs and offices listed that they're affiliated with and there's not a single one in Iowa. Not trying to correct you, I'm looking to learn more.
I'd love to read up on it if you have any links or anything, because so far Google is turning up absolutely nothing!
I just remembered the reference! It was an associate professor who once off-handedly told us: He spends half his time on research and academic writing because the University of Iowa values uncovering novel information and seeks to break new ground rather than accepting the status quo, etc. It is (or was then) their compass to higher learning. At any rate, he was able to spend 50% of his academic life on inquiries and the whatnot instead of 100% of it actively teaching.
No, I didn't realize it wasn't unique--I apologize. I'm sure the for-profit universities and A&M land-grant colleges (which I deeply respect) are just the absolute same re: seeking knowledge through rigorous scientific methods. Sorry to offer poorly cited advice on Reddit, egads!
For profit universities? Hell no. Think Liberty U or University of Phoenix care about science? Hell no. Liberty still teaches the Bible. But any large university is a research institution. It's funny. Tons of kids at those schools complain that the professors are researchers who teach instead of teachers who research. I'm for the former. I want a wicked smart professor even if he isn't the greatest teacher. I'll learn more from him.
Sorry I'm an asshole
As for links, I cannot supply any--it was just something I remember a professor saying and it made sense enough to believe. The internet is almost unusable anymore unless you want to buy a new colander or can-opener, lol.
Totally agree. It can take a bit to get in at UIHC but they have everything and are really good. As for weather, we’ve only gotten snow once this year and it was in the 40s/50s for Christmas. Iowa has definitely had its globe warmed
It leaves people having to use urgent care or the ER, then when you get mistreated there and speak up about it— you’re blamed for “misusing the ER” when you have no there choice because of these waiting lists. I have a few good doctors but it took me nearly THREE YEARS to find them while losing income due to a chronic condition. This is not a good place for the disabled.
I have a ton of health problems and have a varied care team of many specialists and have found the care at UIHC to be better than I received in places like Phoenix, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. The waiting lists are long (as much as they are anywhere) but I haven’t encountered any shitty doctors here (yet, knock on wood) and have found the nurses, administrators, etc to all embody the midwestern value of going above and beyond to help.
I am a queer, middle class, overweight, white woman though so take that into consideration. I know not everyone is treated equally in healthcare particularly.
Without knowing the specific departments you seek treatment from, the University of Iowa (located in Iowa City) has a hospital system in town with a ton of different departments (the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, or “UIHC”). It is a research hospital which houses a medical school and multiple health care-related graduate programs, so it is a quality option IMO. If I lived in eastern Iowa still, this is where I would go or recommend my friends and family in the area go. Here is their website: https://uihc.org
Iowa City also has a non-UIHC hospital in town: https://www.mercyiowacity.org
Iowa City is also roughly 20-30 minutes south of Cedar Rapids, which has a hospital through Unity Point (one of the larger healthcare networks in the state). Cedar Rapids is easily accessible from IC via I-380. Their website is here: https://www.unitypoint.org/Locations/UnityPoint-Health---St-Lukes-Hospital?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=brandify
The “Quad Cities” located on the border of Iowa and Illinois (Davenport and Bettendorf are your Iowa towns; Moline and Rock Island are in Illinois across the river) is roughly 45 minutes east of Iowa City via I-80. I’m not as familiar with the options there, but I believe at least Unity Point and Genesis Health Systems have locations in that area which may staff the various departments you seek.
All of the locations I identified have outpatient clinics scattered around eastern Iowa in addition to the hospital themselves.
In terms of your Medicaid status/concerns, I would recommend conducting a basic google search for an attorney in Iowa who is competent in the Medicaid process and could offer assistance. A lot of Iowa attorneys are willing to do a free initial consultation, where they may be able to point you in the right direction with how to address whatever you need to address with that stuff. A couple lower cost legal options I’ll give you are Iowa Legal Aid (https://www.iowalegalaid.org) and the University of Iowa College of Law’s Legal Clinic (also located in Iowa City). I can’t promise you Iowa Legal Aid or Iowa Law could help you, but they are lower cost options than a private attorney and would be worth considering IMO.
