Generic preventitive healthcare advice wanted
Thanks to an emergency that resulted in an unexpected surgery, I have reached my health insurance maximum out-of-pocket expense. For those with sane healthcare systems, it basically means that I will not be charged for any additional healthcare I receive for the rest of the year as long as it's covered (i.e. no cosmetics or "just for funsies"). I'm expecting a $6,000 bill in the mail, so I'm looking to take as much advantage of this as I possibly can, starting with some minor issues that I've been sitting on for a while.
I'll have to ask my doctor for their referral for anything, but I was wondering if there were any preventative healthcare services I should specifically ask for? I'm already going to be making an appointment for a regular physical - something I'm ashamed to say that I don't regularly do. I'm going to ask the doctor this same question but I figured I'd come up with a checklist just to make sure I don't miss out on anything.
Not a doctor, but in an adjacent field. I put together a pretty decent list, but I'm sure I left something out. Regardless, in no particular order, here's everything I could think of:
·CBC with diff (blood work looking signs of anemia, infection, cancers, etc.)
·"labs" (looking for electrolyte imbalances)
·thyroid tests (thyroid under/over functionality)
·lipid panel (cholesterol levels)
·fasting blood sugar & A1C (diabetes)
·hepatitis C & HIV tests (even if you are 100% sure you don't have either, you'd be surprised how often people have asymptomatic infections)
·echocardiogram & aortic echo (looking for physical defects. Aortic dissection ain't nothin' to fuck with and the first symptom many experience is death)
·obgyn (pap, mammogram, etc.) if that's your thing
·prostate exam if that's your thing
·hormone levels
·colonoscopy (looking for colon cancer)
·hearing test (why not if it's free?)
·urine panel (looking at renal function & more electrolyte imbalances)
·any and all vaccinations possible
·therapy! If your insurance covers it, this is a great opportunity
·Holter Monitor (72 hour EKG looking for oddball cardiac signalling/arrhythmias that can be hard to spot at the Dr's office)
·x-rays, CT, MRI for any nagging injuries (as well as asymptomatic tumors that can get picked up on this kinda stuff)
·genetic testing looking to see if you're at risk for anything down the road. (Not sure if anyone even offers a high quality version of this service. But if it exists and insurance covers it, fuck ya!)
·general physical
·Testing for other communicable diseases that can hide for years: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, tuberculosis, H. Pylori (especially if you have recurrent heartburn/indigestion/upset stomach), toenail/foot fungus
·a Rx of Chantix if you smoke tobacco and wanna quit (it gives you CRAZY dreams, but if it works, it works)
·liver enzymes (looking for liver damage from any source)
·brainworm scan (2024 is the year of the brainworm apparently)
Abdominal ultrasound, vaccinations, scans on any nagging sports injuries, EKGs, dermatology.
Look up executive healthcare annuals and that’s a good starting point.
Hope that helps!
You might see if they will let you have a good look at your heart and arteries.
My mom had a CT scan done after someone ran a ran light and seriously injured her. They found substantial build-up in her arteries that had been going on for years, despite the fact that she is a vegan and a very clean eater. They were lucky to catch it before she developed any heart problems.
There is a genetic component to cholesterol issues, and it can start very young. People usually only get checked when they start having symptoms, by which point the heart is already taking damage.
In other words, being injured in a wreck may have saved my mom's life.
What can be done about it, though? Honest question. I was under the impression that arterial clogging was a one-way street. Happy to be wrong on this.
In addition to the standard "physical" part of the annual physical, I'd ask your doctor if they recommend additional exams based on your current age, reproductive health (pap smear, testicular exam), or medical history.
I would also ask about standard blood work. You would have to fast appropriately if you intend to do blood tests on the same day though. Sometimes my lab orders include a urine sample. I don't know why, but I bring a big water bottle in case I need it. 😂
If STD screening is a concern, then I would ask for an STI panel that can be detected from blood work/urine. (That would be a lot of blood drawn if done all at once with the standard tests!)
Not sure if these would be covered, but tons of people have deviated septums so you could get a referral to an ENT to see about getting balloon rhinoplasty and turbinate reduction (open up your nose so you can breathe properly). While you're there, if you have bad allergies, you can see about getting nasal cryotherapy to freeze the nerve that tells your nose to make a bunch of snot when your allergies are bad (this one wasn't covered for me but that felt a bit ridiculous so I'd say to try it). You could also potentially get allergy shots to try to alleviate the allergies in the first place.
In addition to regular studies and blood work for your age/demographics, if you have any trouble with sleeping through the night or feeling fatigue through the day I'd highly suggest a sleep study.
While your regular vision exam is likely it's own insurance, if the optometrist thinks you should see an ophthalmologist - that should be covered by your newly met deductible.