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

vividsailor7 said:It’s definitely a rib.

Great, thanks a lot.

Does anyone happen to know where I can get a 3T brain MRI done using an insurance referral?
I mean, who actually even has that kind of high-end magnet available besides the Neuro Clinic... Thanks in advance!

My health insurance card never actually showed up at my house—it was supposed to be here almost a year ago. I finally found out it was sent to the wrong address and ended up being returned to Medicare... I'm wondering if it's still sitting there somewhere? Also, what paperwork do I need to deal with since I'm a student and have to renew my supplemental coverage

Richard Walker49 said:My Medicare card never actually showed up at my house. It was supposed to arrive almost a year ago, but I eventually found out it was sent to the wrong address and ended up being returned to Medicare... I'm wondering if it's still sitting there somewhere? Also, what kind of paperwork do I need to handle since I'm a student and have to renew my supplemental coverage?

Your best bet is to just call the local Medicare office for your area.

Hey there!
Sorry if I'm repeating something that's already been asked, but I was wondering—roughly how long does it take to get blood work results back? I'm talking about everything from my CBC and metabolic panel to glucose, liver enzymes, cholesterol, triglycerides, and coagulation tests. I have to go get the draw done at my local clinic here in Washington, D.C., with my primary care doctor.
Thanks in advance!

mistywolf20 said:Hi there!
Sorry if this has already been asked before. I was just wondering how long it usually takes to get blood work results back (serum, electrolytes, glucose, liver panel, cholesterol, triglycerides, coagulation profile)? I have to go to my primary care doctor at a local clinic here in Washington, D.C. to get everything drawn.
Thanks in advance!

They’re usually ready the same day, or they come up the next day.

Folks,

I just left the dentist, and apparently, I need some oral surgery. He handed me a referral—it’s the red kind, with an electronic ID number—for radiology imaging. On top of that, he gave me a list of three specialists, providing both landlines and mobile numbers for each, telling me I should probably call ahead to schedule the imaging just in case they happen to be closed on the day I decide to show up.
Anyway, I'm young, and honestly, I'm completely overwhelmed by all these different phone numbers. Can I just take this referral straight to the hospital (or where specifically? It just says Osijek Hospital) and hand it over to get my scans done immediately, or am I required to call first?

I’m currently on an antidepressant, and I’m just about to finish my second box. I was wondering if I actually need to make an appointment to see my doctor in person, or if it’s possible to just give the office a call and have the nurse send the prescription over to the pharmacy? Honestly, I really don't have the luxury of sitting around in a waiting room just to get one single refill, and I wasn't sure if things like this could be handled over the phone these days...

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows where in Washington, D.C. I can get an MRI of my head and spine covered by Medicare at a facility that isn't a hospital. My last one was with Dr. Drinković, but it looks like they aren't offering that service anymore.
Has this been phased out for all private clinics, or is there somewhere else? Thanks in advance for any info.

Sandra Green38 said:I'm on an antidepressant and I'm about to finish my second box. Do I actually have to go see the doctor in person, or can I just give them a call and have the nurse send the prescription over to the pharmacy? I really don't have the time to sit around waiting for one single script, and I wasn't sure if they handle everything over the phone now..

If the medication is covered by Medicare, just give the clinic a call and ask how they handle it.

If you need a private prescription, you'll probably have to swing by the office to pick up the paperwork.

Morgan Ortiz7 said:Hey guys,

I was at the dentist, and they told me I need some oral surgery. They gave me a referral—it’s red, if that matters, and has an electronic ID on it—for radiology scans. On top of that, they handed me a list of three specialists, each with a landline and a cell number, telling me I should probably call ahead to schedule the scan just in case they aren't working on the day I plan to show up.
Anyway, I'm pretty young and honestly a bit overwhelmed by all these phone numbers. Can I just take this referral straight to the hospital (or where exactly should I go? It just says Osijek Hospital), hand it over, and get scanned right away? Or do I really have to make a call first?

If your referral specifically lists Osijek Hospital, then you really ought to give them a ring to book an appointment. Honestly, they'll be the ones to give you the real scoop on how they handle things.

Sandra Green38 said:I'm on antidepressants and I'm about to finish my second box. Do I actually have to trek down to the doctor's office, or can I just give them a call and have the nurse send the prescription straight to the pharmacy? I seriously don't have the time to sit around waiting just for one single prescription, and I'm not sure if they even handle this over the phone anymore..

Look, you can call them, or just swing by and leave a message if you happen to be near the clinic. Personally, I feel like I'm losing blood every time I make the trip to the doctor just for a refill and a bunch of mindless chatter.

I feel like I’ve already posted this in a dozen different threads hoping someone would actually chime in...

