Info Desk [Paperwork, ordering, wait times, procedures, booklets, prescriptions...]

One box lasts for 15 days, so I'd need 6 boxes to cover a 3-month stretch.

I don't know, but I think she should be able to get it.

I have no clue how they have everything logged in their computer system or how much leeway the software actually gives them. My guess? General practitioners won't give you any trouble, the only real issue might be if the system itself blocks someone from ordering that many boxes all at once.

If you're dealing with a chronic condition, your doctor can issue a recurring prescription that covers up to 180 days of therapy. I'm not sure which specific formulation you're using, but all Lamal products fall under the refillable category. ->

Also, here is the official guidance you can print out and show your doctor. It’s the policy where Medicare allows travelers to have their medication dispensed in advance if it's for a chronic illness.

thanks🙂

Hey everyone, I was moving way too fast and totally missed this thread, so I ended up dropping my question over in the anesthesiology section instead.
I was wondering if there's any way to get a full list of the medications—anesthetics, analgesics, and basically everything else they used during the surgery?
I saw some people mentioning something called an anesthesia record on the other boards... is that what I'm looking for? How do I actually get my hands on that, and who should I be asking at the hospital?

Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone!
I’ve got a few questions, so if anyone can help me out, I'd really appreciate it.
I started working at my current company back in 2009—so, more than 15 years now—and they still haven't handed over my actual Medicare card. I'm basically still stuck using that little scrap of paper I was given when I first started.

I checked in with Medicare about my card, and they told me it was sent directly to my employer under a specific work order number. But whenever I call the folks at my office who handle this stuff, they swear up and down that nothing has ever arrived.

Now, here’s where it gets weird: back at the start of 2009, I changed my last name, which happened right around the same time they were rolling out the Social Security Number updates. Is it possible things just got lost in the shuffle there? Because whenever I try to look up my SSN info online, I can only find it if I use my old maiden name.
Also, when I signed up for supplemental insurance, I used my current last name, but when the paperwork finally showed up, it had my old name on it?!??

melloworca6 said:I'm not entirely sure, but I think they should be able to get it.

I honestly don't know how their computer systems are set up or how much flexibility the software actually allows for stuff like this. My guess? A standard doctor shouldn't have any trouble with it; the only real hiccup might be if the system itself puts a cap on how many boxes can be processed all at once.

In situations like that, the doctor won't use an electronic prescription. Instead, they’ll write out paper prescriptions and add the necessary notations—like "dispense all at once" or "for chronic therapy." Since you can usually only get a maximum of two boxes per individual prescription, the number of slips a patient has to carry to the pharmacy varies. They just hand over all those papers to the pharmacist, who then issues the full supply right then and there.

Nathan Gomez8 Asks:
It really depends on what you're using it for, but if we're talking about contraception, that one-year timeframe usually applies. 🤣
Just head over to the pharmacy first to get things checked out, and then go see a doctor if you still feel like you need to.

If you think about it logically, there’s no way a private clinic could even issue an e-prescription like that. They don't have any link to your Medicare ID, right? It's not like they can even see your records.

Not a single recipe stays good for a year.
Just a heads-up if you're dealing with those refillable private prescriptions: they're only valid for up to 180 days from the date they were written. Think of it like an expiration date on a carton of milk—once that window closes, the prescription is essentially old news.
Basically, it means the doctor has to specify exactly how many times that prescription can be filled—like saying "6 refills" or "valid for 6 months" for birth control. If they don't include those specific instructions, the script is only good for a single pickup.
Everything else is just noise if you aren't following the federal Regulation regarding drug classification and how prescriptions are written and dispensed.😁

If a private practice has a contract with Medicare, they’re still putting everything into the electronic records system. Plenty of private clinics have those kinds of contracts in place. But, I’m guessing you probably weren't talking about those types of providers...

swiftbear86 said:In those situations, the doctor doesn't use an e-prescription. Instead, they write out paper prescriptions and mark them with the necessary notations (like "issue all at once" or "chronic therapy"). You can only get up to two boxes of medication per prescription, so depending on the case, the number of papers a patient carries to the pharmacy varies. Once they get there, the pharmacist issues the entire course of treatment immediately.

