Annual Physical?

[firefighter ontheside]

My annual physical has not been so annual the last few years because of current events.  I used to get my physical thru the fire dept, but then I started getting it thru FEMA, because why not let the feds pay for it instead of the FD.  Well, for 2 years it was cancelled and then this year it was just a physical fitness test and no bloodwork or check by a doc.  Today I went back to having the physical provided by the FD.  It is a good physical with bloodwork, lung function test, eye exam, hearing screening, consult and exam by the doc, CT of chest to screen for cancer, resting EKG and stress test with EKG.  I did pretty good for my age and was above the goal for someone my age with the stress test.  The only things the doc pointed out was my bad cholesterol is a little high, but my good cholesterol is high enough to sort of cancel out the bad.  Also my blood sugar was just a few points higher than they like to see.  I do have a sweet tooth and will try to cut back on that stuff.  An added benefit of my colonoscopy in August was that I didn't have to have that digital exam.  You know the one I'm talking about.

[Old Greenhorn]

Good for you man, you are doing right for yourself and your young family. Firefighters need to be extra vigilant given their exposures to carcinogenic and other hazmat materials. Even with regular checks, things slip through. I know some guys that worked on 'the pile' who are just now finding they have 'issues'. I have little doubt some of the stuff I soaked in over the years will show up to bite me at some point. I just expect it.. It is an unfortunate part of the job and something nobody wants to talk about when contract time or tax votes come up. 
 Me? I am the opposite of you, a regular bad behavior type. My Doc gave up on me and doesn't even call anymore. My last physical was with the FD 5 years ago and that was not very much, no stress test, just an EKG, breathing, eyes, and the usual stuff. I haven't had my eyes checked for new glasses in over 20 years (I need that) and haven't seen a Doc in 5. I tough through everything that I've had with a little help from my friends.
 My 'issue' is not with the Doc, it is the health care system. Every time I went, I would get billed for stuff I did not want and he would ask me to get tests or procedures I did not want and be very insistent abut it, as if there was a law or something. In fact I don't think the Doc even knew what I was being billed for. WHen I called him on it once with some questionable stuff, he said "Really?! we charge for that?". 'Yeah, you did, $200. DO you know how hard I have to work to make $200.?' I have tried to explain to him that it's not in the cards for me to live forever and it's not his job to make that happen. Both my wife and I think that if we get a terminal condition, we are done and our time has arrived. No problem, that's how it goes. We have watched our friends and family members being dragged through treatments that only make them breath longer, but in the meantime they are going through physical hell. The end is inevitable, you cant change that. That's not for us. The tough part is in the grey areas, things that you can fix. We will wait until that happens and go from there. In the meantime, we don't want to take part in a system where the medical corporations can bill an insurance company $50. for an aspirin given to a patient and get away with it. Some call that 'the ways things are', but I call it 'legal fraud'.
 I come from some very healthy stock and all the men on my Dad's side have lived past 90. I don't know if I could stand that.  My brother died early (73) from what I believe was his exposure to agent orange in the military. Yes, at some pint I will have an issue that drives me back into the system, but for now I will continue to run on the edge.
 For the younger folks, you need to take care of yourselves and your families. They need you. Get your checkups, tests, and all the other stuff and get those things fixed early.

[21incher]

I have had one every  year of my life up to this year. I had one scheduled for this April,  had all the blood work done that was put in for 6 months  ago and went in for the physical that was scheduled  6 months  in advance. Got there and was told as of this year Medicare no longer allows the annual physical.  They only allow something  called a wellness visit with  no ekgs, exam, or prostate check. As of this year Medicare only pays for a quick BP check, temperature  check, listen to your heartbeat, and a handful of questions.  One of the questions  was is anybody hurting you mentally,  physically,  or money wise. I answered  Biden but my doctor would not record that. Luckily  they let him do a lot more bloodwork to try and find what's  going on with  my muscle loss since the vaccine. Pretty strange Medicare would eliminate physicals as you get older when you need them most. I am due for a butt and stomach  probing this year also but now wondering  if that will be eliminated  also because  my doctor  didn't  mention  it at the visit.

[kantuckid]

I ask for a "wellness check appointment" as our teacher retirement paid for medicare supplemental pays a bonus gift card for that one. If you call it anything else, no gift card. So far, I've been able to not be forced into a 2nd appt to get the gift amount, while also getting my meds renewed and my annual this and thats done along with the wellness thing. I don't know who's lying, me, the clinic or both of us?
 Latest thing is the supplemental company wants you to have a phone talk appt with an RN. It pays money as well but when I last tried it they said no RN's lived within the mileage distance they used so no deal. 
FWIWE, I'm at the age where they ask you some crazy stuff like how to read a clock, sex life, number memory games, etc..
 

