Usefullness of Heart/Stroke Test Packages

[Ian S]

HealthFair is advertising various test packages that you pay for yourself. When I was on the ACA, I was able to get a fairly comprehensive annual physical at no charge but now that I'm on traditional Medicare with supplement, I don't think much of such an annual physical is covered now unless I have specific issues that would suggest certain tests be performed. The basic set of seven HealthFair tests for $139 includes carotid artery ultrasound, abdominal aortic aneurism ultrasound, EKG, PAD test, ASI (hardening of the arteries), colorectal cancer screening and H Pylori Test. I am most interested in the aneurism and EKG tests but the others may be useful as well and you can't pick and choose anyway.

There is also an add-on for an additional $99 for an echocardiogram of the heart using ultrasound that I'd probably also consider doing.

Just wondering if others have availed themselves of such tests and if they found them useful. I should note that although I'm a pretty healthy 65, heart disease does run in my family. Twenty years ago I got a heart scan that gave me a zero calcium score but of course time has passed since. I would also note that the abdominal aneurism test is one I'd do anyway on its own and IIRC, as a standalone test at least, it would be covered one time under Medicare because I smoked when I was a teenager.

 

[Bamaman]

Now that you're on Medicare with a Supplement, you can actually get a full conventional checkup including a PSA test and a chest x-ray--both of which are supremely important. And doctors can tell so much about a patient's health just from the results of a blood chemistry panel.

I cannot tell you the people we've known that had no idea their hacking cough was a sign of lung cancer that wasn't discovered until they were Stage IV. Our close family friend's lost 65 lbs. and is on his way out.

You can get all the high tech tests you want, but they're no substitute for a normal checkup. Had my wife not gone for a checkup, she'd have been dead in 6-9 months from a rather aggressive form of uterine cancer. She's now 10 years cancer free.

When you're getting around retirement age, we're talking life and death with our health. Don't be a "HE MAN" to demonstrate toughness by not having that physical yearly.

 

[razztazz]

I have been doing these tests for years usually on an every 2 or 3 year basis

I like the edification it gives me. Free from personal physicians who have an interest in telling me I'm sick when I might not be. No fear mongering. Just data. Also, letting me know there might be something under the hood I should know about that a routine visit to the doctor wouldn't show up

Also gives you peace of mind when things show up "Clean and Green"

Coincidence: I am scheduled for mine (previous was 2015) next Wed

 

[audreyh1]

Interesting - in our monthly community meeting we had a presentation by Integra Wellness that goes around doing ultrasound screening in the Rio Grande Valley for winter texans. They offer stroke/carotid artery test and abdominal aortic aneurysm test - also looking at other abdominal organs. The screening is pretty inexpensive for $100 - carotid/abdominal/peripheral arterial disease. I hadn't really heard about this before now and I kind of wonder. But I'm also familiar with ultrasound tests and know this stuff can be very informative, and the price is quite inexpensive.

 

[Ian S]

Now that you're on Medicare with a Supplement, you can actually get a full conventional checkup including a PSA test and a chest x-ray--both of which are supremely important. And doctors can tell so much about a patient's health just from the results of a blood chemistry panel.

I cannot tell you the people we've known that had no idea their hacking cough was a sign of lung cancer that wasn't discovered until they were Stage IV. Our close family friend's lost 65 lbs. and is on his way out.

You can get all the high tech tests you want, but they're no substitute for a normal checkup. Had my wife not gone for a checkup, she'd have been dead in 6-9 months from a rather aggressive form of uterine cancer. She's now 10 years cancer free.

When you're getting around retirement age, we're talking life and death with our health. Don't be a "HE MAN" to demonstrate toughness by not having that physical yearly.

IIRC, few if any of these "preventative" tests are covered by Medicare on the annual visit that I'll continue to have so, one way or another, I'll be paying for them if I want them. My cholesterol is being treated with a statin so monitoring of that I believe is paid by Medicare. I'm just wondering if it's more cost-effective to pay for the test package or pay my doctor for the few that I'm most interested in.

 

[Ian S]

I have been doing these tests for years usually on an every 2 or 3 year basis

I like the edification it gives me. Free from personal physicians who have an interest in telling me I'm sick when I might not be. No fear mongering. Just data. Also, letting me know there might be something under the hood I should know about that a routine visit to the doctor wouldn't show up

Also gives you peace of mind when things show up "Clean and Green"

Coincidence: I am scheduled for mine (previous was 2015) next Wed

Do they provide your doctor with all the info or just you and then you have to take it to him? I assume they give you an understandable summary of what was done and the results.

 

[razztazz]

Do they provide your doctor with all the info or just you and then you have to take it to him? I assume they give you an understandable summary of what was done and the results.

Yes. They give me the pictures and the elucidating summary of results

They ask if I'd like the results sent to my doctor or just sent to me. I always just opt to send them to me. If anything ever became an issue I would either have them send a copy to my MD or schedule an appointment with the MD and bring it up then his office can do whatever administrative routine they do if they want to see the results

 

[mamadogmamacat]

I had these tests the year before I retired. mega corp offered them with a provider on-site for about half the typical rate, so i paid $70. instead of $140. at the time (2 yrs ago). The report, including CD, was given just to me, as i was between PCP's at the time (old one retired), but was given the option to send it all to my Dr as well if I had wanted that. Worth it for the peace of mind. Now I routinely get snail mail offers through AMAC for discounts that price it at about $100. So probably should have it done again since it has been almost two years.