Good to know. 🙂

My apologies for barging in like this, but I was wondering if visits are actually permitted in the infectious disease ward?

I am quite perplexed—why would someone be transferred to the infectious disease unit immediately following a stomach pump procedure?

Is there any way at all to confirm if a person is currently admitted, and if so, what their room number might be? Do they actually provide that kind of information over the phone, or is that strictly off-limits?

If anyone happens to have an answer to even just one of these questions, I would be immensely grateful!

Hey, I’m not sure if this is the right spot for this, but does anyone know what the bill looks like for foreign nationals hitting the ER for something like epilepsy? Obviously, I'm talking about cases where they don't have any Medicare paperwork ready to go. Thanks!

How many times a year am I actually entitled to physical therapy? Is there some specific rulebook somewhere that outlines this? Specifically regarding my spine. My physiatrist wrote off "periodically" on my referral. What does that even mean in practice? Does it just depend on my primary care physician’s mood or how much they feel like helping, or is it based on my actual condition, or... something else entirely? I think I read somewhere that it's limited to once a year, though I can't quite recall where. It doesn't make any sense to me—given that this is a chronic issue—that "periodically" would imply waiting several years between sessions. Besides, the sessions are always just ten days long anyway.

silverotter2 said:Sorry for jumping in like this, but I was wondering if visits are actually allowed in the infectious disease ward?

I guess it's kind of weird, but why would someone get sent straight to the isolation unit right after having their stomach pumped?

Is there any way to find out if they’re actually at the hospital or which room they’re in? Like, will they even give out that kind of info over the phone?

If anyone happens to know the answer to even just one of these, I'd really appreciate it!

1. Yeah, you can visit.

2. Probably because they have an active infection.

3. Just try calling the nurses on the floor.

Lisa Nelson70 said:How many times a year am I actually entitled to physical therapy? Is there some specific rule somewhere regarding this? Specifically, because of my spine issues. My physiatrist wrote down "periodically"—but what does that even mean in practice? Does it depend entirely on my primary care physician and their level of benevolence, or my actual condition, or... or what? Because I read somewhere once—I can't quite recall where—that it's only once a year. That doesn't make any sense to me, honestly; since this is a chronic condition, "periodically" shouldn't imply waiting years between sessions. And anyway, it’s always just ten-day stretches.

Well, I once asked my physiatrist something along the lines of, "If I don't actually get better, how much more physical therapy am I allowed to have?" I’ve tried all sorts of different treatments, and frankly, most haven't helped much—I even managed to mess myself up further with the exercises! To top it off, they practically tortured me with an ultrasound, which was incredibly painful—and that's rare, isn't it? She told me she could keep sending me for treatment, though not indefinitely, of course. Apparently, they mostly allow up to three cycles—I did three 10-day rounds—and then there’s a gap of, I don't know, several months. I deal with a chronic condition too, but it seems like they simply couldn't care less as long as my leg hasn't fallen off. Sometimes when I'm on the bus, I'll overhear someone saying they tore one meniscus and cracked the other, yet they still had to pay out of pocket for an MRI just to avoid waiting six months. Good grief, I truly don't even know who is actually eligible for an MRI, or if they can even get one within a reasonable timeframe. Some diagnostic tests are treated like the Holy Grail, even when it would be perfectly advisable to just get them done.

Well, in my experience, things can be a bit circular; my neurologist actually ordered an MRI, only for my primary care physician to turn around and send me right back to them for the referral. I ended up using a referral at Quest Diagnostics, and even then, I was stuck waiting for three whole weeks.

But that’s not quite what I was getting at. I know you can extend things in ten-day increments, but after a break of HOW long can you do that again? In my specific case, it’s been a full year since those initial ten-day stretches, and I’m looking to start over because my condition has worsened—I just want to know what I'm walking into when I bring this up with my GP.