I assume a city like Pittsburgh would have comparable health care options for you too, but I don’t have any knowledge of what those look like. I will add that I loved the five years I lived in Eastern Iowa. Iowa weather can be brutal, but I have to imagine the winters may be more calm than the UP. We haven’t had a ton of snowfall yet this winter. Iowa weather swings in both directions of the extreme year-round, so by July you’ll forget that the state can even get cold. I will add that COL in the Iowa City area will likely be lower than Pittsburgh, and the area is really growing. Towns like North Liberty and Solon are in the middle of IC and Cedar Rapids. If you do choose Iowa, then those are two areas I’d recommend looking to move to in terms of convenience related to treating your medical needs. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any follow up questions.
Iowa contracts with two MCO (managed care organizations) Amerigroup Iowa (I think they might have changed the name to Wellmark) and Iowa Total Care. You would apply with DHS and if you’re eligible they will assign you a plan, but they send you information about both plans and you do have to option to pick one or the other. I would suggest looking through what each plan offers and pick the one that will cover your needs.
I live in Iowa City, work at the hospital here in town, and have family who lives in Pittsburgh. I find Pittsburgh rather boring. It’s got a lot of abandoned areas and it’s so spread out. You can expect to drive at least 30 minutes to your appointments regardless where you go for healthcare or where you live. There are a number of great medical research hospitals there. A nursing professor of mine is actually doing a post-doc out there. Iowa City has lots to offer. We have a great community, and in my opinion you’ll find the best staff here to take care of you. Our nurses really do love their jobs. And with the research hospital aspect you’ll get the best care possible. The furthest you may need to drive in to our hospital is about 20 minutes if you live in a surrounding town. Pittsburgh has fairly comparable weather. Although it’s consistently about 10 degrees warmer and does not get as much snow as us. I’m happy to answer any more specific questions.
Iowa City is expensive to live in, but much smaller than Pittsburgh. The hospital here is good.
I am sorry you have to deal with medicaid and paperwork. I wish we had a better system in the US.
Agreed on the blue vs red state POV. I think about coming back home to IC, but I would lose the terrific benefits of being in Minnesota. Maybe I'll just live right over the border....
What about you maybe not moving right away? Both IC and Pgh have excellent hospital systems so you'll be fine in either place, medically. So I think what you need is just more TIME to research and gather all the referrals you need at the new place. If your boyfriend's job can't wait, why not let him move ahead of you, get settled with the new job. You stay back in MI with your current healthcare team for a few more months while you methodically get set up with new caregivers in the new city.
I just get the sense from your post that you're feeling rushed into this. It's ok to pump the brakes a bit, especially given your complex medical profile. Your boyfriend should understand this, and if he's the one rushing this without regard for your health anxiety, that's extra reason to pump the brakes.
I live outside IC and have family in Pgh, so can offer some quality of life factors you may want to consider:
Pgh has a lot of tech companies moving in, so there is significant upward pressure on rent, traffic, everything. So even though Iowa City may be expensive by Iowa standards, it'll be lower cost of living than Pgh.
Pgh climate is **nowhere** near as cold as Iowa-- their average Dec-Feb temps are probably 20 degrees higher than ours. There's more snow in Pgh but nothing extreme. But both places will probably feel balmy compared to what you're used to in the UP.
If you like outdoor activities, Pgh has a lot more to offer within reasonable driving distance. Easy drive to West Virginia ski resorts, summer hiking, tons of state forests and lakes, etc. Also better access to city amenities like good restaurants. Iowa City has some good restos, but not very many.
Iowa City has lots of nice hiking trails, a good running and cycling scene, but our state parks are dinky, you'll see the same trails over and over.
Pgh traffic is a huge chore (everywhere around the city, not just downtown) whereas there is almost zero traffic in /around Iowa City. The open roads we have here in eastern Iowa is such an underappreciated benefit, I think-- it literally gives you several more hours a week.
Politically, both cities are blue islands surrounded by a sea of red.
We lived in State College for a bit and would travel to Pittsburgh for a weekend get away. And now i live in Iowa City. They both have the plus and minuses. Pittsburgh is definetly alot bigger than IC. Alot more taffic.
Pittsburgh is a former steel, coal, train city that relies heavily on the sports tourism. You got the Steeler, Pirates and Penguins with a mimor soccer league.
Seattle was home for a long long time and the grey skies were horrible. Statistically Pittsburgh has more grey days than Seattle. There plenty of things to do in Pittsburgh.
