I am at risk for HD, and I am afraid that I am beginning to show simptoms. I have never talked to a doctor about this because I am afraid of being labeled at risk (I'm not using my real name here).

I have two questions for those who may know. First, who is the best HD doctor in Austin, TX? Second, is it possible to go to the same doctor for regular, insurance-covered visits and self-paid, confidential visits without having to worry about the insurance company seeing records from the confidential visits?

Thanks you for your help.

Hi Joe. Contact ...

Cheryl Lenheiser, LMSW-ACP
HDSA Texas Chapter Social Worker
1-800-910-6111
mailto:txhdsocialworker*at*aol.com

She may be able to make a recommendation. If not then contact Kim Krahn at mailto:kimkrahn*at*aol.com. She is the HDSA Texas Chapter president She probably knows one or two neurologists that she can recommend.

Steve

In case you didn't contact Cheryl, she just now gave me the following name. Of course I don't know the doctor and often whether or not a particular doctor is right for a person may be more dependent on a personality match than actual knowledge.

Dr. James Little
Austin Diagnostic Medical Center
12221 Mo-Pack Expressway North
Austin, TX 78758
512-901-4011


Steve

Joe, the best way to deal with the confidentiality issue is to discuss it with the doctor beforehand. When asked many will leave the HD reference out of your chart. If the doc is unable or unwilling then you know to keep looking.

Best wishes, Cristy

Joe,
This is my first time to answer anything posted to a message board, so please forgive me if I don't know exactly what I'm doing. My name is Kim and I'm here in Austin also. Like you I have HD in my family. I am also an insurance agent and am happy to share what I know about safeguarding your medical records.

Your question about using the same doctor for HD and your regular visits is a good one. I suggest you use different doctors. At least until you are ready for HD to be in your medical records. There is a database kept nationally called the medical information bureau. Insurance companies use it to determine eligibility for insurance. I believe it is the insurance companies who report this information to the database, so use a separate doctor for testing and treatment and do not go through your healthplan. I just spoke to Dr. Deborah Freedenberg here in Austin today about testing. She's a geneticist and an MD and does testing. She's in the phone book.

Are you aware of the support group in Austin? We meet the 4th Thurs. *at* 7pm til about 8:30 *at* Seton Shoal Creek Hospital in the Cafeteria Conference Room. We have a therapist that leads the group.

Good luck,
Kim

Thank you all for your replies. They have all been helpful, and I will visit one of the recomended doctors soon.

Kim-

I appreciate the information you passed on about the medical information bureau. Knowing that, I will definitely not discuss HD with an insurance-covered doctor.

-Joe