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

Rebecca Myers38 · 2005-01-09T18:00:22+00:00

Does anyone happen to know if this referral has an expiration date? A friend of mine mentioned—or at least he thinks he did—that it’s only valid for a single m…

rapidranger79 Member

49 messages
joined Sep 2006

#41 · Feb 20, 2007

slygull92 said:thanks, I'll check the directory.
I can't get behind this idea that it isn't worth spending the money.
For me, waiting weeks just to snag an appointment, only to sit stuck in crowded waiting rooms for hours just to get one scan, simply isn't worth it.
It’s not like I’m doing this every week, and a scan like that shouldn't cost more than $200-$100.
With private clinics, you just call, show up, and you're seen immediately; you get your results right then or shortly after, pay your fee, and everything is handled smoothly.
Am I really supposed to skimp when it comes to my own health?

You've got a point there. You wouldn't believe how many people end up paying out of pocket for specialists—pensioners, folks struggling to make ends meet... but sometimes you just can't let our healthcare system grind you down. For instance, waiting a month and a half for a thyroid ultrasound... and an X-ray isn't any faster if it isn't flagged as an emergency, like before some lung surgery, and I think your price estimate is pretty much spot on.

hollowgull5 Active Member

71 messages
joined Aug 2007

#42 · Feb 20, 2007

I've been stuck waiting on VG for a few days now...👍

neonrider13 Member

16 messages
joined Feb 2007

#43 · Feb 20, 2007

slygull92 said:thanks, I'll check the directory.
I really can't get behind this whole idea that it isn't worth spending the money.
Personally, I don't see the point in waiting weeks just to snag an appointment, only to end up stuck in a crowded waiting room for hours just to get one scan.
It’s not like I’m doing this every single week, and honestly, a scan like that shouldn't cost more than 200 bucks or so. $100
If you go to a private clinic, you just call them, show up, and they get you right in—you get your results immediately or shortly after, pay your bill, and everything is handled smoothly.
I mean, come on, am I really supposed to skimp when it comes to my own health?

Since you're already heading in for those cervical spine X-rays, if I were you, I'd definitely make sure to get functional imaging done too. It makes things way easier for the orthopedist or surgeon when they're trying to nail down a diagnosis.

Angela Kelly11 Member

25 messages
joined Apr 2008

#44 · Feb 21, 2007

I went to get an X-ray of my cervical spine based on a referral at the laboratory within the Community health center in my neighborhood, and they managed to squeeze me in the very same day. What a complete waste of everyone's time...
I’ve already had this exact procedure done twice before, once six months ago and again two years back.

slygull92 Member

13 messages
joined Oct 2006

#45 · Feb 22, 2007

It doesn't really matter anyway; that neighborhood in a US city is way too far out of my way.

I just knocked it out quickly, paid those $67 and I don't regret it one bit. I mean, I don't exactly do this often enough to justify skimping on the cost... (this was actually my first time).
It’s already been six days since this hit me, and the pain just won't let up... I suppose maybe after a few rounds of therapy there might be some progress, but honestly, this has become absolutely unbearable...

bluesurfer62 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Mar 2007

#46 · Mar 1, 2007

I’ve been wondering about how referral slips work. If a doctor issues one in my home city, is that valid at any community health center across the US, or am I restricted to the specific one where it was issued?
To be more specific, I need to get some liver enzyme tests done while I'm in Cleveland. Since I'm only studying here, I was hoping to just show up with a referral from my doctor back home. Would they actually perform the tests for me?
If anyone happens to know the deal, I’d really appreciate the insight.

ironsurfer8 Active Member

76 messages
joined Dec 2007

#47 · Mar 1, 2007

From what I understand, once your primary care physician issues a referral, you should be able to take it to other community health centers—though keep in mind that not every facility performs every type of test. I’m not entirely sure if they allow you to use them between different cities, mainly because of how they handle billing and expense justification, but logically it ought to work. It might be worth giving a local community health center a quick call just to confirm,
There might also be some kind of organized program specifically for students (similar to what they have in Chicago).

nimbletrucker132 Member

35 messages
joined Sep 2008

#48 · Mar 1, 2007

Legally speaking, you have the right to seek treatment at any medical facility in the US! You should take a quick look at what’s actually written on your referral (it usually says something like "Referred to: ... blah, blah...")—if it lists something general, like a laboratory or an internist, then it’s valid everywhere. However, if it specifies a particular place, like the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, then it’s only valid for that specific institution. In that case, you'll need to take the referral back to your primary doctor before your appointment so they can update it and verify it with their official stamp.

bluesurfer62 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Mar 2007

#49 · Mar 1, 2007

nimbletrucker132 said:Legally speaking, you have the right to receive treatment at any medical facility in the US. You just need to take a close look at what’s actually printed on your referral. If it lists something general—like "a laboratory" or "internal medicine"—then it’s valid anywhere. However, if it specifies a particular place, such as the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, then it’s restricted to that specific institution. In that case, you'd have to go back to your primary doctor to get the referral amended and stamped before you show up for your appointment.

So, legally, I should be able to do this, right? Is there some way to verify this online? I was over at the laboratory located within the community health center in Cleveland today and asked the technician if I could use a referral from my local doctor to get bloodwork done here. He just looked at me blankly and said he wasn't sure, basically leaving me hanging...

