Is Atlanta DO the only office that REQUIRES TB skin test?

T

ttinatl

Registered Users (C)
Hey All!

I'm just trying to figure out if Atlanta DO is indeed the only office hat is so @n@l about the TB skin test.

I was vaccinated against TB as a kid and my Civil Surgeon recommended not doing the skin test (as it would've been 99.9% positive) and go straight for an X-ray.

Apparently, this doesn't fly in Atlanta. There've been at least two cases on this message board that applicants were required to do the skin test even though they already had a clean X-ray (which, to me, doesn't make sense at all!).

So, I'm just trying to see if that's a problem that is local to Atlanta, or if it's something more common. If it's just Atlanta, then perhaps something could be done about it (preferably before July 17, when my interview is... :D).

Any experiences like this elsewhere?
 
ttinatl said:
Hey All!

I'm just trying to figure out if Atlanta DO is indeed the only office hat is so @n@l about the TB skin test.
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I did the skin test anyway for my health examination. My DO is Pittsburgh, PA. I got TB shot when I was a kid too...but my skin test came out ok.
 
I was also vaccinated against TB as a child and have had numerous skin tests for school and the most recent immigration process. All of them turned out just fine. Why don't you have one and find out for yourself?
 
UmpLoop said:
I was also vaccinated against TB as a child and have had numerous skin tests for school and the most recent immigration process. All of them turned out just fine. Why don't you have one and find out for yourself?
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PraetorianXI said:
He did already. :)
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Actually, I didn't, yet. I just made an appointment with the doctor for next Monday. Then, I'll have to have it checked on Wednesday.

The lady I talked to confirmed that the Atlanta DO keeps sending people back for the skin test.

Unfortunately, as I expected, if the test comes back positive, my X-ray will be too old (had it done in the beginning of February) and I will have to do it again. I'm pretty sure that this time my insurance won't cover it. :( That's an extra 100+ bucks (at least at my clinic here) that I didn't have to spend, had I known this from the beginning... :(

Oh well, live and learn. I'm hoping that at least some other people who read this will be able to avoid that problem.
 
Sorry for you man... :p $ 100 is not that bad though, you think they could do it a the local health dept?

So where do you live anyways? Georgia?
 
PraetorianXI said:
Sorry for you man... :p $ 100 is not that bad though, you think they could do it a the local health dept?
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Yeah, could be worse. Plus, maybe I'll find some other clinic that will do it for less. We'll see. It's just aggravating.

PraetorianXI said:
So where do you live anyways? Georgia?
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I live in Atlanta, so that's easy--won't have to drive far for my interview. I actually live about 5 miles from the office. :D
 
ttinatl said:
Yeah, could be worse. Plus, maybe I'll find some other clinic that will do it for less. We'll see. It's just aggravating.



I live in Atlanta, so that's easy--won't have to drive far for my interview. I actually live about 5 miles from the office. :D
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I think its the standard. I live in Orlando. An extra 100 dollars isn't so bad. I ended up paying like 270 dollars or something.

Man it was painful. I couldn't lift my arm for days..just to let you know :D
 
ttinatl said:
Yeah, could be worse. Plus, maybe I'll find some other clinic that will do it for less. We'll see. It's just aggravating.



I live in Atlanta, so that's easy--won't have to drive far for my interview. I actually live about 5 miles from the office. :D
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I think its the standard. I live in Orlando. An extra 100 dollars isn't so bad. I ended up paying like 270 dollars or something.

Man it was painful. I couldn't lift my arm for days..just to let you know :D
 
Jutarath said:
I think its the standard. I live in Orlando. An extra 100 dollars isn't so bad. I ended up paying like 270 dollars or something.
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Well, that's on top of the 200+ I've already paid and the thing is that the X-rays could've been free, as my insurance paid for that the first time.

Jutarath said:
Man it was painful. I couldn't lift my arm for days..just to let you know :D
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Great! :rolleyes: Another thing I have to worry about. ;)

Well, perhaps at least I'll get some time off from work, then... :D
 
My I-485 was approved on Wed June 13th. However I still had to go back to the doctor to get the TB skin test because I only had the chest X-ray.
 
nikki2007 said:
My I-485 was approved on Wed June 13th. However I still had to go back to the doctor to get the TB skin test because I only had the chest X-ray.
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nikki2007 said:
This was in atlanta by the waY
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Yeah, that's why I want to go and have it done before my interview, so I don't waste any time.

Interestingly enough, though, I've done some research on the internet and it seems like A LOT of Civil Surgeons' web sites state that you don't have to get the skin test if you're having an X-ray and I quote:

"In cases when the test was definitely positive in the past we go straight to chest X-ray, so you avoid an unnecessary needle stick with the following discomfort from the swelling on your forearm."

(source: http://civilsurgeons.com/Immigration.htm and many other web sites, for that matter)

However, I finally found a document on USCIS.gov that seems to clearly state that it's not the case anymore:

"If the civil surgeon has performed a chest x-ray for TB, but not a TST, the USCIS office that granted the civil surgeon designation should advise the civil surgeon in writing of the deficiency and of the need to comply with CDC's Technical Instructions.
[..]
If the same civil surgeon receives two such letters of corrective action, the District Director may take appropriate steps to revoke the civil surgeon designation."

(source: http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVAP.jsp?dockey=5027262ffe88eb2020b3d4190999923c)

It looks like the Civil Surgeon that only does X-rays and not skin tests can even get in trouble because of that... :eek:

I still think it's stupid, but, oh well, what can you do? :rolleyes:
 
must be a recent thing, because in Sep 2005 I had no problems adjusting with just the x-ray, without the skin test.
 
The Doctor's office told me that the CDC requirements changed in January to include the TB skin test then USCIS changed their requirements as well. That is why I still needed the skin test even though I had a negative X-ray
 
OK, got my TB skin test injection today. Have to go back to have it read on Wednesday.

A quick question to all the people who had their X-rays, but were sent back to get their skin tests: did any of you get your skin test result positive? If so, how long was it between your X-ray and the skin test and did you have to take another X-ray? (well, that's actually three questions... I hope you forgive... ;))

Thanks!
 
did any of you get your skin test result positive?
I had a reaction. I never had one b4 I was just told never to have the skin test again because my reaction can be very severe.

If so, how long was it between your X-ray and the skin test and did you have to take another X-ray? (well, that's actually three questions... I hope you forgive... )

I had a chest X-ray at my initial exam in December. I was told that the X-ray is valid for 1 year, so the one I already did was okay.
 
nikki2007 said:
I had a reaction. I never had one b4 I was just told never to have the skin test again because my reaction can be very severe.

I had a chest X-ray at my initial exam in December. I was told that the X-ray is valid for 1 year, so the one I already did was okay.
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Thanks for you reply, nikki2007!

Since you don't have your timeline in your sig, I'm not sure... Did you already get a response from the USCIS after you sent them the TB skin test results? Did they say that it was OK for you to use the old X-ray, or was it your doctor's office that said that (by the way, which office did you go to in Atlanta)?

My doctor said that theoretically X-rays are OK for a year, but that the USCIS might have problem with that as they "don't like anything older than 3 months." That's why the doctor said that I might need another X-ray.

Thanks in advance for your answers! :)

So far, no reaction on my arm, but it's still too early to tell...
 
Maybe the doctor has a deal with your local x-ray technician ;)?

Anyways. If you have not seen a reaction in 24 hours you should be fine. :)
 
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