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

So, my blood work just came back showing positive IgA antibodies for celiac disease, which means I’m headed for a biopsy next. Does anyone know how long the waitlist for something like this usually is?

Karen White4 said:So, my blood work came back positive for celiac antibodies via the CIA, and now I’m looking at getting a biopsy. Does anyone know what the typical wait time is for something like that?

Would you mind sharing where you went for those tests? Was it through a private lab, and if so, do you happen to remember the cost?
I only did it through a private facility. I have the list right here somewhere; I'll make sure to type everything out once I'm settled back at home.😉

swiftbear86 said:Saying she couldn't write the prescription because you don't have insurance coverage? That’s just plain wrong.

She can definitely write it—then it's on you to prove your insurance status at the pharmacy or just pay full price $3.25/for the script.

Plus, you can check if your coverage is active yourself on this site (just plug in your Social Security number or whatever ID they use)

The reason nothing popped up at the pharmacy is simply because the prescription wasn't in the system.
Just a heads up—prescriptions are usually good for 15 days, though antibiotics expire after just 3.
From what I gathered, the nurse didn't actually enter the script, so now everyone's making excuses about insurance.
They don't care about your coverage—if you end up paying out of pocket at the drugstore, that's on you.

I know—I checked that website and everything looked fine. The nurse told me she cleared my insurance status and put the script through (whatever that means), so I figured the pharmacy would handle the verification part.
It still makes zero sense, but at least the script is finally there... so when I get a chance, I'll have to go down to the clinic and figure out what their deal is.

My primary care physician is insisting she CANNOT prescribe the medication my private specialist recommended. She’s claiming I absolutely MUST have a formal referral from a "government" specialist first. Meanwhile, the private doctor is telling me that isn't actually true—he says she technically can, it just depends on whether she feels like cooperating or not.

Does anyone have a clear explanation for this? Better yet, does anyone know a specific section in the law or a federal regulation that settles this once and for all?

I can't speak to what the law says, but my doctor had zero issues re-prescribing a medication I originally got through a private clinic. She even did it without requiring a follow-up appointment, so it seems to come down to whether you're dealing with one doctor or another... or is it 😁

I honestly think it all comes down to the individual doctor. I’ve seen some signs posted on the doors of primary care offices stating they aren't allowed to write prescriptions for medications recommended by a private specialist.

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You might want to consider sending an official inquiry over to the Department of Health or perhaps reaching out to Medicare directly.

restlessbadger2 said:Just send an inquiry directly to the Department of Health or Medicare.

Honestly, that is the smartest advice I’ve received so far. Thank you!

Edit: I did, so we'll see how it goes.

That’s actually how I usually handle things when dealing with government agencies—just sending off emails and staying in touch. So far, I've always managed to get a response eventually. Best of luck with everything! 🙂

restlessbadger2 said:Can you tell me where you went for those tests? Was it at a private lab, and how much did it run you?
Only through private clinics. I have a list somewhere; I'll type it all out once I'm back home. 😉

At the Community Center, on Tompkins St.

Please, get me that list ASAP... 🙂

Karen White4 said:At the Community Center, located at 10 Tompkins St.

Could you please send over the list of most urgent options? 🙂

I was actually just at the Community Center myself recently... my test came back negative. Didn't they provide you with a list of where you can see a gastroenterologist there?

Anyway, I'm typing out what I have from the list here:

- Mayo Clinic - subspecialty clinic for celiac disease: Silvia Chukovic.

Private internists in NYC:

- Ivo Rotkvić
- Vladimir Salomon

Lisa Myers said:My primary care doctor is insisting she CANNOT prescribe the medication my private specialist recommended. She’s claiming I HAVE to get a formal referral from a "public sector" specialist first. Meanwhile, the private specialist is telling me it’s not actually like that—that she can write it, it just depends on whether she feels like being difficult about it.

Does anyone have a clear explanation for this? Or better yet, does anyone know a specific section in the law or some federal regulation that clears this up?

I think the type of medication involved makes a huge difference here.
If you feel comfortable sharing, let us know what it is.

swiftbear86 Asks:
You couldn't have possibly written that recipe without insurance coverage; let's be real, that's just not how it works.

