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

Nicholas Wells74 said:Where are you from?

Washington, D.C.😁

Some nurse over at Mount Sinai told me I might be able to get some of this done without making an appointment at Rikers Island... I just can't figure out which of the two options she meant.

Also, is it supposed to be GUP or GUK? My paperwork says GUP, but I'm totally lost here.

Karen White4 said:Washington, D.C.😁

Someone—a nurse over at Mount Sinai—suggested that I might be able to handle one of these issues without having to head down to Rikers Island... but honestly, I'm just sitting here wondering which one of the two actually qualifies?

Is it listed as a general outpatient service or just an emergency consultation? My report specifically mentions a referral to City Hall, so I’m trying to figure out which one it actually is.

I am no longer living in NYC. However, everyone seems to insist that the Mayo Clinic is the premier institution. I personally had an incredibly positive experience there with one particular doctor, though it wasn't specifically regarding blood work.

So, perhaps I should reconsider—maybe Mayo Clinic is actually the better choice after all.

Does it not seem to me that there is a profound state of disorganization currently plaguing Mount Sinai? When I last visited the adult endocrinology department, the nurse at window number four on the second floor informed me that my regular physician was unavailable, forcing me to seek an examination from someone else entirely. Yet, when that alternative doctor actually performed the exam, the nurse at window number two pointed out that my usual physician was, in fact, present on the first floor—and this contradictory information was provided only moments after the first nurse's claim. How can such inconsistencies exist within a single institution?

I find myself deeply appreciative of the wonderful care provided by Nurse Kate and Nurse George over at the endocrinology department at Mount Sinai.

The whole point is that I’m trying to get this done by Thursday or Friday without having to deal with an appointment, you know? Where can I actually go? I heard there's a place where I can just walk in. I’ve got an appointment with my endocrinologist this Monday, so I really need to have these results ready by then...

Karen White4 said:The thing is, I’m really hoping to get some of this done by Thursday or Friday without having to pre-schedule everything... where can I actually go? I heard there might be a spot somewhere. I’ve got an appointment with my endocrinologist on Monday, so I seriously need to have these results ready by then...

If you hit up a private lab, you won't have to deal with any waiting lines

Karen White4 said:Where can I get a 2-hour OGTT done along with insulin levels?
I need to know where—specifically looking for fasting and postprandial testing.
thanks
It's urgent! Where am I going to face the shortest wait times for this??

Mayo Clinic,
SK Vuk Vrhovac,
Mount Sinai.

vividsailor7 said:Mayo Clinic,
SK Vuk Vrhovac,
Mount Sinai.

Is the 2-hour OGTT the exact same thing as the fasting and postprandial glucose test from City Hall? I honestly don't see the difference. I just found out today that I can get this OGTT done right at my local clinic.
Where am I even supposed to go for that City Hall test?
Or is it just the same damn thing?
My doctor gave me an e-referral for the OGTT, but then handed me a printed one too, so now I'm just totally confused.

Karen White4 said:Is this the same thing as an OGTT—fasting and postprandial? I don't see the difference. Apparently, I can get the OGTT done at my local clinic; I found out today.
So where am I supposed to go for this GUP?
Or is it the exact same test?
My doctor just gave me a referral for the OGTT... well, it's an electronic referral, but she also gave me a printed copy, so now I'm just confused.

Ma'am,

An OGTT is not the same as a fasting and postprandial GUP.

Unfortunately, you won't find the specific OGTT that includes insulin measurements—which is what your specialist requested—at a standard local clinic. They only perform the basic version, where they check your fasting glucose and then check it again two hours after you drink a specific amount of glucose dissolved in water.

Local clinics don't measure insulin levels in parallel with blood glucose.

The fasting and postprandial GUP works differently: first, they draw blood to check your fasting glucose, then you eat a meal (breakfast), and two hours later, they draw blood again to check your glucose levels.

That is essentially how it's handled at the clinic.

Maria Fisher46 said:Look, lady,

An OGTT isn't the same thing as checking your fasting glucose followed by a postprandial reading after a meal.

Unfortunately, you can't get the specific OGTT that includes insulin levels—which is what you said the specialist requested—at a local community clinic. All they do is the standard OGTT, where they check your sugar while fasting and then again two hours after you drink a very specific amount of glucose dissolved in water.

Your neighborhood doctor's office isn't going to measure insulin alongside your blood sugar levels.

