where to get a non aviation physical

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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I am the typical male as in I never go to a doctor.
My wife has nagged me to go get a physical / bloodwork, etc thing done.

I've tried twice now...

I looked in my insurance and got a list of doctors in network.
I call but its not the Dr. Office, it is a national call center.

They ask wiach doctor I want, then which location I want then ask all my basic details.
They ask if it is a first visit.
Then "What do you need to see him for?"

"I want a physical" I say.
"Oh they wont do a physical on a first visit" she says.

"So I just want to get a physical"
"Ok, have a nice day" she says.


I just need someone to grab my junk, poke me in the no no spot, take some blood and give me a report so my wife will quit asking me to get that done.

Is this not a thing you can just go do now. I have to court the guy first? I mean I know I am asking for 3rd base from the get go but it should be easy.

Anyone tips on navigating the system? It seems last time I went to a doc (10 years ago) you just walked in, gave them your insurance card and he was all up in your business from the get go.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I am the typical male as in I never go to a doctor.
My wife has nagged me to go get a physical / bloodwork, etc thing done.

I've tried twice now...

I looked in my insurance and got a list of doctors in network.
I call but its not the Dr. Office, it is a national call center.

They ask wiach doctor I want, then which location I want then ask all my basic details.
They ask if it is a first visit.
Then "What do you need to see him for?"

"I want a physical" I say.
"Oh they wont do a physical on a first visit" she says.

"So I just want to get a physical"
"Ok, have a nice day" she says.


I just need someone to grab my junk, poke me in the no no spot, take some blood and give me a report so my wife will quit asking me to get that done.

Is this not a thing you can just go do now. I have to court the guy first? I mean I know I am asking for 3rd base from the get go but it should be easy.

Anyone tips on navigating the system? It seems last time I went to a doc (10 years ago) you just walked in, gave them your insurance card and he was all up in your business from the get go.
Click to expand...

Yes, you have to court. It’s not all about you. You need to some grabbing and poking to. Anyway, Looks like you may have to get it done in two visits. They’d schedule the physical at your first visit. That’s how it went for me
 
seems like you should just be able to pick a primary care physician from your in-network docs then tell them you've trimmed....down there....and are ready to go.
 
Put the docs your insurance company listed here...

https://www.ratemds.com

See if you can get a direct line to their office.

I wouldn't go to a doc that requires me to make an appointment through a national call center.
 
Painful reality: With the onset of the Patient Portability and Affordable Care Act (sometimes identified by reference to the President who was in office at the time it was passed), it has become dramatically more difficult to secure cash-paid physicians' services , except from "concierge" practices (which do not accept insurance). These tend to focus on very high-end patients; I had one I dealt with for several years, it was a very good experience, with doctor visits readily scheduled and well-conducted, but now they won't let me see the doctor unless I get a complete physical, for around $8,000.00.

Have you ever gotten your insurance carrier to recommend a "family physician" in your plan? Sometimes, that approach can work. Of course, you'll be paying the deductible, and the rate will be steep (because... sigh).

It's complicated; just remember: you have a health care system being administered by the IRS.
 
Don't know if this will still work with all the medical care changes, but you might give it a try.
Had a co-worker who did not have a doctor. The company started requiring us to have an annual physical for insurance purposes. He called a local "urgent care," place, which is kind of an "emergency room lite" where you can go if you have a minor illness or injury. My co-worker referred to it a "Doc-in-a-box" The doctor there saw him, gave him a physical, and sent him on his way.
 
luvflyin said:
Yes, you have to court. It’s not all about you. You need to some grabbing and poking to. Anyway, Looks like you may have to get it done in two visits. They’d schedule the physical at your first visit. That’s how it went for me
Click to expand...
If the physical is the second visit, what exactly takes place on the first visit?
 
I prefer female doctors, smaller fingers, if you know what I mean.
 
Have you asked any of your friends who they use? Its how I found my guy, who I like way better than the lady doc I started going to when I got here. Small fingers my a$$! Oh, it was my a$$. She went to the VA. I feel sorry for our soldiers.
 
Maybe find a concierge physician, use him/her as your primary. I pay mine a flat fee of $2,100 per year. Concierge used to be for "high end" folks, but plenty more physicians are going that way - more time with patients, keep more of the fees, and minimal office staff overhead. Not so practical for specialists visits (doctor or patient) I know, but so be it.

If you have real insurance, vice a HMO, you can go "out of plan" for the visit. My Doc prints the generic form for me, and I submit that to BC/BS for whatever they'll reimburse, which works out to about 1/4 of the annual fee I pay him.. Insurance still covers the lab tests, as they would for tests ordered by an "in-plan" physician. It's working great for me; no waiting at the office, I go more often, and I get some real time with the doctor.

Still stuck when seeing a specialist, of course, or for imaging, etc.
 
Sundancer said:
Maybe find a concierge physician, use him/her as your primary. I pay mine a flat fee of $2,100 per year. Concierge used to be for "high end" folks, but plenty more physicians are going that way - more time with patients, keep more of the fees, and minimal office staff overhead. Not so practical for specialists visits (doctor or patient) I know, but so be it.

