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

Olivia Robinson7 said:Could you please tell me where and when you had this done?
I know someone who went just a month ago and said they only paid $60 minimum.
Thanks!

At Unknown Organization, toward the end of January this year. They took a tissue sample for analysis, which I had to pay an extra $17 for, so the total came to about $30. 🙂

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Listen, I need some clarity here... Does anyone know if I can get blood work done at any local health clinic in Chicago using a referral from my primary doctor who isn't based here in the city?

Olivia Robinson7 said:Hey!
Does anyone know how much these tests cost if you don't have supplemental insurance?

A gastroscopy,
thyroid panels,
hormone levels (I read somewhere they only charge for ONE hormone $17 ?!? 😕),
and a stool test for Bacteria?

Any info at all would really help me out 🙂 🙂

Thanks in advance!

Last year, I had a gastroscopy done at the Vineyard—I paid about $60 for the procedure, the biopsy, and the Bacteria test.

Then about a month ago over at Vuk Vrhovac, $67 for the following items:
the exam, TSH, FT3, FT4, thyroid antibodies, selenium, CRP, CBC, urine, glucose, HbA1c, lipid panel, AST, ALP, ALT, GGT, LDH, CK, creatinine, uric acid, potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, iron, UIBC, and ferritin.
And for 20 physical therapy sessions, it was $167.
I don't bother with supplemental insurance because I don't think I need it; looking at the math, my annual co-pays end up being way cheaper without it.

Douglas Ortiz5 said:Hey everyone, quick question... Can I get blood work done at any local clinic here in Chicago if I have a referral from my regular doctor who isn't based in the city?

If you have a standard out-of-network referral—meaning it's not just an internal one for a specific hospital system—I'm pretty sure you can.
Just head to a lab near where you're staying in Chicago.
Feel free to jump in and correct me if I've got that wrong.
The best bet is to double-check directly with your own doctor to be certain.

Thanks, swiftbear86

swiftbear86 said:Last year, I had a gastroscopy done at the Vineyard hospital, and I ended up paying about $60 to cover the procedure, the biopsy, and the Bacteria test.

Does the term "gastroscopy" typically include both the biopsy and the Bacteria test by default?
I ask because my doctor mentioned that they can actually detect that Bacteria through a stool sample now! So, I was planning on taking that request to my local clinic and paying for it separately... however, I was handed a red referral for the gastroscopy that doesn't specify any extra tests. I am really hoping that means they might charge me less since the biopsy and the Bacteria test aren't explicitly listed... unless, of course, those things are already bundled into the standard gastroscopy package! (If they are included, I certainly won't be handing over a stool sample or paying extra for it!)

Is Vuk Vrhovac a private facility, or is it possible to use a Medicare referral there?

Thank you ever so much for all this helpful information! 🙂 🙂

A question for the doctors and anyone who knows the ropes regarding medical procedures:

Is it actually true that a primary care physician can issue a referral for hospital admission and surgery just three days before the scheduled date? Here’s the situation—yesterday, I was quite literally shown the door and sent home under the pretext that they couldn't issue a referral ten days prior to surgery, only three days before. I spent the entire day trying to get through to the legal department at Medicare to see if this is even legitimate, but I couldn't reach anyone on the phone. I’m asking anyone in the loop for some information—or better yet, a link to an article, memo, or official directive that addresses this specific rule.😁

EDIT:

I finally managed to get through to the Medical Department over at the Medicare Office, and they told me straight up: there is no such directive. According to them, I should have received the referral since I have all my documentation ready and my procedure date is already set—which is also clearly noted in my medical history. Honestly, we’re in for a rough time with doctors who just flake on their patients like this.😠

Olivia Robinson7 said:Does the term "gastroscopy" always include the biopsy and the Bacteria test?
My doctor mentioned that they can check for Bacteria through a stool sample now. So, I’ll have to take that to my local clinic and pay extra for it... I already got a red referral for the gastroscopy that doesn't specify anything else, so I'm hoping they charge me less if they don't do the biopsy and the Bacteria test. (If all of that is just part of the standard gastroscopy, there's no point in doing the stool test and paying more separately)

Is Vuk Vrhovac private, or can you go there using a Medicare referral?

Thanks so much for the info! 🙂 🙂

Gastroscopy at the Vineyard

The doctor performing the gastroscopy is the one who decides if any additional tests are necessary.
Honestly, I think if you're already going through the hassle of a gastroscopy, it's better to just get everything done at once. The procedure itself isn't exactly fun, so why deal with scheduling follow-ups later?
As far as I know, the Bacteria test requires an out-of-pocket payment $6.75 if you don't have supplemental insurance.

