Medical cost?

FlightFollowing

FlightFollowing

Pre-Flight
Joined
Mar 3, 2005
Messages
44
Location
Alexandria
Display Name
Display name:
Flightfollowing
How much did your 3rd class medical cost you? I remember it costed me 45 3 years ago and now they are charging me 110 for one this year. Same AME.:vomit:
 
A hundred seems pretty reasonable to me. Two years ago it was $85 so I'm expecting right at a hundred this year.

It's certainly a much better bargain for the same amount of time than that of an attorney if you ever have to sue the AME. :D
 
I pay $120 for my medical, regardless of class (though no EKG).

After the AME signs your new medical, I would ask why the large spike in price a mere 3 years later.
 
I paid $90 on 4/9/07 for a class 3. The bill is here at work since I need to submit it against my HSA, MSA or whatever SA it is this year :)
 
Mine was $90 16 months ago for a Class 2, though it's the same cost for a Class 3. That's the same as four years ago.
 
hmm well i guess its normal. I just wanted to make sure i wasn't getting my chain pulled. No pun intended.
 
Teerawood said:
hmm well i guess its normal. I just wanted to make sure i wasn't getting my chain pulled. No pun intended.
Click to expand...
Doctors never pull chains. They poke, jab, hit, strike and sometimes pull other things... but there are no chains.

Wait, do straps count?


:goofy:
 
I paid $135 for a first class, including the EKG, about two months ago. Looks like that's a bargain...
 
I paid $75 eight months ago for a third class. We will soon be paying the FAA a user fee on top of what the doc charges.
 
I pay $80 here for a 1st class. they charge more if you need the EKG, but I'm not sure how much more. I would assume the 2 & 3 cost the same or less.

And I thought this was expensive, as I was paying $35 in FtWorth for a 1st class!
 
The other Senior AME 50 miles down the road just up and QUIT. I'm swamped.

So I have revamped. The pilots are advised when they call- "no meds, no conditions- do FAA's MedXpress, we're going to do the appointment in 30 minutes total to out the door. My database will be preloaded, we check 48 hours before to see that you have a MedXpress file. If you don't, you get cancelled. $75.

If you have need for discussion, it's an hour. Use AOPA's Turbomedical. Bring the print, don't sign it yet. That's $95. If you arrive ten minutes late, we reschedule. BE THERE ON TIME and READY TO GO. If you arrive late, I do require payemnt for the NEXT appointment in advance of the NEXT appointment.

If you want to do it all the old way on paper, $100.

Special Issuance work is all done before hand and is extra.

Sigh. I've had to become efficient. I just did a First Class airman who was very well organized, all on paper, for $70 (he booked before this change). 35 minutes stanrt to end. It was a BIG effort but he NEEDED his medical TODAY.
 
bbchien said:
If you arrive ten minutes late, we reschedule. BE THERE ON TIME and READY TO GO. If you arrive late, I do require payemnt for the NEXT appointment in advance of the NEXT appointment.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you spend more time waiting on patients than they do waiting on you. If so, would you PLEASE tell the rest of the medical profession how it's done? My sister waited today from 10:45 to 2:30 to see her Doctor. Her appointment was at 11:30.

I, on the other hand, have never in my adult life waited longer than 45 minutes for a Doctor. I usually walk out at 30 minutes, but once I was really sick so I waited 45 before I left.
 
bbchien said:
If you arrive ten minutes late, we reschedule. BE THERE ON TIME and READY TO GO. If you arrive late, I do require payemnt for the NEXT appointment in advance of the NEXT appointment.
Click to expand...
When you are running late do you then also give the patients who were on time and just sitting around waiting a discount? Fair is fair. My time is valuable too and I hate making an appointment and then being forced to wait well beyond a reasonable time. It would seem that the medical profession is the worst at keeping their appointments with patients just as I am sure there are a lot of patients who are irresponsible and do not arrive on time or prepared.
 
smigaldi said:
When you are running late do you then also give the patients who were on time and just sitting around waiting a discount? Fair is fair. My time is valuable too and I hate making an appointment and then being forced to wait well beyond a reasonable time. It would seem that the medical profession is the worst at keeping their appointments with patients just as I am sure there are a lot of patients who are irresponsible and do not arrive on time or prepared.
Click to expand...
I can actually say, I am nearly NEVER late. My regular patients know this. I do not overbook, and when someone just "doesn't show" I am idle.

That's why the "pay now if you want to see me again " philosophy. I don't have them pay for the missed appointment, it's just for the future one.

At the rate I'm going for medicals, it'll be 300 this year. I WISH some were simple.
 
Last edited:
The place where I get my medical does virtually all walk-ins. In fact when I've called to schedule an appointment they just say to just come in. I think they do lots of FAA medicals as well as physicals and drug testing for other reasons. I don't think I've ever waited more than about 20 minutes and I've probably had at least 10, if not more, medicals there. That said, I don't have any medical issues that require any extra attention or paperwork.
 
Both my 2nd and 3rd class medicals have been $80. 1st with the same AME would have been $125.

Unfortunately, he retired this year so now I have to find a new AME. :(
 
ARRGH. Today I opened the office with NO staff for two airmen who were begging to get done before the end of the month. One was an ATA pilot who was 50 minutes late. He was over at the Morton Auto wholsale auction looking at the cars.....ARRGH.

The second was a F35 flyer from SPI who was also 40 minutes late.

I'm never opening again to be accomodating. That's IT.
 
Today, Charter Cable was to come out and investigate why I'm losing my internet connection more than a dozen times a day. It happens along with total loss of the HDTV channels and horrible distortion on the other channels. The scheduled appointment time was between 1300 and 1500. After three phone calls today at 1530, 1900 and 2230, I'm finally told it was rescheduled... but for when? Possibly for tomorrow? :dunno:

I had planned to go treat myself to breakfast in the morning but still take a book with me to study.

Doc, I understand all too well your frustration with lack of commitment.
 
I can actually say, I am nearly NEVER late. My regular patients know this. I do not overbook, and when someone just "doesn't show" I am idle.
Click to expand...

Bruce, I wish you were down here! I get so tired of waiting for the doctor. Fortunately, I don't have to go very often.
 
Teerawood said:
How much did your 3rd class medical cost you? I remember it costed me 45 3 years ago and now they are charging me 110 for one this year. Same AME.:vomit:
Click to expand...
I payed $55 a couple of months ago for my 2nd class. I payed $600 in Australia:hairraise: .
 
bbchien said:
ARRGH. Today I opened the office with NO staff for two airmen who were begging to get done before the end of the month. One was an ATA pilot who was 50 minutes late. He was over at the Morton Auto wholsale auction looking at the cars.....ARRGH.

The second was a F35 flyer from SPI who was also 40 minutes late.

I'm never opening again to be accomodating. That's IT.
Click to expand...

Yes you will, it's just part of who you are...:rolleyes:
 
$165.... I think I win. But he did review all my blood pressure documentation a few days before and let me know it was all in good order so I think I got a good deal.
 
I paid a few hundred in New Zealand about 6 months ago, but now am back in Canada so it isn't recognized. I just got both a Canadian and an American medical all for $125 Canadian (About $120 USD). It was an old retired guy and the appointment was at his house. It lasted nearly 1.5 hours, and I don't even have any medical issues. I've never seen anybody be so thorough about listening to my heart before. He even explained why he had to listen in three body positions and a dozen different places, "This is because I can hear this valve and when you lean over this way I can hear the heart thwap the inside of your chest..."

I had a great time.
 
My old AME charged $120 but gave a 50% discount for pilots.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top