Medical Physical Exam - Insurence coverage

[workhomes2003]

Does anyone know whether the health insurance, covers the immigration Physical exam expense if the doctor visited is with in the provider list.

[someitguy]

USCIS told me point blank, it will not be covered.
Guess what, it wasn't covered.

Do yourself a hugh favor, when you call for the list of doctors - I would
take down at least 4, and check their prices. I was quoted here in NJ
from 320.00 up to 650. I paid 320.

[ari4u]

Does anyone know whether the health insurance, covers the immigration Physical exam expense if the doctor visited is with in the provider list.

The X-Ray is covered. Rest comes out of your pocket.
In california, i got a range from $160-$1200. Look for surgeons in different zip codes and be prepared to drive a bit far if you get a cheaper one. Oh, and most surgeons i called accept ONLY cash. Not sure how it is in other states.

[workhomes2003]

thanks Ari4u. We have actually completed the exam and got the report. since this is lot of money, I am begining to think, may insurance covers this. we went with a DR from our provider list which also matched USCIS list...

[ari4u]

thanks Ari4u. We have actually completed the exam and got the report. since this is lot of money, I am begining to think, may insurance covers this. we went with a DR from our provider list which also matched USCIS list...

My PCP refused to accept insurance for any immigration related test as it is not covered by my health insurance plan.

[workhomes2003]

mine covers once a year physical exam but it does not say Immigration physical exm . Thats why I wanted to see whether anyone covered the cost with the insurence ...

[running_swede]

I would be surprised if they cover it. You may get things like shots and x-ray covered, but not the exam itself. Did you pay the doctor after you had the exam?

[payala]

My insurance didn't cover the X-ray. I have a student insurance through my school and they don't cover any 'preventing measures'. The X-ray is to check if you have something and not to fix it, so it's not covered. Kinda dumb.

I doubt any insurance will cover it since it's a specific, unnecessary, checkout for your health.

It's true what other people have said though, look around, sometimes you might have to go a little more far away or wait a little longer and get a cheaper price. I guess it depends on what's more importart to you between money, distance and wait time.

Good luck!

[vaishali81]

Here in California, I had my medical done for $235 at a very nice practice close to where we live. That included the xray and all the shots as well as the doctor's exam.

Just look around, that just happened to be the first place we went to.

Also, we didn't have to pay up front, they gave us some leeway and allowed us to pay when everything was finished, which I've heard is not something doctors do all the time.

[greencardmaze]

nope... ours wasnt covered.... but they do cover vaccines, and routine tests done by primary care physician.... i had our pcp order our chest x ray, cholesterol, syphylis and aids tests, and give us any vaccines necessary... these were all covered by our insurance... then we took the results and then went with them to the immigration doctor... the immigration doctor visit was not covered.

[mohit_chopra1]

I paid 120 dollars for the exam at the local surgeon in Edison, NJ and I got my vaccine shots through my insurance although I never told my doctor that its for immigration (Hey! i did not lie...I just kept quiet). The shots are covered by most insurance if you take it for first time. So I saved 180 dollars on vaccine.

[Glorya]

U can check what vaccination u need and find cheap clinic and do it yourself so to speak. Every doctor is real expensive for the purpose of immigration for some reason. What I did is... I had all necesarry vaccinations, and I did HIV, syphillis and other testing on my own a month before immigration exam. I took my results to exam. Then I called around few different clinics and found the cheapest one. Total $130 considering they did TB test (no XRay) and last HEP B shoot. So you can do it yourself for a very good price. I live in Chicago.

[sgsnathan]

I did mine in Dallas (Plano, TX) and if I remember correctly, it was just around $100 for everything. The receptionist/nurse at the clinic I went to, told me about the vaccines I needed to take and told me I could look around to see if I could find something cheaper and do it elsewhere and just show them the proof if I wanted to. I did look around and didn't find anything that was cheaper for all the shots. So I got it done at the same place.

P.S. Insurance doesn't cover any of this and I was told that upfront.

[cherr1980]

With so many answers...I think depends in the cost of doctors in your area and which one you are going to choose and how your insurance works/what type of insurance you have and what it covers.

Good luck,

[sgsnathan]

I agree. You can go to the USCIS website and search for your zip code to find out all the qualified doctors in your area with their phone numbers. I just called up a few of them near my home and most of them also told me how much it would cost. For me, they were all competitive and I just picked one where I could go in the same day instead of having to setup an appointment and go later.

