Health Care Insurance / Check-Ups

[s&wchad]

I'm still covered under Mrs Chads health insurance and need to have annual tests done to receive a healthy discount on our co-pay. I had one today and dread these visits.

It claims to require a simple blood test, BP check and body weight/measurements, but they ask some questions that have nothing to do with physical health.

1. Do you ever feel depressed?
2. Do you ever think about suicide?
3. Do you have A gun in the house?
4. Do you drive without a seatbelt?

I don't answer and ask them to move on, but these responses come to mind (in order):
1. Only when I watch the news.
2. No, but there are people I wish were dead.
3. No, I haven't had ONE for 45 years.
4. Only when I back out of the driveway on our cul-de-sac, but I put it on before I start to go forward. Why don't you ask if I ride a motorcycle with a face mask and no helmet?

 

[glenwolde]

I've gotten that, though it was worded differently.

 

[pharmer]

At 70 they add questions. Example:
“ Do you feel safe in your home?”

“We’ll geez Doc, I got enough guns and ammo to outfit a South American country so, yes.” Joe

 

[Bald1]

Pharmer thats hilarious!!!!!! I keep waiting to get asked these questions. Or see them on the questionnaire I fill out. Must of my doctors questions revolve around what kind of trout if any I put in my pond this spring. He’s an avid fly fisherman.

 

[Nightowl]

I had that once. My response was none of their business, wait, none of their (you know) business. Not been asked that since. Maybe they recorded my answer!

 

[LVSteve]

At 70 they add questions. Example:
“ Do you feel safe in your home?”

“We’ll geez Doc, I got enough guns and ammo to outfit a South American country so, yes.” Joe

Nice one! That really tickles me given the South American contract Mausers in my safe.

 

[Huskerguy]

I am 70 and know the doc really well. His nurse goes over the prelim stuff before he comes in and she asked me if she needed to ask me the standard questions and I said, no I haven't fallen without jumping or stumbling over something, no I haven't considered suicide and even murder is less on my mind now that I don't run schools anymore and you really don't want to know about my guns. She then asked if she needed to go through the dementia checks with me and I said, I think I can tell you 3:45 on an analog clock if that counts. She said, works for me and we were done.

 

[pawngal]

I know my Doc is gun friendly, he shoots at the same shooting range that I do. I changed primary providers a couple of years ago, my first meeting with him he enters the exam room, "Good afternoon, how are you today?" My reply, "not bad for an old broad" And we had a good chuckle over that.
I've never been asked about gun ownership, but yes, a bunch of other somewhat silly questions.

 

[Golddollar]

I take my drawing tools (compass and protractor) in case the doctor or his people want me to draw a clock face. With the compass I can draw the most perfect circle they have ever seen, and with the straight edge on the protractor I can make straight and accurately directed clock hands. Kind of floored them the first time I did it.

 

[NYlakesider]

At almost 80 the questions keep on a comming! My regular GPs office is good and the questions other that the have you falling lately are usually skipped over.

Through my rather decent health insurance, due to my age and various health problems I was given a sort of visiting nurse/doctor/PA setup. Available to call 24 hours a day every day and there are many things they can do either by talking or showing up at the house.

A few years back they got a new gung ho female PA. By the health plan rules someone has to come to the house at least once a year and give a physical. This new girl came and started asking me a lot of questions that to me were none of their business.

Finally had enough and said let me ask you a question. Unfortunately I can not put it on here but rest assured she blushed a redder color than a stop sign and said WELL that realy is none of your business. I then said BINGO now you know how I feel.

 

[Jon651]

I'm still covered under Mrs Chads health insurance and need to have annual tests done to receive a healthy discount on our co-pay. I had one today and dread these visits.

It claims to require a simple blood test, BP check and body weight/measurements, but they ask some questions that have nothing to do with physical health.

1. Do you ever feel depressed?
2. Do you ever think about suicide?
3. Do you have A gun in the house?
4. Do you drive without a seatbelt?

I don't answer and ask them to move on, but these responses come to mind (in order):
1. Only when I watch the news.
2. No, but there are people I wish were dead.
3. No, I haven't had ONE for 45 years.
4. Only when I back out of the driveway on our cul-de-sac, but I put it on before I start to go forward. Why don't you ask if I ride a motorcycle with a face mask and no helmet?

My answer to #4: YES, as well as putt...

 

[grover99]

Having done this several times I have come to the conclusion that the person cares little what your answer is only that they can check the box and move on. Your experience may be different. However my Dr has a service that sends you a text four times a week checking on your health, offering to help with prescriptions and answering questions you may have. Some days they ask what your BP is or your blood sugar that day. This has saved me a trip to the Dr more than once. The lady that does this have a good sense of humor and I have fun with her.

 

[Golddollar]

When my old cardiologist asked me about guns in the house it was so we could compare collections.

 

[zeke]

Since going on Medicare my annual physicals have turned into wellness visits with the written questionnaire. The accompanying blood test has been scaled back significantly.

 

[SMSgt]

For reason way too long to type, I, too, refuse to answer any questions not related to my reason for being in a doctor's office. Blame the VA for that. My personal care physician says he has to put something down for Medicare, so I tell him to put whatever he feels like, as I will deny any such answers if they come back to me. The VA doctor says, "Oh, okay."

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My health care nurse comes at 9am every Wednesday morning for one hour. She has never mentioned or acknowledged the scoped AR behind the hinged side of the front door.......Cuz she's country too.

 

[soFlaNative]

My old school doc could not care less, just asks if I sleep OK.
I'll miss him when he retires.

 

[Tom S.]

I've been asked the depressed/suicide questions but oddly enough not the gun question. However, while we are on the topic of rather stupid questions, one of my favorites goes like this: Because my last name is a bit unusual, I am often asked "How do you spell that?" to which I reply "T-H-A-T." Believe it or not, many actually fall for it and type it in, even though it sounds nothing like my real name. One pharmacist's assistant however started laughing and said "As an English Major, I deserved that!".

 

[s&wchad]

Because my last name is a bit unusual, I am often asked "How do you spell that?" to which I reply "T-H-A-T."

What a coincidence...
I spell "that" the same way!

 

[Doug M.]

I had some of the silly questions from a nurse trainee before some procedure a couple years back. "Do you suffer from X, Y Z?" Of course, I'm a lawyer. She didn't know what to do with that. I have determined to answer the next set with "no, I enjoy them".

They have a social worker at my kidney clinic, and she admits that doing what is expected with criminal justice folks is a waste of her effort. I also take some glee in educating one of the MAs with my knowledge of questionable Mexican slang, and of course dark humor is a favorite of mine.