The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: jeromedawg on April 29, 2021, 10:17:12 AM
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Hi all,
I have an upcoming physical exam with my doctor next week. For a while now I've been having wrist pain issues - last Oct when I saw him I told him I have wrist and elbow pain and he gave me a brace for tennis elbow and was thinking the wrist pain is a result of it (I think). The tennis elbow has mostly subsided but my wrist is still bothering me. Not sure if it's carpal tunnel or tendonitis or something else.
Either way, should I message him prior to the physical? Or should I just bring it up *during* the physical? We're on HDHP (with Kaiser) so every other 'procedure' they add on gets coded as non-preventative and potentially runs up the bill.
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I have Kaiser (as an HMO not HDHP). I would try to email my doctor before the appointment bc email responses are free. Sometimes if there's a blood test as part of the diagnosis it can be ordered before hand. That way results are available at the time of the annual wellness check. That could save me a second visit and therefore money. Not sure how that applies to your situation.
If emails are free for you, why not?
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Call the receptionist and let them know you need to be seen for an additional issue at the same time so they can schedule extra time.
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I’m not with Kaiser but last time I had the annual physical, I was told beforehand that issues/concerns unrelated to the physical would be an additional charge. Somehow I ended up asking about some health concern (don’t recall what it was exactly now) and was surprised to receive a bill for it later. Insurance company refused to remove the charge when I called because physical is supposed to cover preventative only and the charge was for a condition for which I had sought advice/evaluation.
My guess is you will end up paying for it either way (at the physical or a separate visit).
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I would not trust a PCP for your symptoms. I'd find a quality PT and have them analyze your mobility and prescribe stretches and exercises to get you on the mend. Good luck!
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I would try to figure out on my own what is causing it. Are you using a computer much? If so, you may need to adjust your ergo setup or better manage time spent on it. Doctor can’t really help with either.
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I would not trust a PCP for your symptoms. I'd find a quality PT and have them analyze your mobility and prescribe stretches and exercises to get you on the mend. Good luck!
I was going to perhaps ask my doctor if he could refer me to a PT. Maybe I'll do that via email.
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I would not trust a PCP for your symptoms. I'd find a quality PT and have them analyze your mobility and prescribe stretches and exercises to get you on the mend. Good luck!
I was going to perhaps ask my doctor if he could refer me to a PT. Maybe I'll do that via email.
Get an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. flat keyboards and mice are terrible for your wrists. I like the Logitech MX mouse.
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Family physician here - I'd suggest messaging your provider prior to the appointment. It's nice to get a heads up for what to expect prior to a visit. The billing side is tricky, and provider dependent. Technically, addressing a separate problem-focused issue at a wellness visit should result in an additional charge. However, I will rarely add extra charges unless the issue is really time consuming or complex (e.g. new chest pain), and even then I try not to for the patient's sake, but some providers do, and they would not be wrong to do so.
As another poster mentioned, depending on the issue, a PT may be more useful in giving therapeutic advice, but I disagree in that you should be able to trust your PCP to diagnose an acute musculoskeletal issue. Bear in mind PT visits can be quite expensive also, so if you already have the physical with your physician, it's worth trying to have them take a look at that visit.
Hope this helps.
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Try self massage and don't be afraid to apply some pressure. It's such a simple thing, and it often works. If not, at least it feels good and no harm done.