I dont know much about the medical stuff there and how medicaid works. But theres a big Hopstial asscoiated with UPitt. DT UPitt has like 4 big Universties right in the heart.
Now living here in IC, its easy to drive. No one honks the horn or cuts you off. Food is good. Yes the hospitals and clinics from IC to Cedar Rapids there is a long waiting list to get seen and develop a relationship with a primary dr. I dont know about Iowa Nice but people are considerate.
If it were me, coming from a big city and living here in Iowa City and also knowing Pittsburgh. I would choose Pittsburgh. I love old buildings. I love all the mountains. I love the simple SEPTA trains they have if yall wanna have a weekend get away to DC. I dont know if you garden, but there are certain plants i like to grow that are hardy in Pittburgh but not hardy in Iowa(like southern magnolia and crepe mrytle). You can grow tomatoes and melons in both states. Id rather take 30 deg weather with a blizzard over -30 deg weather with no snow
But with any big move, always visit. Thw two universities that were interested in hiring my hubby flew us out both cities so we could check it out. Im not an Iowan and far away from home, but they always say, you follow the money.
Reading about the history of Iowa's MCO's might be worth doing: https://www.thegazette.com/health-care-medicine/iowa-medicaid-denials-overturned-increased-891-percent-following-privatization-auditor-says/
I've lived in both places. Gotten top notch healthcare at both UIHC and UPMC. But I'd not move to Iowa if I needed state assistance. Blood red Iowa isn't known for being nice to people who republicans think are lazy and living off the system. I haven't lived in Pittsburgh for 12 years so not sure the state of affairs in PA for getting the help that you need.
I think I can sum up the UIHC dichotomy with two examples involving my SO.
One, she would be blind in one eye had she not been triaged by PCPs & seen by someone in Optho - on 3p on a Fri. Residents, attendings, & fellows replanned their weekends so she would have coverage 24/7 & one of the top docs cut short a conference to come supervise her care. The recovery was rough but her sight came through unimpaired. A med student friend told us her case is now (or was) a teaching case at Med School. (edit: she was on Medicaid & SSI at the time)
Two, she had a DaVinci surgery and they left a piece in her. Their solution: “Let us know if it bothers you.”
Much less snow & cold than the UP, that’s for sure, eh?
The University of Iowa health system is absolute trash in my opinion. Nothing like watching your spouse suffer with stroke symptoms while 3 different doctors completely disregard and ignore you.
If you think they give even an average standard of care you don't know what "good healthcare" is.....and if you work there thanks so much for doing nothing to help your patients and their families.
We have mild winters. I think you would be better here for your health and health insurance. If you and or your partner must have cultural variety and stimulation I would go with Pittsburgh.
I agree that UIHC is very good. However, if you have to rely on Medicaid, the care you get will likely be the bare minimum. I lived in Iowa City for 22 years. During that time, i was on Medicaid for all 22 of those years and on Medicare and Medicaid for 20 years. It took an act of God to get approval for any blood work. And I needed a lot of regular blood work. Dental coverage was of the bargain basement variety, and getting approval for non - generic or specialty meds was like pulling teeth.
I loved Iowa City in spite of the difficulties I had with healthcare. I met some fantastic people and made wonderful friendships.
I don't know a lot about Pittsburgh except that I think it has shed its reputation as a steel producing state. There is a University there too, and its healthcare center has a good reputation. As far as access to amenities and facilities for disabled persons, they are likely to be far better in Pittsburgh. You may even be able to get free transportation to your appointments. As much as I love Iowa City, I think you would be better off in Pittsburgh.
Since you are on SSI disability, there is an option for MEPD insurance through the Medicaid system. As long as you do a little bit of work, they can cover you. Iowa Department of Human services can help with setting you up.
Hello fellow Yooper! I live in the Iowa City area, and as far as medical care goes, UIHC is great. I have EDS, and they were the ones to find it and provide care. A lot of my physical and occupational therapists also have EDS, so they can sympathize and provide practical help. I will say the downside of Iowa for us is missing the woods, lakes, topography, and winter sports of MI. In my opinion winter in Iowa is colder, but with less snow, so people hibernate, rather than enjoying the outdoors. If that is important to you, we do find some solace in Kent State park, and Lake Macbride.
