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

Greetings, everyone! I’ve been looking into getting a specific panel of hormones tested—specifically LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, T3, T4, TSH, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, and cortisol. I would be incredibly grateful if anyone could give me a rough idea of what the total cost might look like—excluding any extra add-ons, of course—and perhaps suggest which hospital or major medical center in the States would allow me to get all of this done in one single visit? Thanks in advance! :-)

Noah Diaz22 said:Hey everyone! I’ve got an order for these hormone tests: LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, T3, T4, TSH, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, and cortisol. I would be super grateful if anyone could give me a ballpark idea of what this costs out-of-pocket—and maybe suggest a hospital where I can get all of this done at once? Thanks in advance! :-)

I actually had my hormones checked over at Mercy Hospital—you just call them on the first day of your cycle and they get everything scheduled for you within a few days. I honestly have no clue about the cost since I have private insurance, so I didn't end up paying a dime.

I need to get my hormone levels checked. I went to see my OB-GYN, and she was pretty hesitant about giving me a referral since she feels this is strictly an endocrinology thing—apparently, everything looks fine physically, but I just don't have a regular period. Once I get my bloodwork back, should I go ahead and book an appointment with an endocrinologist, or is this still something my gynecologist should handle?

You head to your primary care doctor to grab a referral for an endocrinologist, and while you're at it, you start wondering if it’s finally time to find a new OB-GYN.😉

I am unsure if this is the appropriate forum for this topic. If I am mistaken, perhaps someone can direct me to the correct section:

I recently visited my physician regarding some gastrointestinal issues. The doctor noted a preliminary diagnosis of SIC, Gastropathy, etc., though it feels like just an initial assessment. He requested several blood tests. The paperwork specifies: EMA (IgA), CBC, Fe, and serum ferritin. (I assume these are all blood panels.)

I went to my primary care physician to get the necessary referral, then booked an appointment electronically at Mount Sinai to have these tests performed. I received the following response from them:

To whom it may concern,
Attached is the order for the first available appointment for the EMA test, s
noting that we utilize a screening method
(positive/negative), rather than how it was specified on your referral. At the same appointment, you can also have the ferritin test performed under the second referral; however, the remaining tests
must be completed at your local community health center.

My question is this: given the diagnosis the doctor is considering, does it matter that they aren't performing that "screening method"? Whatever that implies. Should I proceed with the appointment there regardless, or should I seek out a facility that performs the specific method requested on the referral?

So, I really need to get rid of this bruise/mark on my skin, right? But everyone keeps warning me that if I go through with it at a standard dermatology clinic, I’ll just end up stuck with these hideous scars, which sounds like a total nightmare. Honestly, I’m leaning towards getting it handled by a plastic surgeon instead—I feel like they actually know what they're doing. Does anyone know if I can actually get my primary doctor to write me a referral for plastic surgery?

Maybe. I just don't know if you have to see a dermatologist first. In my case, the dermatologist sent me to a surgeon, but I had to get the referral from my primary care doctor.

Melissa Stewart88 said:I need to get a tattoo removed—and since I've heard horror stories about dermatology leaving ugly scars behind, I’d really prefer to go through plastic surgery. Can I actually get a referral for that from my doctor?

Just wanted to chime in... I had a skin biopsy on my face less than a year ago, done by a dermatologist over at Mayo Clinic. He was incredibly careful about where he took the sample and his stitching was just flawless—honestly, you can't even see the scar today.
It really all comes down to the individual doctor—the department itself doesn't make much difference...
If you want the name of the specific doctor I saw, just shoot me a private message...

So, I need to get my prescription checked. I called the local clinic over at the community health center, and they told me they're actually the only ones in town still taking referrals. They’ve got a full schedule through the end of the year, and they aren't even looking at new appointments until January 1st.😲😕
I pay for supplemental insurance every single month, yet here I am, unable to even get on a list. Who knows when I'll actually see a doctor? It looks like another 4 months of waiting.
Does anyone know if there's an option where, if the wait times are this ridiculous, you can just go to a private specialist and have the insurance cover it?
It's maddening.🙂

Jamie Barnes60 said:I actually had my hormone levels checked at CVS—you just call them on the first day of your cycle and they have everything ready for you in a few days. I’m not sure about the exact cost since I have supplemental insurance, so it didn't end up costing me anything out of pocket.

Thanks for the heads-up; I went ahead and ordered it, so I guess we'll see what the final bill looks like.

Amy Cruz8 said:So, here's the deal, I need to go get my vision checked and updated. I called the eye clinic over at the local community health center, and they basically told me they’re the only ones left in town who take insurance referrals—there used to be three of them, mind you—and they’re fully booked until the end of the year, plus they aren't even taking appointments for the new year until January 1st.😲 😕
I pay for supplemental insurance every single month, yet I can't even get on their schedule, and who knows when I'll actually see a doctor if I wait 4 months?
I'm wondering if there's any way that if the wait times are this ridiculous, I can just go to a private specialist and have the insurance cover the cost?
It's driving me crazy.🙂

Honestly, these days every single eye clinic offers free basic vision screenings 🙂
I’d really recommend checking out Livision; it’s modern, the service is great, they have everything you need for $5, and the doctor is an absolute legend.🙂

Hey there.
So, basically, about a year ago when I was sorting out my mandatory health insurance through the university, the lady behind the counter at the Social Security office told me I needed to head over and pick up a new ID card.
She scribbled some notes with her left hand, so I didn't catch what she actually wrote right away, and I just kind of brushed it off at the time.
It turns out, after looking closer, she had written "A. Zaje."
If I swing by their office in a few days and tell them I'm there to collect my ID, do you think they'll still have it sitting there waiting for me? 🤷
I know, I know, it’s totally on me for not getting this sorted sooner, but honestly, I haven't really thought about it because I've just been getting everything handled using my supplemental insurance card anyway. 😳

I’m honestly not even sure where to start with this one, maybe just throwing it out there into the void.🙄
Is it actually possible to get certain tests done without a doctor's referral—you know, just paying out of pocket—within the public healthcare system?
The thing is, these specific tests seem to be handled exclusively by public facilities, since private clinics don't even offer them.
Does anyone know if there's any way to make that happen?