On a side note, here is a little piece of advice my GP and neurologist gave me after my symptoms flared up following some exercises: you really are your own best doctor. If something feels wrong, just don't do it; you aren't the only one out there finding that certain exercises just don't sit right with your body.

Lisa Nelson70 said:Well, in my case—and I mean this as a personal anecdote—my neurologist actually ordered an MRI, but then my primary care physician was the one who had to issue the referral for it. So, I went through Quest Diagnostics using that referral, and can you believe it? I was stuck waiting for three whole weeks!

But, really, that isn’t quite what I was getting at in my previous post. I am aware that these things can be extended in ten-day increments—isn't that how it works?—but after a break of HOW long, exactly? In my specific situation, a full year has passed since those initial 1x10 day stretches, and honestly, I feel worse now... so I would love to start again. I just want to know what I’m walking into when I go back to talk to my primary doctor.

On a side note—a little bit of advice my GP and my neurologist gave me after my symptoms flared up following some exercises: you truly are your own best advocate. If something bothers you, don't do it! You aren't the only person out there finding that certain exercises just don't sit right with your body.

I know exactly what you mean. I wouldn't say there is a strictly defined mandatory waiting period, though I suspect they likely have their own internal quotas to manage—but it's not as if you're asking for fifty different referrals or spending months on end in therapy. Besides, you usually see the physiatrist first for a follow-up, and they are the ones who dictate the next steps for your treatment. Your primary care doctor is really just a gatekeeper here—you go to them for the referral. If you're feeling worse and there’s a medical reason for it, you'll get that paperwork. You go into therapy based on the physiatrist's recommendation; once they put it in writing, the primary doctor provides the referral. Honestly, dealing with your GP should be the least of your worries—whether they like it or not, they can't really refuse to sign off if you have a specialist's written recommendation in hand.

And frankly, a year is a massive gap! If you're still struggling, please don't worry about being able to get back into treatment. For instance, last summer I went to Quest Diagnostics for my sessions (three cycles back-to-back; the breaks between them were only a few days while I handled follow-ups and scheduling—it was practically continuous). Then, at my final check-up, they told me we’d take a break and touch base again in maybe a month or so—I don't recall the exact timing. I haven't gone back since, so I can't tell you exactly how long I'd have to wait for a subsequent cycle if I wanted to return, but you can definitely bundle multiple cycles together (at least regarding those three cycles they mentioned to me). I highly doubt the break between those blocks has to be as long as a whole year.

That’s what I was getting at... though perhaps I didn't articulate it quite right—I am fully aware that the first step is seeing a physiatrist, but everything hinges on whether my primary care doctor actually decides to send me there in the first place. At the end of the day, she holds all the cards; if she decides it isn't necessary, I don't get the referral, and without that, physical therapy becomes an impossibility. It's a frustrating cycle, really. And honestly, I'm planning on switching physiatrists soon anyway. It isn't that I'm particularly unhappy with her, per se, it's just that the commute to the clinic in Brooklyn is becoming a massive headache, and frankly, the quality of care there seems to have slipped lately—it feels like they've become even more dismissive. Now, my GP is using that as an excuse, claiming that since the physical therapy hasn't been effective, there's no point in pursuing it further. So, I can already see how much friction this is going to cause when I try to change things up.

Does anyone know if I need to schedule an appointment for an EKG over at the Community Health Center, or can I just walk in? And more importantly, will the results be ready on the spot?
Regarding urine samples, I am already aware that the wait isn't exactly brief, but does anyone actually know how long it takes to get the results back?

rapidgull27 said:Does anyone know if I need an appointment for an EKG at the community health center? And will the results be ready right away?
Same question regarding urine tests—I know you don't wait forever, but how long does it actually take to get the results back?

You don't need an appointment for an EKG. The reading is done instantly, but obviously, a cardiologist has to review it first. It’ll probably be ready by tomorrow. You can pick it up then.

Who actually calls the shots when it comes to this entire prescription system used in pharmacies and clinics—I mean, who is the right person to contact about it? I already know it isn't Medicare...

Thanks