Testing fasting and postprandial glucose works like this: first, they draw blood to check your fasting sugar, then you eat a meal (like breakfast), and two hours later, they draw blood again to see how your sugar responded.

That’s exactly what happens at a regular clinic.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Since I won't be able to make it to the hospital for the OGTT right now, can I get this done at a private lab somewhere? I don't see any option listed that includes an insulin measurement. Everywhere just says "OGTT," but nowhere does it mention doing it along with insulin testing.

Karen White4 said:Since I can't make it to the hospital for my OGTT right now, can I get it done at a private clinic instead? I don't see any option to have insulin levels checked alongside it... everywhere just lists the OGTT, nothing about adding insulin testing

Private labs definitely do this, but they usually bundle that specific test under their hormone panels:

, ,

I heard we can't stay on our parents' insurance until we're 26 anymore, and now apparently we have to grab a proof of enrollment from our college and head down to the Social Security Administration by September 30th. I'm honestly lost—does anyone know what other forms I actually need? Do I need to print anything out myself? Also, how am I supposed to be classified in their system since I'm still a full-time student and don't have a job yet?

Quick heads-up for the parents here

After that initial period, you'll be covering the costs yourself.
Your best bet is to give your local Social Security Administration office a call—just find the one tied to where you live and ask them exactly what steps you need to take next.

From what I can see, you probably fall into this category at the end:
where you handle everything through independent payments.

Hey everyone, quick question: can I just walk into a pharmacy and pick up an injection kit—you know, the needle and the dosing equipment—without having a prescription or some official paperwork? Thanks!

You can just walk into a pharmacy over in Canada and grab it, no big deal.
http://www.moja-lekarna.com/p-9085-p...06-x-25mm.aspx
I mean, I’m pretty sure you could probably find it here in the States too, I guess.

Of course you can, it’s really no big deal—they won't even ask you why you need it. Honestly, if you're feeling anxious about it, isn't it much better to just buy something sterile rather than risking an infection by using something that's already been used? For instance, I've gone out and bought just the needle quite a few times, without needing the actual syringe, just to fix a hangnail.

I’m not sure if I’m asking this in the right place, but if anyone knows the answer, please let me know... up until now, my health insurance was registered in my old hometown, but I’ve moved to Miami and I'm married now, so my residency is officially set here. Does that mean I have to actually travel back home to deregister everything with the local office, or can I just handle it here through the Social Security Administration?

Quick question—I just got my referral for some thyroid hormone testing over at the Cleveland Clinic, and I was wondering if I actually need to schedule an appointment ahead of time, or can I just show up whenever and get it done?
Thanks!

I recently visited their facility; there is no need to schedule an appointment in advance.

Amanda Sanchez73 said:I’m not sure if I’m asking this in the right place, but if anyone knows, please help me out... up until now, my health insurance was registered in Fresno, but now I’m living in San Francisco. I’m married and my permanent address is here now... so I’m wondering, do I actually have to go all the way back to Fresno to de-register from my insurance, or can I just handle everything here in San Francisco?

Your question is a little bit fuzzy.

What exactly do you mean by "de-registering" from your health insurance?

Did your actual coverage or employment basis change?

Give me a little more detail about your current insurance status.

If you switched jobs, your new employer handles your enrollment with Medicare.

If you're talking about switching doctors, that's a completely different story.
Basically, you just pick a doctor near where you live who is accepting new patients. Once they confirm your registration with Medicare here in San Francisco, you're automatically taken off the list with your old doctor in Fresno.

Can anyone help me out here or at least point me in the right direction?
- My husband is wrapping up his career here in America (he’s currently on unpaid leave) after 12 straight years of service.
- He’s started a new role abroad—it's actually the same company, just their international division, so there's no direct link to his previous American employer.
- Regarding health insurance: once his employer de-registers him here in the States, can he still maintain coverage through Medicare or some other local option?
- He'll have standard health insurance where he's working abroad, obviously...
- Is it even possible to claim unemployment benefits if he isn't physically present in the US—considering he's already working in a different country?
- Our kids were covered under his plan, but now I'll need to put them under mine (since I'm on maternity leave for another 6 months)—does that happen automatically, or is there paperwork involved?
Is there anything else specific we need to take care of?
Thanks in advance for any insight.

I finally graduated yesterday! 🙂
What paperwork do I need to bring to Medicare (Seattle) to stop being a student and sign up as unemployed—or whatever the deal is?