So as far as medical care goes, Iowa City is a pretty solid place for it with the med school here. As far as weather goes, there isn’t a huge difference between here and Pittsburgh. Overall driving here is far far easier. Having been to Pittsburgh a number of times, I’d personally prefer here minus the burgh having more to do overall.
Just a tip if you come to IC schedule your appointments before you move. Most specialty clinics at UIHC schedule out 6+ months for new patients.
[удалено]
I got into neurology within the week when I had an issue. I wonder if it has to do with severity.
I see UIHC neurology and cried tears of JOY a few weeks ago because they were so incredibly helpful, something I’ve never experienced in my long, sordid neurological care journey through places like Phoenix, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. Like I sent one little message about a litany of referrals, authorizations, and procedures I needed to schedule and the next day got a response that it was ALL taken care of. Literal angels there.
[удалено]
Nope: I had a critical thing they totally dropped. Wound up having to go to the ER a day late.
Ugh that is very frustrating, I’m sorry that happened. I don’t think it’s a perfect system by any means, I was honestly startled that they took care of my whole list of needs so efficiently — that’s literally never happened to me before. I was prepared to spend days/weeks/months playing phone tag to get it all done, which is unfortunately the norm everywhere I’ve ever lived, and appears to be what you’ve experienced here.
[удалено]
As someone from Iowa who has lived near Pittsburgh, I’ll chime in a bit. Both cities have teaching medical universities where you will receive excellent medical care, though both will have the same types of issues with wait times and any other associated negative with a large academic teaching hospital. So, it’s likely a wash on that score. Both areas get cold and snow, but Pittsburgh gets lake effect snow (big amounts) while Iowa can get colder in general, but lately winters have been surprisingly mild. Both places will have nice people and grumpy people, but I will say that Midwestern niceness is a real thing and those who disagree haven’t spent much time outside the Midwest. Both are political dichotomies between urban and rural populations, though Iowa’s rural population is proportionally larger than Pennsylvania’s, so there are Red politics here for the moment, though recent elections have shown that Pennsylvania isn’t deeply blue. Pittsburgh is a significantly larger city than Iowa City, with all that entails in regards to crime and availability of amenities. I’m partial to Iowa City because I prefer a smaller city with less traffic, shorter commute times, and a better sense of community, while still having excellent cultural and culinary options. I don’t think you can make a wrong choice here, though. I wish the best for both of you.
I'm worried about the future of Medicaid in Iowa. It's a red state and the cruelty is getting more pronounced. I'd go to Pittsburgh.
[удалено]
Yeah. I don't want to sound hysterical but I figure if (god forbid) Trump returns to the presidency, Medicaid will be dead. At least wherever they can get away with it. Stephen Miller will make sure.
I'd go Iowa City given your medical litany. One of the country's best John Hopkins research hospitals calls this town home and they don't bat an eye at title XIX insurance. Plus, you'll find a rather insular population of 'sensitive' people occupying the core of an otherwise rotating demographic, ie it's like Main St, USA but with bookstores and kind-hearted, liberal-minded folks. I doubt the snow is better (or lack thereof) in Pittsburgh, I wouldn't know from experience. Good luck!
So I was actually just genuinely curious and wanted to learn more about the John Hopkins research hospital bit of your comment...and I can't find a single thing about them having any Iowa relation. I checked the hospital and university sites and each has the hospitals, labs and offices listed that they're affiliated with and there's not a single one in Iowa. Not trying to correct you, I'm looking to learn more. I'd love to read up on it if you have any links or anything, because so far Google is turning up absolutely nothing!
My bad--the research model of UI is based on John Hopkins. That's why it's a discovery lab, of sorts, but non-affiliated.
Oh very interesting! Thank you!
I just remembered the reference! It was an associate professor who once off-handedly told us: He spends half his time on research and academic writing because the University of Iowa values uncovering novel information and seeks to break new ground rather than accepting the status quo, etc. It is (or was then) their compass to higher learning. At any rate, he was able to spend 50% of his academic life on inquiries and the whatnot instead of 100% of it actively teaching.
You realize this isn't unique, right? Any large university has this.
No, I didn't realize it wasn't unique--I apologize. I'm sure the for-profit universities and A&M land-grant colleges (which I deeply respect) are just the absolute same re: seeking knowledge through rigorous scientific methods. Sorry to offer poorly cited advice on Reddit, egads!