[MarineBiologist]

I was told point blank by every doctor I called in my state (I called about 10) that immigration-related examinations were not covered.

I have state benefits insurance which provides for an annual check-up (a poster mentioned annual check-up coverage) but according to the docs I consulted with, none of them said that it'd be "considered" since they were not my PCP and my PCP isn't an approved surgeon.

I already had all my vacinnations, so they only did a TB X-ray and looked at the piece of paper from my PCP. It ended up costing $350. I'm in NJ.

[poohsmum]

I still gotta go do mine....Hopefully it will be simple and easy I hate doctors and needles LOL ...Mine will be done in Missoula (which is a bit over 200 miles from where we live) shouldnt need any shots cause I have my childhood records and mine from Az when I had my daughter (Ruebella) so I guess its just the aids syphliss and tb skin test that I need to get done from him when I go ..

[mahi_nikki]

which vaccines will they ask us to take? do we have to take all the vaccines listed ..

[running_swede]

If you are an adult, then I you should have had a tetanus shot within the last 10 years and you should have gotten two MMRs (measels, mumps, and rubella). That is what the civil surgeon I when to said. I only had evidence of one MMR, so I got one of those, and I also got a Td shot (tetanus+diphtheria) since I did not have written evidence of a shot I had gotten 8 years ago. I think those two are the most important ones for adults. I was asked about chickenpox too, but I had it as a child. They took my word for it.

[ari4u]

which vaccines will they ask us to take? do we have to take all the vaccines listed ..

http://www.immigrationportal.com/sho...d.php?t=215736

[ps182]

Here is another option
Get vaccines covered by your insurance provider based on pretext of overseas travel from your primary care physician .( < $100 on co-pay ) .You will need a tetanus shot + MMR .
Visit a board certified immigration physician to have the rest of the test completed . ( about $120 ) for TB & Blood tests .
My doctors office is in Cheshire - CT . He was awesome and the whole deal was completed in two 10 minute visits .

[ari4u]

how much money are we trying to save here? Compared to the hassles of receiving an RFE if something goes wrong, i wouldnt mind paying extra to get everything done at the same place. I was quoted $160 for the complete test, but when i told the doc my vaccnations are not up-to-date, he charged me $40 extra for the shots. So i paid ~$200 for my test that included everything. X-Rays were paid for by my insurance. Im sure if one shops around and is willing to drive a bit far, there is a definite chance of getting a civil surgeon for cheap.

[mahi_nikki]

thank you guys .. i am hoping my labor to be cleared soon and I can apply for 485 .. crossing my fingers .. good luck with your process..

[ps182]

I agree with Ari4U . shop around , find the best deal , Just shell out the money and save the hassel of getting a RFE .

[sarrebal]

Supposedly it's not covered (and I have an excellent PPO).
But I suggest you to shop and browse around. You must know somebody who knows a doctor. And doctors know each other.
I went with my mother-in-law to her ginechologyst (USCIS surgeon) and my total expense was the $20 copayment.

[Xenfinity]

Hmm I payed $150 bucks for my today. I mean a lot of it is just paper pushing... You just have to pay a doctor that's compitent enough to rightly stick a needle in you and fill out the forms

[Addie_Goodvibes]

Our Attonrye gave us list of CA USCIS approved civil surgeons.
We were quoted 160.00- 350.00
Surprised to find out we only had to pay 110.00 we drove about 15 miles to the get the physical, My wife is pregnant with our 2nd baby so there was one IMMZ she was waived from having to take, it lowered the cost and we were cleared medically

our attorney said that we would be fine and not have to go back and upat ethe medical,

it is worth it to research and find better prices.

[PortugueseLady]

My fiance had all these tests done about 4yrs ago but could not finish up the entire process of filing. We are ready to start the process, can he get the results from the last tests taken 4yrs ago or would he need to have them all done again.

Also, once he is under my health coverage, he will be going for a physical exam, seeing how this doc. will be performing all tests (not sure if any of the medical exam requirements (testing) is part of a routine exam, been a while)?? wondering if I should just book it as a normal exam and see if I can get all of them done, also he is not listed as one of the civil surgeon so would these results count?

Thanks for all your help.

P.S. there was a list of all the abbreviations but I don't seem to find it anymore, can someone lead me to that link.

Thanks...again..

[PortugueseLady]

Bump

[sarrebal]

PortugueseLady,

I think the I-693 is valid only for 1 year.
He'd better take the medical examination again.