If you have real insurance, vice a HMO, you can go "out of plan" for the visit. My Doc prints the generic form for me, and I submit that to BC/BS for whatever they'll reimburse, which works out to about 1/4 of the annual fee I pay him.. Insurance still covers the lab tests, as they would for tests ordered by an "in-plan" physician. It's working great for me; no waiting at the office, I go more often, and I get some real time with the doctor.

Still stuck when seeing a specialist, of course, or for imaging, etc.
Click to expand...
I know a doc like that who completely stopped taking insurance and he’s nearly suffocated himself financially because of it (ex-family member). If you still wanted to use him as your primary care physician, than you have to pay him a flat premium each year for various tiers of medical care. So really, the only ones who can still afford him are those that are wealthy enough to pay out of pocket. Pretty idiotic if you ask me, as he’s nearly cleaned house on the majority of his patient base. To him we say...sayonara!
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I am the typical male as in I never go to a doctor.
My wife has nagged me to go get a physical / bloodwork, etc thing done.

I've tried twice now...

I looked in my insurance and got a list of doctors in network.
I call but its not the Dr. Office, it is a national call center.

They ask wiach doctor I want, then which location I want then ask all my basic details.
They ask if it is a first visit.
Then "What do you need to see him for?"

"I want a physical" I say.
"Oh they wont do a physical on a first visit" she says.

"So I just want to get a physical"
"Ok, have a nice day" she says.


I just need someone to grab my junk, poke me in the no no spot, take some blood and give me a report so my wife will quit asking me to get that done.

Is this not a thing you can just go do now. I have to court the guy first? I mean I know I am asking for 3rd base from the get go but it should be easy.

Anyone tips on navigating the system? It seems last time I went to a doc (10 years ago) you just walked in, gave them your insurance card and he was all up in your business from the get go.
Click to expand...


I haven't tried this myself, but you may be able to go to a pharmacy clinic (like CVS minute clinic), ask for a complete blood work requisition, and interpret the results yourself. You need a specialist only if the numbers are out of range.
 
The same thing just happened to me. Other than my dermatologist and AME, I haven’t been to a doctor since the 70s. I figured I could get my Basic MED with the doctor listed on my insurance card. So I called them to schedule a physical and they said I needed to come in first for an introductory visit.

They’d never heard of Basic MED, even though they do industrial physicals, so I emailed them the FAA form. Hopefully, they’ll figure it out. Otherwise, my AME will do Basic MED—but he charges $135 for a physical.
 
Walk-in clinics that might take your insurance, too. Maybe check there?

It's probably about time you got a doc for yourself anyway. If they require 2 visits - the first one is to bill you and your insurance co for a consult or whatever, then the physical will be covered by your insurance and any lab work will be billed to you at your discounted rate.
 
Got one done at Minute Clinic last week for similar reasons. Fewer dumb questions, seemingly ("do you wear your seatbelt" type stuff).
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
I would start with seeing a non-aviation doctor.....o_O
Click to expand...

If you're serious about your health lookup and schedule it with an internal medicine Doc. That what I use, plus she does flight physicals also.
 
Concentra is where I get my offshore physical for work. They seem to do mainly occupational stuff - maybe call them.
 
UGH it is insurance related. I am using my BCBS website to search for a doctor.
Every dr. has the same phone number.

So guessing my insurance is driving this.


I think I am going to go the alternate route and just start calling doctors and asking if they take my crap insurance.
 
I believe eman will do it for free.
 
GDmit!!
"Have to have an initial consult and then schedule a physical from there"
I have a damn job I can't take off twice because of your stupid insurance rules.

The world is getting really ****ing dumb
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
GDmit!!
"Have to have an initial consult and then schedule a physical from there"
I have a damn job I can't take off twice because of your stupid insurance rules.

The world is getting really ****ing dumb
Click to expand...

I suspect that it is not an insurance rule but a wonderful idea from our government. That said, I don't like minute clinics, I much prefer to have a doc that knows me and gets me in when I need to get in. I have that now and it is great.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
GDmit!!
"Have to have an initial consult and then schedule a physical from there"
I have a damn job I can't take off twice because of your stupid insurance rules.

The world is getting really ****ing dumb
Click to expand...
Can you schedule back-to-back appointments and get it done in one shot?
 
If the nurse looks like this, run Forest run!

image.gif
 
I called a dr out of the blue (not using my BCBX dr. finder) and asked for a physical.
She said yes but she is booked until the end of Aug.

I asked if I can get one on my first visit. She said that is how they prefer to do it and I am experiencing some strange insurance requirement.
She said $250 for a physical paying cash.

I am going to go that route versus dealing with the insurance company.
I would rather pay more and only be inconvenienced once.
 
Can POA form a group and we all join up on the POA insurance coverage?
There are more people here than employees at my company surely we could get a good deal.
 
I found one for Thursday Finally.

I was all: "Can I just come in and get a physical?"
She's "Yep. Thur 9 AM"
And I'm "Is he gonna put his fingers places?"

"Yep"
Then I'm "Cool, how far"
Her "Far enough. And a little more"
Great. See ya at 9
 
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