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Yorkieabroad Mar 8th 2005 2:49 am

Medical
 
Anyone have any idea what the rough cost of a medical should be for a 40 year old man?

Cheapest I've been quoted from a few doctors is $475 + labwork + x-ray + ECG. None of them would actually quantify what the "+" would be until the doctor sees me, but whatever it is, it looks like adding up to quite a bit.

I'm due a check, so I'll have to pay it whatever, but just wondered if I was getting quotes in the right ballpark...?

Thanks

Ben Mar 8th 2005 2:57 am

Re: Medical
 
I am presuming it isn't for greencard stuff so I'm sure it will cost more because it will be more extensive. Saying that, I don't see why some of these things can't be included in the price. Blood work, xray and ecg can be done in the doctor's office so if you find a doctor that can do it all there then they should be able to give you a price for the whole lot up front.

But, if they find something wrong, or that needs checking out, they are covering their backs by not giving you the whole price now.

Have you tried an urgent care facility? They may be able to give you the prices of each individual thing that may need doing. and they might be a little cheaper.

:)

fatbrit Mar 8th 2005 3:02 am

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
Anyone have any idea what the rough cost of a medical should be for a 40 year old man?

Cheapest I've been quoted from a few doctors is $475 + labwork + x-ray + ECG. None of them would actually quantify what the "+" would be until the doctor sees me, but whatever it is, it looks like adding up to quite a bit.

I'm due a check, so I'll have to pay it whatever, but just wondered if I was getting quotes in the right ballpark...?

Thanks

You're going to be at the couple of grand mark, minimum. Medical billing is an art rather than a science. But when you're paying cash, the adding machine automatically goes into overdrive. Of course, if you had insurance, the company would already have agreed to a contracted price which is probably around half. It might be worthwhile looking into the schemes whereby you buy a "medical discount" at the contracted price. I certainly don't recommend it, but here's the type of scheme you could look at if conventional health insurance is not within your grasp: http://iabbenefits.com/plans/premierplus/

ImHere Mar 8th 2005 3:31 am

Re: Medical
 
Uh oh....this sounds very Americanised.

Why does a medical inthe UK consist of: Blood pressure, Pulse, Temp and a "Are you feeling OK?" from the doc. while a US medical requires the combined services of thirty specialists, 4 hours of being sucked dry (blood) then a life time of being sucked dry (money)?

Yorkieabroad Mar 8th 2005 4:44 am

Re: Medical
 
Fatbrit - Couple a grand? chuffing eck! I normally get a medical every 2-3 years. In Singapore it used to cost S$250 all inclusive (approx £100). In the Uk it was ever so slightly more. It sure ain't cheap living here! Oh well.

We've got medical insurance here, but it doesn't cover a routine physical until the deductible has been met - and being the healthy bugger that I am, I haven't seen a doc (for anything other than jabs or medicals) for almost 20 years. Not that that stopped the ins companies hiking my premiums 30% on my 40th birthday - happy birthday eh - how about an NCD! I'll speak to the insurance company again and see if they can get me any discounts - they've managed it on tests for the kids (one came down from $180 to $18 - nice discount, but makes you wonder what sort of imagination they need to pad it so much in the first place!), so maybe they can help on mine.

Ben - yeah, I have no problem with them not quoting for 'work' that they won't know about till they see me, but surely a quote for a standard blood workover chest x-ray and ecg shouldn't be beyond them. The woman seemed genuinely perplexed that I should want to know what it costs! I really do have a problem with this "give us your credit card and we'll tell you later what you owe" sort of mentality. I seriously cannot think of another situation where I give someone a totally blank cheque, and it just bugs me. Repeatedly.

fatbrit Mar 8th 2005 4:54 am

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
Fatbrit - Couple a grand? chuffing eck!...


If you're covered by insurance, you should be able to get their contracted prices -- so that'll be around the grand mark rather than the coupla.

I know exactly what you mean regarding medical billing. When people say they have a free market medical system here, I usually blow my top (and raise my blood pressure). It is simply corrupt!

Had a similar experience with an ultrasound scan my PCP insisted on. Was determined to find out how much it was going to cost me before I actually did it. Freakin' hours on the phone and being uncharacteristicly rude was the only way I was ever going to get that information from the HMO.

How about a nice little long weekend break in Mexico and arrange it there? You should still be quids in!

Yorkieabroad Mar 8th 2005 12:39 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by fatbrit
If you're covered by insurance, you should be able to get their contracted prices -- so that'll be around the grand mark rather than the coupla.

I know exactly what you mean regarding medical billing. When people say they have a free market medical system here, I usually blow my top (and raise my blood pressure). It is simply corrupt!

Had a similar experience with an ultrasound scan my PCP insisted on. Was determined to find out how much it was going to cost me before I actually did it. Freakin' hours on the phone and being uncharacteristicly rude was the only way I was ever going to get that information from the HMO.

How about a nice little long weekend break in Mexico and arrange it there? You should still be quids in!

To be honest,I'd been thinking about going back to the UK for a couple of weeks and do it with my ex company doctor, but things are that busy that I can't get away, and unlikely to be able to manage it this year.

Funny you should say about ultrasound cost - I'm still trying to get my head around a US my wife had in the ER costing over 3 times the cost of the routine ones at her gynaes, even though they are done in the same room, by the same people.....and a 'pee on a stick" pregnancy stick costing $124!!

dbj1000 Mar 8th 2005 12:51 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
.....and a 'pee on a stick" pregnancy stick costing $124!!

Must be particularly galling given that... let's face it.... you were highly unlikely to be pregnant, Yorkie.

Still, I guess they have to cover all eventualities in these physicals!

(oh, just seen that you weren't talking about your 40-year-old man's physical)

:D

Yorkieabroad Mar 8th 2005 1:12 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by dbj1000
Must be particularly galling given that... let's face it.... you were highly unlikely to be pregnant, Yorkie.

Still, I guess they have to cover all eventualities in these physicals!

(oh, just seen that you weren't talking about your 40-year-old man's physical)

:D

chortle chorlte:D

anotherlimey Mar 8th 2005 2:01 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
..and a 'pee on a stick" pregnancy stick costing $124!!

Now that's the business to be in!

NC Penguin Mar 8th 2005 2:15 pm

Re: Medical
 
Just IM'd my spouse. He had his annual medical in January this yr. The total cost was $300 and inc. labwork. We have a plan through CIGNA from his employer and his share of the cost is a little under $40.00!

He's around the age of the OP too.





NC Penguin

dbj1000 Mar 8th 2005 2:49 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by anotherlimey
Now that's the business to be in!

Being the stick? It'd take more than $124 to get me to be in that business!

anotherlimey Mar 8th 2005 4:30 pm

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by dbj1000
Being the stick? It'd take more than $124 to get me to be in that business!

You've got the wrong end of the ....stick.

We could buy them in bulk and cunningly sell them for $123 each.

Yorkieabroad Mar 9th 2005 1:30 am

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by NC Penguin
Just IM'd my spouse. He had his annual medical in January this yr. The total cost was $300 and inc. labwork. We have a plan through CIGNA from his employer and his share of the cost is a little under $40.00!

He's around the age of the OP too.


NC Penguin

$300 bucks thats more like it! Will keep shopping around....

NC Penguin Mar 9th 2005 1:40 am

Re: Medical
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
$300 bucks thats more like it! Will keep shopping around....

Spouse does say that he expects prices will vary around the country so even if you can find a medical for $300.00 it may be basic or dissimilar to my spouse's medical.




NC Penguin


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