 

[LOL!]

Volunteer to work as a test subject in the nearby health care school. They needs lot of folks to submit themselves as ultrasound subjects. You get paid for it, too.

The EKG, PSA and other stuff is part of your free annual physical, aren't they?

 

[Ian S]

Volunteer to work as a test subject in the nearby health care school. They needs lot of folks to submit themselves as ultrasound subjects. You get paid for it, too.

The EKG, PSA and other stuff is part of your free annual physical, aren't they?

According to the Medicare website:

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers a one-time screening EKG if you get a referral from your doctor or other health care provider. You must get this referral as a result of your one-time "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit. An EKG is also covered as a diagnostic test.

So after the one-time Welcome to Medicare visit, it appears they will only pay for it if you are having symptoms that require an EKG for diagnosis.

 

[meierlde]

On lab tests in general and part B Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/diagnostic-tests.html
With restrictions on the frequency of tests , Medicare part B pays 100% of diagnostic lab tests (no 20% co pay) for non lab tests it pays 80% (again beyond the deductable)

 

[Ian S]

On lab tests in general and part B Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/diagnostic-tests.html
With restrictions on the frequency of tests , Medicare part B pays 100% of diagnostic lab tests (no 20% co pay) for non lab tests it pays 80% (again beyond the deductable)

The problem here is that the tests I'm interested in are not diagnostic in nature. They are screening exams and most are not covered. For example, most people who die of an abdominal aortic aneurysm never have symptoms. Many folks don't have symptoms of clogged arteries until they have a heart incident or stroke.

 

[LOL!]

According to the Medicare website:

So after the one-time Welcome to Medicare visit, it appears they will only pay for it if you are having symptoms that require an EKG for diagnosis.

Interesting, but I also know that my EKG has never changed since it's been taken and it's not normal. It is fun to watch the chipper and friendly nurse/tech go completely silent when the chart is spit out. They won't say a thing, but will defer to the doctor.

As for clogged arteries, I think it would be unusual for anything but a hearth cath angiogram to detect clogging. So if ultrasound detects clogging, what are you going to do?

One is probably better off implementing the usual things NOW: Improved diet and improved exercise regardless of any of these tests.

 

[Chuckanut]

Interesting, but I also know that my EKG has never changed since it's been taken and it's not normal. It is fun to watch the chipper and friendly nurse/tech go completely silent when the chart is spit out. They won't say a thing, but will defer to the doctor.


One is probably better off implementing the usual things NOW: Improved diet and improved exercise regardless of any of these tests.

Interestingly, I recently had my first EKG in over 30 years. It was abnormal. So, off to see the cardiologist and check off a bunch of No's on the symptom list. Then to the stress test. Heart is pumping well, no obvious signs of blockage, no problems found at all. Whatever is causing the funny EKG is not a threat to my health. Like you, I am an outlier.

I think we should form a club - Outliers International. Our motto: For Us Weird is Normal.

 

[Nemo2]

I think we should form a club - Outliers International. Our motto: For Us Weird is Normal.

DW always says to me, regarding almost any/every kind of medical situation, "On your planet this is probably considered ordinary".

 

[Teacher Terry]

My doctor said the PAD test they do is worthless. They use old equipment, etc. We did them and the results showed my DH should rush to the doc who ran other tests and said there was no problem. Other people have experienced this too.

 

[razztazz]

My doctor said the PAD test they do is worthless. They use old equipment, etc. We did them and the results showed my DH should rush to the doc who ran other tests and said there was no problem. Other people have experienced this too.

Interesting. My doctor had that test done on me because I was experiencing peripheral neuropathy as an adverse reaction to a drug he had prescribed and insisted on refusing to acknowledge it. Kept saying i had a sudden case of intermittent claudication even tho I had no symptoms of that specific ailment.

Of course the results come back showing reduced blood flow in left leg.

I pay out of pocket for the test at a clinic. As expected no problems. Super duper blood flow

How worthless were the test results back when that equipment was considered the new stuff? I'll bet doctors trusted them as gospel.

The machine at the hospital doing the doctor ordered test looked like the same one they did at the clinic.

 

[RAchip]

All of these tests are extremely important in my view and worth it even if you have to pay for them yourself. If you have plaque in your corotid (as I found out I do) it needs to be watched and it sure motivates you to really try to eat right and exercise. If you have an enlarged aorta (as I did -- it actually shrank back to normal on subsequent annual scans) it must be watched. These problems are deadly (eg Alan Thicke and John Ritter) but they can be fixed if caught in time. If you know about them and watch how they are progressing every year or two it gives you a much better shot at avoiding a disaster.

 

[RAchip]

"As for clogged arteries, I think it would be unusual for anything but a hearth cath angiogram to detect clogging. So if ultrasound detects clogging, what are you going to do?"

The ultrasound detects it. As i mentioned above, you can make diet and exercise changes. And they can put you on statins to help avoid a stroke. But maybe more importantly, that test should be repeated every year (or whatever is appropriate) because if it gets worse their are several surgical options once a blockage reaches a certain point.

 

[eytonxav]

I suspect that some of these tests are only as good as the tech that is conducting the test, so how do you if they have done a professional and proper job.