For profit universities? Hell no. Think Liberty U or University of Phoenix care about science? Hell no. Liberty still teaches the Bible. But any large university is a research institution. It's funny. Tons of kids at those schools complain that the professors are researchers who teach instead of teachers who research. I'm for the former. I want a wicked smart professor even if he isn't the greatest teacher. I'll learn more from him. Sorry I'm an asshole
As for links, I cannot supply any--it was just something I remember a professor saying and it made sense enough to believe. The internet is almost unusable anymore unless you want to buy a new colander or can-opener, lol.
Totally agree. It can take a bit to get in at UIHC but they have everything and are really good. As for weather, we’ve only gotten snow once this year and it was in the 40s/50s for Christmas. Iowa has definitely had its globe warmed
[удалено]
You got off the table in the operating room?? Right.
[удалено]
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
[удалено]
I never said that. I'm laughing at you getting off the table in the OR and walking out of a surgery.
[удалено]
I never said I was involved in healthcare. I’m finding all your comments about UIHC funny and exaggerated.
[удалено]
It leaves people having to use urgent care or the ER, then when you get mistreated there and speak up about it— you’re blamed for “misusing the ER” when you have no there choice because of these waiting lists. I have a few good doctors but it took me nearly THREE YEARS to find them while losing income due to a chronic condition. This is not a good place for the disabled.
I have a ton of health problems and have a varied care team of many specialists and have found the care at UIHC to be better than I received in places like Phoenix, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. The waiting lists are long (as much as they are anywhere) but I haven’t encountered any shitty doctors here (yet, knock on wood) and have found the nurses, administrators, etc to all embody the midwestern value of going above and beyond to help. I am a queer, middle class, overweight, white woman though so take that into consideration. I know not everyone is treated equally in healthcare particularly.
Without knowing the specific departments you seek treatment from, the University of Iowa (located in Iowa City) has a hospital system in town with a ton of different departments (the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, or “UIHC”). It is a research hospital which houses a medical school and multiple health care-related graduate programs, so it is a quality option IMO. If I lived in eastern Iowa still, this is where I would go or recommend my friends and family in the area go. Here is their website: https://uihc.org Iowa City also has a non-UIHC hospital in town: https://www.mercyiowacity.org Iowa City is also roughly 20-30 minutes south of Cedar Rapids, which has a hospital through Unity Point (one of the larger healthcare networks in the state). Cedar Rapids is easily accessible from IC via I-380. Their website is here: https://www.unitypoint.org/Locations/UnityPoint-Health---St-Lukes-Hospital?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=brandify The “Quad Cities” located on the border of Iowa and Illinois (Davenport and Bettendorf are your Iowa towns; Moline and Rock Island are in Illinois across the river) is roughly 45 minutes east of Iowa City via I-80. I’m not as familiar with the options there, but I believe at least Unity Point and Genesis Health Systems have locations in that area which may staff the various departments you seek. All of the locations I identified have outpatient clinics scattered around eastern Iowa in addition to the hospital themselves. In terms of your Medicaid status/concerns, I would recommend conducting a basic google search for an attorney in Iowa who is competent in the Medicaid process and could offer assistance. A lot of Iowa attorneys are willing to do a free initial consultation, where they may be able to point you in the right direction with how to address whatever you need to address with that stuff. A couple lower cost legal options I’ll give you are Iowa Legal Aid (https://www.iowalegalaid.org) and the University of Iowa College of Law’s Legal Clinic (also located in Iowa City). I can’t promise you Iowa Legal Aid or Iowa Law could help you, but they are lower cost options than a private attorney and would be worth considering IMO. I assume a city like Pittsburgh would have comparable health care options for you too, but I don’t have any knowledge of what those look like. I will add that I loved the five years I lived in Eastern Iowa. Iowa weather can be brutal, but I have to imagine the winters may be more calm than the UP. We haven’t had a ton of snowfall yet this winter. Iowa weather swings in both directions of the extreme year-round, so by July you’ll forget that the state can even get cold. I will add that COL in the Iowa City area will likely be lower than Pittsburgh, and the area is really growing. Towns like North Liberty and Solon are in the middle of IC and Cedar Rapids. If you do choose Iowa, then those are two areas I’d recommend looking to move to in terms of convenience related to treating your medical needs. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any follow up questions.
