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

Hey there. Honestly, I’ve lived long enough to know better, yet somehow—and I say this with all due humility—I am still completely in the dark about how home health services actually work here in the States. Like, who is even eligible for a visiting nurse, and when does that actually happen? And what about when a primary care physician comes to your house? I mean, until recently, I hadn't even realized doctors did home visits at all—I just assumed those nursing visits were strictly for newborns and their parents.

I'm also totally lost on when you're actually supposed to call 911. It has to be a life-or-death situation, right? But what if someone breaks a bone or something? If it isn't an absolute emergency, do you end up getting stuck with a massive bill? Where can I go to get some actual, reliable information on all this?

I've got about eight fibromas around my eyes that I really need to get taken care of because they're starting to spread.
I checked in with my local clinic, but they passed on doing laser removal since it's just too close to the eye area. I called a specialist center, but apparently, their schedule is booked out until fall 2016—they treat these as minor outpatient procedures, limiting themselves to maybe five cases a day.
Where else should I be looking? If I decide to go through a private dermatologist, does the billing work per individual growth, or do they charge by the session?

Grace White66 said:I honestly have no idea what qualifies as an emergency call. You have to be life-threateningly ill, right? What about just broken bones? And if it’s not actually an "emergency," do you get stuck with a bill? Where can I find more info on this?

Look, once you call and explain the situation, if they decide it isn't a true EMERGENCY, they simply tell you they aren't coming. If they do show up, you aren't charged anything unless it was genuinely critical. It's pretty straightforward, really.

Exactly. It’s all about using that specific phrase—"chest tightness"—to get their attention. That’s the magic trigger. I knew this one guy, a real optimist, who sat on a park bench all day just shouting about how his chest was tightening, every few minutes, just to see what would happen. They actually sent an ambulance out to him a couple of times. Eventually, they had to call the cops... Okay, fine, that's easy when you're dealing with emergency services. But what about trying to get a regular doctor from a clinic to show up? Or getting a home health nurse to swing by? That’s a whole different story.

I don't know, maybe you'll remember after I post this. 😉

Thanks for the response. Perhaps I phrased my question poorly, or maybe my understanding of the diagnosis is flawed.

After extensive research, nothing beyond the symptoms has been described. The actual cause remains unknown.

I am not questioning the accuracy of the results. I simply find it curious that there was absolutely no mention of a root cause.

Hey hey!
Quick question... Can I get my health certificate done in NYC even if I’m from a different city? If so, can I just hit up any local health department office, or am I stuck going to one specific location?

Pleaseeee. Help a person out. I'm totally lost on this one...

You can go anywhere, really. Just bring your health certificate along and pay the fee for the exam. Or, if it’s easier, you can just pick up a certificate right there at the clinic. Honestly, your best bet is to give them a quick call first and ask about the vaccination booklet.

Excuse me 😳 Mods, seriously, don't get all bent out of shape over 🤦 starting a thread... these topics are ancient history at this point.

So, testing blood pH—does any actual lab out there handle that? Look, I don't have a pH meter sitting around my kitchen, and even if I did, I’m definitely not drawing my own blood just to test it—that's just not happening. I just need a legitimate lab that can take a blood sample and run a pH analysis for a fair price, and call it a day.

(It’s not for me, obviously 🤣, I'm just looking to help someone out, because I'm a nice person 😬 )

Are you talking about checking acid-base balance and pH levels from a capillary blood sample?🤔

Honestly, it’s pretty much standard procedure in almost any medical lab you’ll find around here.
And you really just need a tiny little drop or two from a finger prick to get it done.🙂

Now, if you're looking at arterial blood, that’s usually a different story—you’d typically only see that being handled in a hospital setting under more controlled conditions.

Breyer told me today that they just don't do that anymore 🤷

Hospital labs—my bad, I didn't really nail the wording there, sorry 🙈

I mean, looking at the price tag on a machine like that, it’s pretty steep 🤔

So you really have to sit down and crunch the numbers to see if it actually pays off in the long run.

That being said, it's one of those tests that comes up constantly in emergency rooms, and if you're a pulmonologist, it's basically sitting on your desk every single day...

Casey Morgan3 said:Hey there.
I have a quick question... Is it possible for me to get my health certificate processed in Chicago even if I live in a different city? If it is allowed, can I just walk into any local public health department, or am I required to visit one specific location?

Please, I would truly appreciate some guidance. I am feeling quite lost regarding this process.

At the municipal health services located on Michigan Avenue, you can undergo your medical examination any business day. You don't need to go out and purchase the physical booklet beforehand; they provide everything right there for $5.00. The examination fee is $70.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic.
After years of dealing with doctors and hospital visits, I’ve finally run into the one thing I wasn't prepared for: pure administrative chaos. ☕
I could really use some advice on how to handle this, because right now, my only thought is to head down to the Social Security Administration office and file a formal complaint.
Here’s the deal. I’m being treated at Cedars-Sinai, and when they discharged me last week, they gave me internal referrals for some follow-up tests I need before my next check-up. Part of that involves heading over to UCLA Medical Center for allergy testing, and that’s where everything went sideways.
The internal referrals didn't have a standard serial number—just an electronic referral code. The clerk at the front desk sent me straight back to Cedars, claiming she couldn't admit me without a specific barcode. So, I went back to my administrator at Cedars, who basically told me she needed to "look into it" and insisted all the data was already in the digital system. I tried UCLA again this morning, and once again, they refused to take me because they apparently can't read their specific electronic format. After I practically begged and insisted, they finally agreed to draw my blood, but they told me I still have to bring them the physical referral later.
Now, the administrator at Cedars claims she can't issue a different version, my insurance provider refuses to step in—saying hospitals should just coordinate with each other—and I’m stuck spinning my wheels.
What am I even supposed to do? I have to get these results to my specialist by March 17th, regardless of how much paperwork I'm missing. 🤔

Drop a line here if you're looking for some advice

http://www.officialgovernmenthelp.gov/most-common-questions

Honestly, I think your best bet is to send a formal written inquiry straight to the headquarters of the Social Security Administration over in D.C. Just make sure you send it via certified mail with a return receipt. It’s like sending a registered package through FedEx—you want that paper trail so you know they actually got it.

swiftbear86 said:Try asking for advice here

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/help-center

I honestly think the best move is to send a formal written inquiry directly to the Social Security Administration headquarters—you know, via certified mail with a tracking number just to be safe. It leaves a paper trail.

Thanks.
I stopped by the local SSA office yesterday and they said they’d handle it.
My doctor needs them to include the specific authorization number on the referral, so the folks at the agency actually gave me a call to clear everything up. I should have the correct paperwork by the end of the week. 👍

Hey, does anyone know what the actual drill is if I want to switch up my primary care doctor? Like, what's the whole process for changing GPs here in the States?

Thanks so much! 🙂

You show up at a new place and they hand you some paperwork to fill out. If there’s an opening available, you complete the forms and that’s the end of it.

Thanks so much 🙂

I’m honestly not even sure if this belongs in this specific thread—my apologies if I’m barking up the wrong tree here—but I’ve been chewing on a question regarding medical searches abroad. Does anyone actually have a handle on how that process works? I’m a bit in the dark regarding what role the Social Security Administration plays in all of this, but fundamentally speaking, is it possible to just head overseas, get whatever treatment or consultation you need, and walk away without any expectation of reimbursement or involvement from the SSA?