All the tests I mentioned were covered by Medicare, though I did have to pay a co-pay since I don't have supplemental coverage.

Endocrinologist at Vuk Vrhovac

At Vuk Vrhovac, you need to see your own primary doctor first. They'll write you an internal referral, and then you can get those tests done there.

I haven't done anything there privately (meaning paying full retail price).
A few years back, I used to buy my own injections, but I believe even those are covered by Medicare now for certain procedures.

Question:
I've moved, but I haven't updated all my paperwork just yet.
Now I’m looking to switch my primary care doctor.

According to the Medicare website:
You pick a doctor for a whole year, and during that time, you can only swap them out for specific reasons—like moving or if you just don't get along anymore...

If I tell them I moved, are they going to dig through my files and notice my address hasn't officially changed yet?
And if I just say we have "strained relations," is she going to run into any trouble?

The other options are that the doctor retired, her patient list is over the limit (which isn't the case), or that I plan to be away from home for more than three months—though I'm not sure if that even applies since I only moved 9.3 miles away... Technically it's a different city, but I basically just moved from Chicago into Los Angeles County.

I honestly think moving is plenty of reason enough. Just find a doctor in your new city, and once you're there, you can just sign a statement explaining that you switched doctors because of the move.

I know that, but I haven't touched any of my paperwork yet—partly because I'm not even sure if I need to prove I moved, and on the other hand, even if I don't get hit with a fine for not updating it, I think there’s some short window to get everything aligned, maybe two weeks? It's just whether anyone is actually going to check up on me and force my hand right now... Honestly, I just didn't want to deal with the headache of changing everything twice in one year since everything was finally sorted out, and then come the end of the year, I'll have to redo the whole thing anyway because of my name change.

What should I tell my doctor if I want to get a basic eye exam? Just the essentials—visual acuity, field of vision, fundus examination... I'd rather not go to a private clinic since it's just too expensive.

Just tell her to give you a referral for the eye doctor.

Benjamin Hall78 said:Just tell her to give you a referral for an eye doctor.

You definitely need a referral to see an ophthalmologist.

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Hey there... quick question—do I actually need to book an appointment with the ophthalmologist at the local community health center over in Grižanskoj?

So, I was told I need to go through an evaluation by an infectious disease specialist. If anyone could just give me the lowdown on what that actually entails—like, am I looking at a marathon of endless appointments and trekking all over different hospitals, or is it more straightforward? I'm really hoping I can get a straight answer here without having to jump through all those hoops mentioned in the first post!! thanks everyone

lonefalcon41 said:Every hospital has an email address specifically for centralized patient scheduling. You just scan your referral, hunt down the right email on the hospital's website, and follow their instructions on what info to include. Attach the scanned referral. They’ll get back to you about an appointment or let you know if they aren't handling those specific searches. Usually, you hear back within 24 hours.
If you don't have supplemental insurance, you're paying a $8.25 copay for every visit, plus $8.25 extra if they run any specialist tests (something simpler, like an ultrasound, falls under that).

Copays for diagnostic tests are based on a percentage of the total cost, so there isn't a flat fee. For example, a sinus X-ray might be $10, lungs could be $17, an IVP is around $50, and an MRI can top $83 depending on whether they use contrast or whatever.

dustyfox80 said:I went in for heart and lung X-rays today, and they told me to come back Monday for the results.

I thought they'd give me the image right then and there. Is it standard procedure to wait two days for results if everything looks fine?

If anyone knows...

Thanks.

That's totally normal. There’s really no need to rush through a report if everything is looking okay.

Does anyone have any insight here...
I've been on a specific course of therapy for just under a year now.
The medication is on the B list, so there's a copay of $25.
I went in today and the amount was $85.60. $3.25 It's listed as a "participation fee."
What kind of "participation" is this exactly? 😕
Is this amount charged for every single prescription refill, or what? And since when did this become a thing?
Thanks.

lonetrucker16 As I was saying:
Hey there... quick question—do I actually need to book an appointment with an ophthalmologist at the local community health center over in Grižansko?

From what I gather, you're looking at waiting a few days—unless, of course, it’s an emergency. In those cases, they move you to the front of the line and handle things immediately.😉

I heard from an elderly lady in the waiting room that patients are only allowed to receive three referrals per year, is there any truth to that?