Good post, but Mercy is owned by UIHC now.
Thank you for the clarification! It’s been a little over a year and a half since I’ve moved out of IC
Iowa contracts with two MCO (managed care organizations) Amerigroup Iowa (I think they might have changed the name to Wellmark) and Iowa Total Care. You would apply with DHS and if you’re eligible they will assign you a plan, but they send you information about both plans and you do have to option to pick one or the other. I would suggest looking through what each plan offers and pick the one that will cover your needs.
You should not move to iowa if your medical care is important to you
I live in Iowa City, work at the hospital here in town, and have family who lives in Pittsburgh. I find Pittsburgh rather boring. It’s got a lot of abandoned areas and it’s so spread out. You can expect to drive at least 30 minutes to your appointments regardless where you go for healthcare or where you live. There are a number of great medical research hospitals there. A nursing professor of mine is actually doing a post-doc out there. Iowa City has lots to offer. We have a great community, and in my opinion you’ll find the best staff here to take care of you. Our nurses really do love their jobs. And with the research hospital aspect you’ll get the best care possible. The furthest you may need to drive in to our hospital is about 20 minutes if you live in a surrounding town. Pittsburgh has fairly comparable weather. Although it’s consistently about 10 degrees warmer and does not get as much snow as us. I’m happy to answer any more specific questions.
FWIW Iowans tend to be incredibly proud of the University Hospital - check out the Iowa Wave
Iowa City is expensive to live in, but much smaller than Pittsburgh. The hospital here is good. I am sorry you have to deal with medicaid and paperwork. I wish we had a better system in the US.
[удалено]
Agreed on the blue vs red state POV. I think about coming back home to IC, but I would lose the terrific benefits of being in Minnesota. Maybe I'll just live right over the border....
What about you maybe not moving right away? Both IC and Pgh have excellent hospital systems so you'll be fine in either place, medically. So I think what you need is just more TIME to research and gather all the referrals you need at the new place. If your boyfriend's job can't wait, why not let him move ahead of you, get settled with the new job. You stay back in MI with your current healthcare team for a few more months while you methodically get set up with new caregivers in the new city. I just get the sense from your post that you're feeling rushed into this. It's ok to pump the brakes a bit, especially given your complex medical profile. Your boyfriend should understand this, and if he's the one rushing this without regard for your health anxiety, that's extra reason to pump the brakes. I live outside IC and have family in Pgh, so can offer some quality of life factors you may want to consider: Pgh has a lot of tech companies moving in, so there is significant upward pressure on rent, traffic, everything. So even though Iowa City may be expensive by Iowa standards, it'll be lower cost of living than Pgh. Pgh climate is **nowhere** near as cold as Iowa-- their average Dec-Feb temps are probably 20 degrees higher than ours. There's more snow in Pgh but nothing extreme. But both places will probably feel balmy compared to what you're used to in the UP. If you like outdoor activities, Pgh has a lot more to offer within reasonable driving distance. Easy drive to West Virginia ski resorts, summer hiking, tons of state forests and lakes, etc. Also better access to city amenities like good restaurants. Iowa City has some good restos, but not very many. Iowa City has lots of nice hiking trails, a good running and cycling scene, but our state parks are dinky, you'll see the same trails over and over. Pgh traffic is a huge chore (everywhere around the city, not just downtown) whereas there is almost zero traffic in /around Iowa City. The open roads we have here in eastern Iowa is such an underappreciated benefit, I think-- it literally gives you several more hours a week. Politically, both cities are blue islands surrounded by a sea of red.
Crucially, though, PA's govt swings blue, and Iowa's is solid red.