[ljohnsaw]

I answered Biden

You want free health checks?  Give blood!  I give platelets every two weeks.  I get temperature, BP, heart rate, pulse regularity, weight, non-fasting cholesterol and hemoglobin.  Because I'm a Frequent Donor (plasma), they also check my blood protein levels.  Evey 6 months they do a poke and prod examine, listen to my heart, lungs and gut.  I think they also do a CBC at that time as well.  You actually get paid, too!  I think I earn about $100/year in Amazon bucks.

They have a page on their web site sharing how giving blood saves lives.  Even donor's lives.  Twice.  A guy had elevated heart rate.  So went to his doctor and they did some tests.  He had 95% blockage in 4 or 5 arteries on his heart.  Did surgery ASAP.  A year later he was donating again.  They picked up on something else and he was treated successfully.

[Don P]

I could really do with a cheeseburger right now, it's a long time till tomorrow and it's 2 hours till chug a jug tipoff . I tried for a pass on the finger wave during my physical after the last colonoscopy but my gp doc said the gastro doc was not checking your prostate, pigeon toes and elbows. Life sure gets tedious don't it?

[kantuckid]

I have had one every  year of my life up to this year. I had one scheduled for this April,  had all the blood work done that was put in for 6 months  ago and went in for the physical that was scheduled  6 months  in advance. Got there and was told as of this year Medicare no longer allows the annual physical.  They only allow something  called a wellness visit with  no ekgs, exam, or prostate check. As of this year Medicare only pays for a quick BP check, temperature  check, listen to your heartbeat, and a handful of questions.  One of the questions  was is anybody hurting you mentally,  physically,  or money wise. I answered  Biden but my doctor would not record that. Luckily  they let him do a lot more bloodwork to try and find what's  going on with  my muscle loss since the vaccine. Pretty strange Medicare would eliminate physicals as you get older when you need them most. I am due for a butt and stomach  probing this year also but now wondering  if that will be eliminated  also because  my doctor  didn't  mention  it at the visit.

I have no issue getting all the right stuff done at my local clinic. Wellness things been around awhile.  The ekg and other echo, etc., heart related things come via my cardiologist. having a heart attack and heart disease makes stuff happen?   Bood work is imperative given my med list and health situ! Kidneys, cholesterol the whole nine yards gets done on my blood work. My new heart doc asks for a fasting blood work even though they quit that a few years back. He is focused on my cholesterol which is naturally low-told me while pointing a finger-if you have heart disease there is no such thing as low cholesterol. My meds require a 6 months checkup to get refills. Allergy doc to get serum, etc. is another 6months thing. Cortisone shots by two different docs are 3 month intervals, so getting a basic check out is the least of my worries! 
Digital playtime is no longer needed at my age, ah shucks
  

[YellowHammer]

I get annual physicals.  Sure they cost money, and they are not my favorite thing, but I just consider it a maintenance item no different than any other piece of equipment.

For example, regarding the routine colonoscopy, according my Dr, although every polyp won't turn into colon cancer, every single case of colon cancer started as a polyp.  So it they remove all the polyps every few years, then they are removing the "seeds" of potential colon cancer.

I wish I was one of you guys who never get sick and don't need to even go to the dentist, (I have a buddy who has teeth enamel so thick he couldn't get a cavity if he tried), but unfortunately, I am high "maintenance" as my wife calls me.....

   

[Old Greenhorn]

... but unfortunately, I am high "maintenance" as my wife calls me.....

My wife calls me that too, but for very different reasons which she declines to share. 

[21incher]

Before I switched  to Medicare it was no problem getting  a physical every year.  My Cardiologist and GP physician were able to work  together  on testing and results on things like echos and ekgs. Now from the questions for what Medicare calls a wellness visit (they replaced physicals with) they are more  interested  in what gender you associate  with and nick names  you want them to call you them your actual health. Testing is only paid for based on a time table unless you use the ER. When you dev problems that start  after  a vaccine it's  just written off as long covid.

[jb616]

I am a firm believer of the annual exam as I had a Melanoma mole when I was 39 and the doc seen it and removed it the next day. Later surgery removed a 5 inch patch of skin with the lymph nodes for testing. All is clear 20 years later. It is disappointing to see that it won't be covered in a few years when I am on Medicare but I will probably reach into my pocket and get it done as I have always been a proactive person.