Physical Test Cost
Willy Aucoin
The physical exam is an essential part of any doctor's visit. Surprisingly, though, there are no absolutes in a routine physical. A good doctor may be thorough or brief, but they will spend time listening to your concerns and providing counseling for your particular complaints and risk factors. Your doctor can suggest preventive steps that may keep health problems at bay.
If you have a medical issue that doesn't seem quite pressing enough to schedule an appointment, your annual physical can be a good time to bring it up. If you and your doctor catch a condition early and begin treatment, you're likely to have a better outcome.
History. This is your chance to mention any complaints or concerns about your health. Your doctor probably also will quiz you about lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, sexual health, diet, and exercise. The doctor will also check on your vaccination status and update your personal and family medical history.
General appearance. Your doctor gathers a lot of information about you and your health just by watching and talking to you. How are your memory and mental quickness? Does your skin appear healthy? Can you easily stand and walk?
Lung exam. Using a stethoscope, a doctor listens for crackles, wheezes, or decreased breath sounds. These and other sounds are clues to the presence of heart or lung disease.
Head and neck exam. Opening up and saying "ah" shows off your throat and tonsils. The quality of your teeth and gums also provides information about your overall health. Ears, nose, sinuses, eyes, lymph nodes, thyroid, and carotid arteries may also be examined.
Abdominal exam. Your doctor can use a range of examination techniques including tapping your abdomen to detect liver size and presence of abdominal fluid, listening for bowel sounds with a stethoscope, and palpating for tenderness.
Physical exam. The doctor will look at your child's skin and listen to their heart and lungs. They may check your child's back for curvature of the spine. A parent or caretaker should always be present during this part of the exam.
Questions and answers. The doctor may ask about sleeping, eating, exercise, and other activities. The doctor also will discuss any questions you or your child have about their health or development.
A screening lipid panel (cholesterol test) is recommended every 4-6 years, according to the American Heart Association. Your doctor might check more frequently if you have risk factors for heart disease. Abnormal cholesterol levels increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes.
If you're overweight or have any risk factors for diabetes, your blood sugar probably will be checked. The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults, beginning at age 45, should be tested for diabetes -- regardless of weight.
Colorectal cancer screening. At age 45, it's time to begin regular screening for colorectal cancer. People with immediate family members with colorectal cancer or other risk factors may need to be screened before age 45.
Breast cancer screening. For some women and those assigned female at birth, age 40 marks the time to begin annual mammogram screening for breast cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that those aged 40-44 should have the choice to start mammograms if they wish to do so. If you are 45 to 54, you should get mammograms every year. If you're 55 or older, you can switch to mammograms every 2 years or can continue yearly screening. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. There are different guidelines for breast cancer screening depending on your risk for breast cancer and whose guidelines you choose to follow. Weigh the benefits and risks of screening tests when deciding whether to begin getting mammograms at age 40.
Exercise. Do 30 minutes of brisk walking or other exercise most days of the week (or about 150 minutes a week). And add in some strength training at least twice a week. Your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer will fall dramatically.
Make notes. Write down questions you have for your doctor or any concerns you'd like to discuss and take the list with you. This will help you make sure you cover everything you want to know.
Know your medical history. Has anything changed since your last exam? Let your doctor know of any procedures or immunizations you've had in the last year. Have you received a diagnosis of a new condition from another doctor? Be sure to mention that.
List your medications. Have a record of all the medications you take, including the dose. This may include medicines prescribed by other doctors. If you use over-the-counter drugs or supplements, let your doctor know about those, too. It's important for your doctor to know about everything you are taking.
Schedule other appointments. It might be helpful to schedule your mammogram, blood work, or other tests before your appointment for your exam. If you have your results, you and your doctor can review them in person.
Other health data. If you monitor your blood pressure or blood sugar levels, use a symptom tracker, or keep a health diary, bring that information with you. It will help your doctor get the best understanding of your health.
Exercising, keeping a healthy weight, and not smoking are enough to keep most of us in good health, with or without an annual exam. Still, no one can argue with keeping up a good relationship with your doctor through regular visits. As long as you and your doctor are paying attention to prevention and your overall health, the choice is yours to make.
When checking your benefits, it's important to understand the terminology your doctor's office and insurers use. You may hear the term "annual physical," "annual exam," "routine exam," "checkup," and "annual wellness visit." For children, you may hear the term "well-child visit." They may sound like they're all the same thing, but there are differences. Your insurance company can clarify what's covered and what isn't.
If you have Medicare Part B, you're entitled to a one full checkup at no cost during your first year of enrollment, sometimes called your "Welcome to Medicare" visit. After that, Medicare covers a "wellness" exam each year. These appointments focus on preventive care and are not the same as an annual physical exam. There's no deductible or copay for the wellness exam. Medicare also covers some immunizations and screenings without a copay or deductible, but you may have to meet an age requirement or risk threshold.
The Affordable Care Act requires that most health insurance plans cover certain vaccinations, screenings, and preventive services at no cost to you. You'll have to follow your insurer's rules about which providers to use.
Medicaid is run by state governments, and the benefits vary depending on where you live. However, if your child is covered by Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act does require that certain types of care are covered. Medicaid has a website where you can check your state's specific coverage.
Once you've had a yearly exam, you should receive information from your doctor summarizing your visit. This could be a printout, or your doctor might send it via an electronic patient portal. Topics covered by the summary may include:
What you need to schedule. You'll get information about tests, screenings, or vaccines you'll need in the future. If you have a referral to another doctor for care focused on a specific issue -- for instance, an orthopedist or neurologist -- that will be noted, too.
The annual physical exam is something you can do to maintain your health, but experts differ on whether they're necessary for healthy people. The annual exam is a chance to discuss any concerns with your doctor, see how well you're managing any chronic conditions, and set health goals. It also may include routine screenings such as blood tests. It helps your doctor understand the big picture regarding your health. If you don't have a primary care doctor, you may be able to get an annual exam at a clinic in your pharmacy, a community health clinic, or your public health department. What you'll pay depends on the type of insurance you have, but the U.S. government requires most health plans to cover some preventive health measures, screenings, and vaccines at no cost.
The terminology can be confusing. A wellness exam focuses on maintaining your health and preventing future illnesses. If you've got a specific complaint -- your shoulder hurts, or you're worried about your blood pressure -- don't expect your doctor to deal with it during a wellness exam. A wellness exam also won't focus on managing chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. It's about making sure you're getting all the screenings and vaccines you need to stay on top of your health.
These exams help your medical practitioners keep consistent records of your overall well-being, as well as monitor chronic conditions and medications. Your doctor may also address everyday habits that negatively affect your health and help you adjust them accordingly.
Regular physical exams also enable your doctor to catch any unusual or concerning signs as early as possible, and allow you to get treatment as soon as possible. This is especially important as you age.
Some blood tests may be necessary during your annual physical, especially if you are at particular risk for specific conditions and diseases. These tests might include a metabolic panel, a comprehensive blood count, diabetes or thyroid screening, or a lipid panel. These tests monitor for anemia, kidney and liver function, and cholesterol levels.
Your annual physical exam is going to be more thorough and take longer than a comprehensive wellness visit. Wellness visits typically only include a visual examination and the updating of your medical history.
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