Hi there, I’m looking to get an eye exam to figure out my prescription, but it looks like I might need a full comprehensive checkup as well, so I was wondering how the whole process actually works.

First off, I need to visit my primary care physician to get a referral for an ophthalmologist. Once I have that, am I able to use the referral at a private clinic—something like a Mayo Clinic or a specialized eye center—and have it covered, or would I still be paying out of pocket? I do have supplemental insurance, so I'm hoping that helps, but I wasn't sure if I'd be sent straight to a major hospital instead.

gentlesailor25 said:Not sure where else to ask this.🙄
Is it possible to get tests done without a referral—basically just paying out of pocket—within the public healthcare system?
Because these specific tests are only performed in public facilities. Private clinics don't offer them at all.
Is there any way to make that happen?

I believe it's possible to pay for services in the public system if you lack coverage—for instance, tourists visiting a hospital clinic for exams receive a bill and have to settle the costs themselves.

Your question is a bit vague, but I suspect you want to bypass the usual process—to decide on certain tests yourself without a specialist’s recommendation. If that's the case, I don't think you'll succeed. To get an MRI or similar test at a hospital facility, you need a specialist's order, even if you are footing the bill. Even those uninsured visitors mentioned earlier have to see a hospital specialist first, who then recommends the tests, after which they can proceed and pay for everything.

As for the procedure if you already have a specialist's recommendation but simply want to skip the long waitlist by paying for the test in the public system to be seen immediately... I honestly don't know.

James Barrett66 said:Hi, I need an eye exam to check my prescription, and I think I need a full eye exam too. What's the protocol here?

First, I have to get a referral for an ophthalmologist from my primary doctor. Can I then take that referral to a private clinic (like a local Eye Care center) and use it there, or would I have to pay out of pocket (I have supplemental insurance)? Or will I be forced to go through a hospital...

You are entitled to a referral from your primary physician. Once you have that, after making an appointment(!) you can undergo the exam at: a) a community health center eye clinic, b) a hospital eye clinic, or c) certain private clinics that have contracts with major insurance providers. In those scenarios, you aren't paying out of pocket, but the rule is you must schedule ahead and wait your turn.

In other cases (purely private practices), no referral is needed, but you pay the full price. The trade-off is significantly less waiting, and sometimes you can be seen almost immediately.

James Barrett66 said:Hey there, I’m actually looking to get my vision checked out—specifically for a prescription update—but since it looks like I might need a full eye exam as well, I was wondering if anyone could walk me through what that procedure actually entails?

First, I have to swing by my primary care doctor to get a referral for an ophthalmologist, and then I'm wondering if I can just take that referral straight to a private clinic—something like a CityMD or a local specialty center—and have them see me, or if they’re going to demand out-of-pocket payment regardless of whether I have supplemental insurance? Or am I looking at a mandatory trip to the big hospital for this?

Why on earth would anyone bother going through the whole referral process anyway? It feels like such an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy when you just want to get things done.
If you find yourself needing a new pair of glasses, honestly, just head over to LensCrafters or maybe one of those big Optica outlets—you know, like the ones you see in every major US shopping mall—and they’ll run a quick eye exam for free, and then you can just pick out your frames right then and there and be done with the whole ordeal in one go.
The checkups are totally free, by the way, and you can usually get everything sorted within a day or two if you play your cards right.
If you're looking for a solid recommendation, I’ll drop one in the private messages so I don't end up looking like some walking billboard on the main thread. 👍

Greetings.

This is my first time ever posting on this forum.

I am seeking some insight or perhaps some practical advice regarding whether it is possible to schedule an appointment at a hospital where I don't currently have an established medical record...

To provide some context, the facility I visit regularly is the Orthopedics department at Mount Sinai, and that is where all my official medical files are kept; I am wondering if it is feasible to book an orthopedic consultation at a specialized clinic in a different state using only the findings from Mount Sinai, or if my attending physician there would need to issue specific documentation or a referral to facilitate an appointment at the new location...

It should be noted that I possess no prior medical history or previous clinical records whatsoever at the new facility...
Thank you.

Honestly, I think you really need a specialist to give you the green light before heading there.

So, I had my hormone levels checked at the hospital on September 12th. Got the results back around the 25th, but since I don't live in the city, I didn't swing by to pick them up until the 29th. I called this one clinic to book an appointment with an endocrinologist, and they gave me the first available slot on October 8th. When I finally saw the doctor, he basically told me my labs were two months old (?) and that I needed to redo more than half of the tests. And of course, he wanted me to do them right there at his clinic.
Does anyone know if these results are too outdated for me to just take them to a different specialist? Like, how long does it actually take for hormone labs to be considered "expired"? Also, do they look at the date the blood was drawn or the date the results were officially released? Because honestly, I can't control how long a big hospital takes to process everything.

Brandon Lopez6, did you actually have to schedule an appointment in advance at the hospital? I have an appointment coming up at noon to get my thyroid hormone levels checked along with some antibody testing, and I am honestly unsure if I need to call ahead to book a specific slot or if they just take walk-ins.