Forearm scan.

[Spiky Bugger]

That was odd. Phone rang. Lady from Quest Health Connect had information, from my insurance, re my recent broken bone, but also questions:
Did I have a fall?
A broken bone from something else, perhaps?
Last DexaScan?

So, they can send a guy, on SATURDAY, with portable equipment, to my home, to do a forearm dexa scan. No co-pay. No cost to me.

No, thanks, sez I.

Huh? sez she.


As I understand it, I’m already diagnosed with osteoporosis with spine and hip areas at risk, and the forearm scan is to assess risk of the distal radius.

And besides…it would just be more pills/injections that have side effects that compound the OTHER stuff I have going on.

But it was all strange. Maybe Quest is try to make up for losses incurred from folks not going in for routine lab work?

 

[JackieOnLine]

that does seem strange.

 

[Munchkin]

Trying to get more money from Medicare.

Jeff’s cousin has bought in to all of this stuff. He has no foot problems but he sees a podiatrist every 6 weeks. Why? To get his toenails cut and cream put on his feet. He is very capable of doing these things for himself. He sees a Cardiologist quarterly but he has no heart problems. Sees an internist several times a year but he is not sure why… And the list goes on. Yes he has a GP he sees regularly but most of the docs he sees are specialists. I think he is just easy money for them.

He pays nothing for any of this because he is low income. Honestly I think it is his entertainment and it gives him something to do.

I have a friend in her mid 80’s who lives alone. Not so long ago her insurance plan wanted to send someone to her home to evaluate her ability to care for herself. Mentally, she is as sharp as she ever was and hasn’t had any physical issues like falls etc that required medical treatment. She feared that they were trying to shuffle her off to a nursing home so she said no! Plus she was very offended. They wanted to send a nurse to watch her do things like bathe and dress. Fix her meals etc. Sounded like an all day thing. I think I would say no to this too.

 

[JackieOnLine]

it's ironic if people are getting help they don't need when so many don't get help they do need.

 

[southernlady]

Because of the titanium rods in my back, they’ve scanned my forearm several times.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Because of the titanium rods in my back, they’ve scanned my forearm several times.

Why?

My first dexa scan was of my foot…a screening…osteopenia Dx. Then, it was on a big table, hips and spine…osteoporosis Dx.

So if we know I already have osteoporosis, and my hips/spine are symptomatic, why the forearm? So they can say, “That’s on its way south, too?”

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Trying to get more money from Medicare.

Jeff’s cousin has bought in to all of this stuff. He has no foot problems but he sees a podiatrist every 6 weeks. Why? To get his toenails cut and cream put on his feet. He is very capable of doing these things for himself. He sees a Cardiologist quarterly but he has no heart problems. Sees an internist several times a year but he is not sure why… And the list goes on. Yes he has a GP he sees regularly but most of the docs he sees are specialists. I think he is just easy money for them.

He pays nothing for any of this because he is low income. Honestly I think it is his entertainment and it gives him something to do.

I have a friend in her mid 80’s who lives alone. Not so long ago her insurance plan wanted to send someone to her home to evaluate her ability to care for herself. Mentally, she is as sharp as she ever was and hasn’t had any physical issues like falls etc that required medical treatment. She feared that they were trying to shuffle her off to a nursing home so she said no! Plus she was very offended. They wanted to send a nurse to watch her do things like bathe and dress. Fix her meals etc. Sounded like an all day thing. I think I would say no to this too.

That’s what I was thinking!

I went tot the podiatrist for an actual foot/gait problem. (My left foot marches forward, headed towards 12 o’clock, and my right…broken in Basic Training and not treated…heads off towards 2 o’clock. So he did some custom orthotics.).


Bit he also cut my toenails. And I asked how I could do that myself without bending more than 30° at the waist. Can’t be done. So I will be going in for that service, too. One toenail needs a little more digging in than a nail shop should do and my spine guys say that my bending over is a good way to break more bones.

BUT…yes. My Medicare Advantage PPO occasionally calls offering me other services, now that I think about it.

SOOO, thank all of you who are paying into SS and Medicare. (I should feel more guilty, but my MASSIVE pension from having worked for a government entity means I fall under the Windfall Elimination Provision, which allows SS to keep about 40% of my SS because I had the nerve to work on a job that had its own pension plan.)

 

[southernlady]

Why?

My first dexa scan was of my foot…a screening…osteopenia Dx. Then, it was on a big table, hips and spine…osteoporosis Dx.

So if we know I already have osteoporosis, and my hips/spine are symptomatic, why the forearm? So they can say, “That’s on its way south, too?”

I never understood why but if it’s already part of my DECA, so be it.

im seeing a podiatrist next week for toenail clipping simply because my body no longer bends that direction.

 

[Georgepds]

Re "because my body no longer bends that direction"

Do you think some PT might help?

Is range of motion impairment permanent?

I realize it depends on the cause, but it must be difficult to need help with simple things like toenail cutting. Sometimes a trick helps. When I was MO I had to sit with one leg folded under me on the edge of the bed so I could reach my toenails.

 

[southernlady]

Being MO is a bit different from being unable to bend from back surgery. I have several tita rods and screws and they don’t bend.