So, I was at my GP's office today. Since I’m a doctor myself—just working in a different capacity—we ended up chatting for a bit. While we were talking, he got a call from a patient that highlighted a real headache. He couldn't e-prescribe her medication because his system kept throwing an error saying "Supplemental Insurance Coverage Expired." A red circle popped up on the screen, signaling the prescription failed to sync with the database. In the end, he had to print out a physical script and tell the patient to swing by the clinic to pick up the paperwork so she could take it to the pharmacy.

I'm not entirely sure what went down here, but I was told these kinds of glitches happen occasionally. Usually, you can just wait until the next day and send the prescription through without any issues. 😕

swiftbear86 said:I think the specific medication being used here is a critical factor.
If you want to, just say the word.

Back when I was working in primary care, a Medicare official gave us a verbal directive. Apparently, an attending physician isn't obligated to prescribe any medication recommended by a specialist who doesn't hold a contract with Medicare.

When it comes to expensive prescriptions, their advice was blunt: don't even bother unless a specialist covered by Medicare signs off on it. The kicker? They mentioned how often a hospital specialist will flat-out reject a recommendation made by a private doctor. And when that happens... well, let's just say I'd rather not recount what follows.

I don't have any specific eye issues or pain, but I still want to go in for a preventative checkup. It's better to be proactive; you never realize there's an issue until you start losing your senses. Since I have the time right now, I want to get my vision up to its absolute peak and follow a doctor's advice to maintain that level for the rest of my life. In that case, what kind of exam should I ask for? I've never actually seen an ophthalmologist before. Also, once the exam is done, can I undergo things like cleaning or removal procedures to improve my sight, even if I haven't been diagnosed with any disease? Can I even book an appointment if I'm not experiencing pain or noticeable vision problems, but just want to optimize everything? Finally, can an ophthalmologist give me guidance on long-term vision preservation—things like eye hygiene, diet, etc.—so I can maintain the best possible vision allowed by my genetics well into old age? Thanks for any suggestions.

Maybe try getting a full checkup, I think at Bilicki it’s roughly around $100.
You could also check out the Eye Care Center; if you book ahead, maybe ask specifically for Dr. Lukenda since they tend to be a bit more budget-friendly.

A complete exam usually covers everything—checking the front part of the eye for your prescription, testing your intraocular pressure, and looking at the retina, though they'll probably have to dilate your pupils for that last bit.

If you're looking to keep your vision sharp, I guess taking some supplements with lutein and Vitamin C might help (like Maculin, but just make sure it actually has 20g of lutein instead of the 6g some brands offer), and you could always add some Omega-3s too; my ophthalmologist suggested both to me.

Best,

I’m currently at my place in Chicago near the Mississippi, and I really need to get a sinus X-ray done. Does anyone know where I should go if I want to avoid making an appointment? Or maybe just somewhere where the wait isn't a total nightmare and it's relatively close by? Thanks in advance 🙂

I’ve got a question about these new referral forms:
My gynecologist gave me a referral for hospital treatment, but he scribbled some extra details by hand at the bottom, then validated it with his signature and official stamp (don't ask me why he did it that way—it's because he wasn't even listening to me anyway 🙄)
So, here’s my question: is a referral like this actually valid?
I'm worried the hospital staff is just going to brush me off and demand everything be computer-generated without any handwritten additions 😢

The nurse at his clinic was trying to convince me that as long as the doctor validates it with his official stamp, it's totally fine. Does anyone have a link to an actual regulation or rule that backs that up? I'd really appreciate it.

It shouldn't give you any trouble at all—honestly, you should be just fine. 😉

I'm trying to book an appointment at the Mayo Clinic via email, and it says I need to provide my referral for them to review. Do I actually need to scan the whole thing, or is it enough if I just type out the diagnosis from the referral?

fadedhound7 said:I'm trying to book an appointment at the Mayo Clinic via email, and they're saying I need to provide my referral for review. Should I scan the actual referral document, or is it enough to just type out the diagnostic code?

You should probably scan it or just snap a clear photo. Honestly, sometimes I just take a quick picture with my phone and call it a day. By the way, ever since the staff started that strike, they haven't been responding to email requests at all—at least not for me.