In medical terms, what is a specialist? I ask because of a bizarre occurrence when trying to switch Medicare supplemental insurance. I signed up with Humana Insurance, contingent upon their accepting my new physician as my primary care doc. I was told by one of their "Membership Services" (Hah!) people that she was a specialist, thus could not be my primary doc. When I read the doc's card to her, whereupon it states, "Family Practice," she stated that the doctor's specialty was family practice. Have I fallen down a rabbit hole, or is that Humana person an idiot?

Kalleh may be the one most knowledgeable but I've seen some defs that state "family practice" is a specialty devoted to medical problems within familial units, thus seeming to deny access to single people (although I can't say for certain if that's one rule). It doesn't seem to me to be any great specialization like a heart surgeon or dentist.

We call family doctors 'general practitioners', which clearly indicates that they don't specialise.

quote:

We call family doctors 'general practitioners', which clearly indicates that they don't specialise.

However, it is what the medical profession and the lawyers deem "specialist" that counts.

Exactly.

When I went back to my previous insurance agent to get signed up with my old insurance company again, I related the story to him. He looked up the physician in question and found her listed as a primary care provider, thus qualified under their plan. He agrees with me that the other company's assessment of "Family Practice" is incorrect, as does the company he represents. Too bad for the other one; they've lost my business.

Sorry to be late to this party - but I don't think "family practice" practitioners, and certainly not "primary care providers," are specialists. Now, I suppose an "internist" would be, but they really shouldn't be in my mind.