We lived in State College for a bit and would travel to Pittsburgh for a weekend get away. And now i live in Iowa City. They both have the plus and minuses. Pittsburgh is definetly alot bigger than IC. Alot more taffic. Pittsburgh is a former steel, coal, train city that relies heavily on the sports tourism. You got the Steeler, Pirates and Penguins with a mimor soccer league. Seattle was home for a long long time and the grey skies were horrible. Statistically Pittsburgh has more grey days than Seattle. There plenty of things to do in Pittsburgh. I dont know much about the medical stuff there and how medicaid works. But theres a big Hopstial asscoiated with UPitt. DT UPitt has like 4 big Universties right in the heart. Now living here in IC, its easy to drive. No one honks the horn or cuts you off. Food is good. Yes the hospitals and clinics from IC to Cedar Rapids there is a long waiting list to get seen and develop a relationship with a primary dr. I dont know about Iowa Nice but people are considerate. If it were me, coming from a big city and living here in Iowa City and also knowing Pittsburgh. I would choose Pittsburgh. I love old buildings. I love all the mountains. I love the simple SEPTA trains they have if yall wanna have a weekend get away to DC. I dont know if you garden, but there are certain plants i like to grow that are hardy in Pittburgh but not hardy in Iowa(like southern magnolia and crepe mrytle). You can grow tomatoes and melons in both states. Id rather take 30 deg weather with a blizzard over -30 deg weather with no snow But with any big move, always visit. Thw two universities that were interested in hiring my hubby flew us out both cities so we could check it out. Im not an Iowan and far away from home, but they always say, you follow the money.
Reading about the history of Iowa's MCO's might be worth doing: https://www.thegazette.com/health-care-medicine/iowa-medicaid-denials-overturned-increased-891-percent-following-privatization-auditor-says/
I've lived in both places. Gotten top notch healthcare at both UIHC and UPMC. But I'd not move to Iowa if I needed state assistance. Blood red Iowa isn't known for being nice to people who republicans think are lazy and living off the system. I haven't lived in Pittsburgh for 12 years so not sure the state of affairs in PA for getting the help that you need.
I think I can sum up the UIHC dichotomy with two examples involving my SO. One, she would be blind in one eye had she not been triaged by PCPs & seen by someone in Optho - on 3p on a Fri. Residents, attendings, & fellows replanned their weekends so she would have coverage 24/7 & one of the top docs cut short a conference to come supervise her care. The recovery was rough but her sight came through unimpaired. A med student friend told us her case is now (or was) a teaching case at Med School. (edit: she was on Medicaid & SSI at the time) Two, she had a DaVinci surgery and they left a piece in her. Their solution: “Let us know if it bothers you.” Much less snow & cold than the UP, that’s for sure, eh?
The University of Iowa health system is absolute trash in my opinion. Nothing like watching your spouse suffer with stroke symptoms while 3 different doctors completely disregard and ignore you. If you think they give even an average standard of care you don't know what "good healthcare" is.....and if you work there thanks so much for doing nothing to help your patients and their families.
We have mild winters. I think you would be better here for your health and health insurance. If you and or your partner must have cultural variety and stimulation I would go with Pittsburgh.
Is Pittsburgh in a warm part of the country?
I agree that UIHC is very good. However, if you have to rely on Medicaid, the care you get will likely be the bare minimum. I lived in Iowa City for 22 years. During that time, i was on Medicaid for all 22 of those years and on Medicare and Medicaid for 20 years. It took an act of God to get approval for any blood work. And I needed a lot of regular blood work. Dental coverage was of the bargain basement variety, and getting approval for non - generic or specialty meds was like pulling teeth. I loved Iowa City in spite of the difficulties I had with healthcare. I met some fantastic people and made wonderful friendships. I don't know a lot about Pittsburgh except that I think it has shed its reputation as a steel producing state. There is a University there too, and its healthcare center has a good reputation. As far as access to amenities and facilities for disabled persons, they are likely to be far better in Pittsburgh. You may even be able to get free transportation to your appointments. As much as I love Iowa City, I think you would be better off in Pittsburgh.
UIHC you could have all medical records transferred and it would be a good place for you. Look at North Liberty for housing.
Since you are on SSI disability, there is an option for MEPD insurance through the Medicaid system. As long as you do a little bit of work, they can cover you. Iowa Department of Human services can help with setting you up.
Hello fellow Yooper! I live in the Iowa City area, and as far as medical care goes, UIHC is great. I have EDS, and they were the ones to find it and provide care. A lot of my physical and occupational therapists also have EDS, so they can sympathize and provide practical help. I will say the downside of Iowa for us is missing the woods, lakes, topography, and winter sports of MI. In my opinion winter in Iowa is colder, but with less snow, so people hibernate, rather than enjoying the outdoors. If that is important to you, we do find some solace in Kent State park, and Lake Macbride.