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

What is actually going on with this doctors' strike? I need to see a urologist—is there even any point in showing up to the hospital, or am I just going to waste my afternoon sitting in a waiting room?

Hey there.

Does anyone know where I can actually get tTG, IgA antibody testing done?

🙂 I called V. Vrhovac and they said they do it, but when I showed up, they wouldn't. Then I tried Mercury, and they don't do it either. They sent me over to Star, but no luck there, and then they pointed me toward Petrov, which was also a dead end.🙂

What kind of lab should I be looking for—like a biochemistry lab or something? I was thinking about trying the Mayo Clinic.🤷

Thanks!

Melissa Sullivan said:I have a question about these new referrals:
My gynecologist gave me a referral for hospital treatment, but he scribbled some extra details by hand at the bottom. He signed off on it with his signature and fax stamp (don't ask me why he did it that way—it's because he wasn't even listening to me 🙄)
So, my question is: is a referral like this actually valid?
I'm terrified the hospital staff will just brush me off and demand everything be computer-printed without any handwritten additions 😢

The nurse in his office tried to reassure me, saying that once a doctor verifies something with their official stamp, it's good to go. If anyone has a link to an actual regulation regarding this, I'd really appreciate it.

Just wanted to check back in and let you know everything went fine. They took the referral, and they didn't say a word about the handwritten notes.

Back in the day, you could also just use a referral, though the primary care doctor had to add their official stamp to the side of it to make it valid.

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northernhawk29 said:What's the deal with this doctors' strike? I really need a urologist—is it even worth my time to head down to the hospital right now, or am I just going to be wasting my day?

Well, it really depends on which hospital you're looking at and which specific urologist you're trying to see.

Since you have to book an appointment anyway, they should be able to give you the full rundown on how things are running once you actually start the scheduling process. 😉

Lately, I have noticed a troubling trend where patients are being passed around between various doctors rather than being managed by a single specialist, which was the standard practice and, frankly, worked much better.

For those dealing with a rare condition who previously had consistent care under one physician, what happens when you suddenly find yourself shuffled between different doctors who all offer conflicting advice for the exact same ailment? (This is precisely what I am currently facing.) Is it actually possible for a patient with a rare disease to submit a formal request to their hospital to ensure they are always seen by the same specific doctor? Has anyone here ever attempted this? If so, what was the outcome, and what is the actual protocol for filing such a request?

How do you handle seeing different doctors? Like, switching up specialists or what? Honestly, if we’re just talking about routine checkups, I feel like you should be able to pick whoever you want. That’s how it’s always worked for me.

I really hope this isn't some new policy they're rolling out. I've finally found two specialists I actually trust, and I have zero interest in having some random stranger diagnosing me or managing my care during follow-ups. I put my faith in people I've been seeing for years—people who actually know my medical history inside and out.

I just wrapped up an appointment with my ophthalmologist, and it looks like I’m officially in need of some new glasses. They handed me this paperwork that I apparently need to get verified by Medicare within seven days. Does anyone know exactly where I should head to get this sorted out? Should I go ahead and purchase the frames first and then file for a reimbursement from Medicare later? How does the whole process actually work? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

In Chicago, you just get stuck with whoever happens to be free first. Honestly, the only way to dodge that is if you make a little deal with the doctor—like, ask them not to put you in the computer queue right away, but instead wait until they finish up their scheduled patients and then just squeeze you in. That’s basically my move whenever I need something.

Ps. Medicare only covers $27 for glasses. Just head down to the clinic with your reimbursement info and hand that over when you're paying for the frames.

restlessbadger2 said:I just had my eye exam and I need to get some new glasses. They gave me this paperwork that I apparently need to get verified by Medicare within 7 days. Where exactly am I supposed to go? Do I buy the glasses first and then wait for Medicare to reimburse me? How does the whole process work? Does anyone know?

That paper is most likely your glasses voucher.

Medicare covers a specific amount for what people call "standard glasses."
It’s usually an amount around $100-$50 including the frames.

Basically, most major optical shops have contracts with Medicare and they accept these verified vouchers (you'll need to head to your local Medicare office based on where you live).

You hand the voucher over to the optical shop, and they just deduct that covered amount from the total price of the glasses you pick out.

Medicare won't reimburse you for glasses you've already paid for upfront.

So, here's how you handle it:

1) Find an optical shop where you want to get your glasses made (bring the voucher with you, even if it isn't verified yet) and ask them if they work with Medicare;
depending on which frames you like and the final price, you can decide if it's actually worth making the trip to the Medicare office to get that voucher stamped.

2) Get the voucher verified at the Medicare office.

3) Take that verified voucher back to the optical shop and settle everything there.

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful replies. I'm heading over to Medicare today to get my benefits verified, and I even checked with the Eye Care Center—turns out they do accept vouchers! Success! 🙂

How much did you end up getting back from Medicare for those glasses?

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mistyjackal842, those papers I have here just show some cryptic codes instead of actual prices. I'm heading over to the Eye Care Center today or tomorrow to get them to decode everything for me—apparently, their computer crashed, so they couldn't give me an immediate answer. Once I know, I’ll let you know the total. Of course, the whole thing really depends on my prescription. The optician actually suspects the cost might even top $50 since my prescription is sitting at -6 diopters.

Thanks for the reply. I’ve actually still got my old glasses from four years ago. I don't think I'll be getting any new ones just yet.

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melloworca6 said:In what way do you feel the different doctors are leading you astray?

I have begun seeing several specialists within the exact same field, yet even after I provide them with my entire medical history, they continue to offer wildly conflicting opinions regarding the best course of action for treating my condition.

Can I, as a student living outside of New York City, renew my health insurance and supplemental coverage right here in NYC? And if so, where exactly?

I think you’ll need to head down to your local municipal office. Your best bet is to just give them a quick call first and ask

Does anyone happen to know what the typical wait time is for a color Doppler scan lately? Also, does anyone know which hospitals in the area actually perform them?

Nicholas Wells74 said:I've had several specialists review my full medical history, and they’re all giving me completely different takes on how to actually manage my condition.

Aha, okay, I get what you're saying now. Personally, I'd just tell my primary care doctor to book me with a specific specialist. If I have to wait a little longer for the right one instead of just taking the first available opening, so be it.

As I see it, we actually have the right to choose our providers. It shouldn't just be a game of chance.

Hey everyone,

So, I'm planning a move to Iceland, and from what I gather, if you show up with an E104 health insurance form, you don't have to pay into their local system right away—you just get covered under their existing insurance instead. Now, since that specific form is a standard thing within the European Union, and we're part of that now, I figured it would be easy to look up, but for some reason, I am hitting a total brick wall trying to find any actual info on how this works in practice. Does anyone here happen to know the deal with this?