geriatricians

[pinkytoe]

I'd be happy to find a good family practice doctor let alone a geriatrician but it seems like MDs other than well-paid specialists have disappeared. Lots of nurse practitioners but they are usually young and female so an older male like DH isn't comfortable going to see them.

[catherine]

Catherine, were you the person who whose physician didn’t order a standard blood panel annually? Is that true or did I dream that?

Yup, that's me. They ration out the blood tests as if you were asking for that last sip of water on a lifeboat. I have been here 5 years and have yet to get a complete CBC. All I've gotten is two lipid panels and a couple of random tests like a Vitamin D eat and something else.

[JaneV2.0]

I understand you can have comprehensive tests done by private labs at reasonable rates, if your doctor isn't cooperative.

[Teacher Terry]

I love my doctor and have been seeing her for 26 years. She is in her late 50’s. She orders blood work yearly.

[iris lilies]

Yup, that's me. They ration out the blood tests as if you were asking for that last sip of water on a lifeboat. I have been here 5 years and have yet to get a complete CBC. All I've gotten is two lipid panels and a couple of random tests like a Vitamin D eat and something else.

Like Terry’s doctor, my doctor orders bloodwork yearly. I do not understand why yours would not although I will say that the only important parts of my blood test were the lipid test and the vitamin D test, both of which required subsequent medication.

[sweetana3]

I must have a Cadillac plan on top of Medicare. I call the shots on specialists at least we choose and most are with BCBS. Hardest thing is getting an appointment. Get the blood tests, hubby gets psa, etc. yearly. We live in a town with an overabundance of hospitals and doctors. We also have a big teaching hospital, VA hospital, Riley Hospital for Children and on and on.

[iris lilies]

I must have a Cadillac plan on top of Medicare. I call the shots on specialists at least we choose and most are with BCBS. Hardest thing is getting an appointment. Get the blood tests, hubby gets psa, etc. yearly. We live in a town with an overabundance of hospitals and doctors. We also have a big teaching hospital, VA hospital, Riley Hospital for Children and on and on.

is the type of insurance what determines whether Catherine gets a blood test or not? A privately funded blood test is always an option as Jane points out.

Last summer I paid around $150 for an environmental allergy test, which was not covered by insurance. Last week I paid $385 for a food allergy test.

[jp1]

I would be surprised by a doc that didn’t at least check lipids and a1c annually. I just had my annual wellness visit Friday and on top of those he also ordered some newer lipid test that is supposedly better. That was probably because my cholesterol is above ‘ideal’.

[herbgeek]

I went through Ulta lab tests to order my own tests. I was trying out some dietary changes for elevated cholesterol, and wanted quicker feedback than my annual exam. It was under $50 for lipids panel.

[rosarugosa]

I went through Ulta lab tests to order my own tests. I was trying out some dietary changes for elevated cholesterol, and wanted quicker feedback than my annual exam. It was under $50 for lipids panel.

Herb: How effective were the dietary changes? My MD is suggesting a statin for me, but I would like to avoid that route.