Charles Edwards8 Member

46 messages
joined Feb 2007

#50 · Mar 2, 2007

On paper, according to the rules🙄 .but let's be real, that's not how it actually works. For example, if a GP writes you a referral for lab tests in Cleveland, it’s assumed that someone like bluesurfer62 isn't going to fly all the way to Miami, Indianapolis, or Chicago just to get blood drawn.
Since you're studying in Cleveland, the easiest thing to do is just take that referral to a local lab right there and get your liver enzyme tests done.
nimbletrucker132, it’s just not realistic to expect that once you get a referral for a specialist or a specific diagnostic test, you can just pick whatever facility you feel like visiting on a whim.🙄
If that were actually allowed, it would cause absolute chaos in our healthcare system, which is already bleeding money as it is.
Plus, when a patient is referred to a specific place, it’s pretty obvious that if the referral says "Children's Hospital of Philadelphia," you aren't exactly going to drive halfway across the country to go somewhere else.

Susan Scott5 Newcomer

9 messages
joined Sep 2017

#51 · Mar 2, 2007

Where I live, out in the sticks, we don't actually have a full-blown hospital nearby—just a local community health center, so we don't have all the specialist clinics right on our doorstep.

The way it works is, whenever we need to see a specialist, we can basically pick which major hospital we want to visit, whether it's in Miami or Chicago or somewhere else; you aren't forced to just settle for the regional hospital in San Francisco.

You just call up the doctor's office you want to see and set up an appointment. Getting a referral isn't even a big deal, though I was told it specifically has to be a "red" referral (honestly, no clue what other types there are).

The only catch is that if you decide to skip your closest specialist and go to someone outside your immediate area, you won't get reimbursed for your travel expenses.

Charles Edwards8 Member

46 messages
joined Feb 2007

#52 · Mar 2, 2007

Back in the day, we actually used black referral slips😉 but now they basically only exist in hospital settings.

Look, if there’s a specific specialist available in San Francisco, it’s a no-brainer that you’re heading to San Francisco to see them. Sure, there are times when something just can't be handled in San Francisco, and then your GP has to clearly write down exactly where they're sending you on that referral.

Honestly, if you don't mind grabbing a referral to, say, drive all the way from California to Washington, D.C. just to get bloodwork done—or if you're planning to treat a common cold in Miami—then your local doctor might as well just close up shop.

But hey, if your doctor does give you that referral, you technically have the freedom to choose. You could decide to go get blood drawn in Indianapolis or get a chest X-ray in Savannah, but unless you want to pay out of pocket for the visit and cover your own gas, it’s probably not worth the hassle.

So, besides losing out on travel reimbursement, you're also stuck footing the bill for the exam and the tests yourself.😉

shadowtrucker18 Active Member

143 messages
joined Nov 2008

#53 · Mar 2, 2007

I suppose there are still those black referral slips floating around, which might still be valid for things like getting bloodwork done at the local clinic where they were originally issued.

Susan Scott5 Newcomer

9 messages
joined Sep 2017

#54 · Mar 2, 2007

So, when I was trying to figure out my treatment plan, I asked my doctor where it would be best to go—Washington, D.C., maybe a city like Miami, or even San Francisco. She basically told me she could refer me wherever I wanted, since a specialist in San Francisco is just as qualified as one in D.C. The only reason she wasn't pushing the D.C. option was purely logistical; she figured it’d be a massive pain to commute to the capital once a month if you actually have a job and a life.

Then, I decided to pick the brain of another specialist over at the major medical center in Miami. He leaned toward Miami over San Francisco, but when I asked him point-blank if I was allowed to go there, he was like, "Yeah, obviously! Just bring your insurance referral, it's no big deal. Why wouldn't you? You get to choose your own provider."

Anyway, that’s just how it went for me. I was told the care is identical to what you'd get at a major metropolitan hospital, and there aren't any extra fees just because you're choosing a different location.
I honestly feel like everyone should have the right to pick their own doctor. I don't get why someone living outside the big metro areas should be denied access to the top specialists just because of where they live.

But look, I’m not looking to start a huge debate here. This is just my take based on my own experience, so please don't come for me—I’m definitely not a medical expert. 🙂

Linda Adams8 Member

32 messages
joined Mar 2007

#55 · Mar 7, 2007

Roadrunner, if you were issued a black referral slip for bloodwork, you have to get those tests done at the specific FBI office that issued it.
If you have a red referral slip and it doesn't specify where to go, then you're expected to go back to the issuing location. However, if it explicitly lists somewhere like Los Alamos National Laboratory in Washington, D.C., then you head exactly where it says...🙂
sorry, I made that sound way more complicated than it is...
Basically, if your primary care doctor refers you to a specialist or a lab outside of your local area, they are required to note that on the referral.
Hopefully, that makes sense.😉

Joshua Ramirez Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2007

#56 · Apr 23, 2007

Hey! Does anyone know how long a prescription is actually valid for once the doctor writes it out?

Drew Doyle Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2007

#57 · Apr 23, 2007

Joshua Ramirez said:Hey. Does anyone know how long a medical referral stays valid after the doctor writes it?

That depends entirely on what it was written for.

Joshua Ramirez Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2007

#58 · Apr 23, 2007

He was a surgeon, sure, but I really should have gone to the ER... I just couldn't get away from work for even a single day because things were absolutely slammed at the office. It’s been a month now, so I honestly don't know if it still matters...😲

Drew Doyle Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2007

#59 · Apr 23, 2007

So, based on the regulations from back in 2003—maybe 2004, I forget the exact year—referrals for specialist consultations, including surgeons, technically don't expire. However, that's assuming you actually schedule the appointment within 30 days of the referral being issued. I'm not entirely sure if the federal laws have shifted since then, but that was the rule.

Sam Hall15 Active Member

225 messages
joined May 2006

#60 · Apr 23, 2007

Why is there a common perception that specialists from smaller towns lack the competence of those hailing from major metropolitan areas?

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