I’ve been battling hyperthyroidism for over four years now (I'm 25), and I'm currently on PTU three times a day. This thing is just spiraling out of control. Honestly, I don't even want to get into how brutal and exhausting the symptoms have been—especially while trying to grind through my final year at a super demanding university.

It’s finally come to this: I need surgery to have my thyroid completely removed.

Does anyone have a solid recommendation? Who should I see, and where is the best place to go for this procedure?

Please, help me out!!

😕😕

hollowmoose75, did you try asking over at Holy Spirit... I heard they're actually pretty solid when it comes to thyroid stuff, Dr. Radetić is supposed to be great there🤷

Robin Gray8 said:hollowmoose75Did you ask around at Holy Spirit? I heard they’re actually pretty solid when it comes to thyroid stuff, especially with Dr. Radetić.🤷

I don't have anything, man. Zero info on St. Spirit Hospital. :/

If you know anything, spit it out.

hollowmoose75 said:I don't know, man... I haven't heard a single thing about Holy Spirit. :/

Does anyone actually know anything about this? If you've got any info, please, for the love of God, speak up!

So, I heard from an acquaintance that Dr. Radetić is actually amazing when it comes to thyroid issues... she didn't end up needing surgery or anything, but apparently, she managed to get an appointment with him through some high-level connections or whatever. Honestly, I don't know all the specifics, but she swears by him.
Honestly, you’d be better off just going down there and asking around yourself... unless, of course, you happen to have someone on the inside you can call.🤷

I haven't seen that person around much lately... she moved away, but honestly, I know her folks wouldn't let her go stay with just anyone, even if it was for something totally trivial.

I really hope you get this sorted out and everything turns out okay. Fingers crossed!🙂

Hey there. So, I’m gearing up for a massive trip to the States—we're talking an eight-month stint—and I've got a bit of a situation regarding my epilepsy meds. I need to pack quite a haul: 5 boxes of Depakote 300, 9 boxes of Lamictal 50, and another 5 boxes of Lamictal 25. My big question is, do you think my doctor will actually sign off on such a huge quantity? When I brought it up to her, she mentioned she’d have to call someone to double-check—honestly, I can't even remember who she said it was... but anyway, do you think they'll approve this much? I'm sure I'm not the only one heading abroad for a long stretch like this...

Anthony Nelson4 said:Hi there. I’m heading to the US soon for an eight-month trip, and I need to pack a significant supply of my epilepsy medication. Specifically, I'm looking at 5 boxes of Depakote 300, 9 boxes of Lamictal 50, and 5 boxes of Lamictal 25. My question is: will my doctor actually agree to prescribe this much at once? When I brought it up, she mentioned needing to call someone to double-check—I can't recall who—but will she approve such a large quantity? I'm sure I'm not the only one traveling abroad for extended periods...

I assume your physician intends to consult with someone at Medicare.

Under standard medical prescribing regulations regarding travel, patients can be issued medications for chronic conditions in quantities sufficient for up to six months of treatment. In these instances, a doctor can issue a paper prescription specifying that the patient may collect the entire supply at once.

The math comes down to your daily dosage versus the total number of boxes required to see if it fits within that six-month window.

Since epilepsy is classified as a chronic condition, you should theoretically have the right to receive a larger bulk supply ahead of your trip.

Let us know how it turns out.

Best regards. 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:I’d imagine your doctor is going to check in with someone over at Medicare first.

Under the current regulations regarding how prescriptions are written and dispensed, if you're planning a trip, they can actually issue enough medication to cover up to 6 months of treatment for chronic conditions. In those cases, your doctor can just write out a paper prescription—old school style—and include a note stating that the patient needs to pick everything up all at once.

So, you'll just need to crunch the numbers—figure out your daily dosage, how many boxes that translates to, and make sure it all fits within that 6-month window.

Since epilepsy is classified as a chronic condition, I’m fairly certain you’re entitled to grab a larger supply upfront if you have travel plans on the horizon.

Keep us posted on what happens!

Best regards, 🙂

Thanks so much... I'll hear back from my doctor once I'm done visiting my neurologist... because honestly, I'm not even sure yet if she's going to change my current regimen.

Anthony Nelson4 said:Thanks so much... I'll get an answer from my doctor once I'm back from my neurologist... I'm just not sure yet if they're going to change my medication plan.

In rare cases where a patient has been away for a while, a doctor actually can and is allowed to prescribe the exact same medication you've already been taking, providing up to a 6-month supply.

They’ll issue paper prescriptions for this. You can usually get a maximum of two boxes per prescription, but they have to include specific notations like "chronic therapy" or "dispense all at once" on each one.

Definitely chat with your neurologist about your travel plans. If there's any tweak to your treatment, it changes the whole game regarding getting that 6-month supply ahead of time.
If they decide to start you on a brand-new drug, it doesn't count as your established routine anymore, so you won't be able to write it for a 6-month stretch.