Medical and insurance
- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
Most insurance companies do not cover FAA medicals. Why I don't know...Mine allows for 2 physicals per year but won't cover my FAA. I beleive it all has to do with how you physician does the billing codes. If he is willing to code it as a general physical then it is covered. If not you have to pay him.
The doctors have us pretty good. We have to have the medical to fly and they know this and charge what they want. Which is a lot more than what the insurance company would pay them if they billed it to them.
Also for the guys who get the EKG, I have been told that they have to use a special EKG machine which stores the info electronically so it can be sent to the FAA directly along with your app.
Whoever paid $100 for a 3rd class got ripped off. I only pay $70 for a 1st class in Detroit. I would shop around for your medical. The prices vary greatly.
The doctors have us pretty good. We have to have the medical to fly and they know this and charge what they want. Which is a lot more than what the insurance company would pay them if they billed it to them.
Also for the guys who get the EKG, I have been told that they have to use a special EKG machine which stores the info electronically so it can be sent to the FAA directly along with your app.
Whoever paid $100 for a 3rd class got ripped off. I only pay $70 for a 1st class in Detroit. I would shop around for your medical. The prices vary greatly.
Sime
New Member
I had my 3rd class medical here in Detroit back in December '03. At the time, all I had to pay was a $10 copay towards the $65.00 total cost. My wife's HMO insurance covered it.
Then, about 4 weeks later, I received a bill in the mail for $55.00. I called my insurance company and they apologized and said they would take care of it. That's the last I ever heard about it.
At the time, I didn't know about being able to get a first class, so now I am going to go back and get a 1st class from the same doctor probably in December (after 1 year from the initial medical so the insurance may cover it again). Interestingly, the doctor I saw said that he was the surgeon for the Red Wings. He wanted to talk about Aussie beer with me! Cool guy and very friendly. But, what is it with doctors and beer?
By the way, I'm 33 and I know that if you get a medical before you turn 40, it's valid for 3 years (say if you were just flying privately). But, if you got/renew the medical at age 39, when you turn 40 does it automatically revert to a 2 year validity?
Thanks,
Then, about 4 weeks later, I received a bill in the mail for $55.00. I called my insurance company and they apologized and said they would take care of it. That's the last I ever heard about it.
At the time, I didn't know about being able to get a first class, so now I am going to go back and get a 1st class from the same doctor probably in December (after 1 year from the initial medical so the insurance may cover it again). Interestingly, the doctor I saw said that he was the surgeon for the Red Wings. He wanted to talk about Aussie beer with me! Cool guy and very friendly. But, what is it with doctors and beer?
By the way, I'm 33 and I know that if you get a medical before you turn 40, it's valid for 3 years (say if you were just flying privately). But, if you got/renew the medical at age 39, when you turn 40 does it automatically revert to a 2 year validity?
Thanks,
SUSPilot
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
By the way, I'm 33 and I know that if you get a medical before you turn 40, it's valid for 3 years (say if you were just flying privately). But, if you got/renew the medical at age 39, when you turn 40 does it automatically revert to a 2 year validity?
[/ QUOTE ]
If you get your medical the day before your 40th birthday, your medical will be good for 36 calendar months for opperations requiring a third class medical, if you got your medical one day later it would be good for 24 calendar months for third class operations.
By the way, I'm 33 and I know that if you get a medical before you turn 40, it's valid for 3 years (say if you were just flying privately). But, if you got/renew the medical at age 39, when you turn 40 does it automatically revert to a 2 year validity?
[/ QUOTE ]
If you get your medical the day before your 40th birthday, your medical will be good for 36 calendar months for opperations requiring a third class medical, if you got your medical one day later it would be good for 24 calendar months for third class operations.
stultus
New Member
I tried. Talked to our HR person at work and she said our HMO would not cover it even though I had never had a physical and our plan allows one annually, but I should check with a doctor's office. So I called a doctor who preformed the FAA physicals and was on our HMO's provider list. The receptionist also said that the HMO wouldn't cover it, so I asked what the difference was between the FAA physical and the regular one. She didn't know, so guessing there isn't one, I asked if they could just bill it as a regular physical--she wouldn't budge, I had to pay cash if I wanted the FAA physical. I didn't have time to keep searching, though I think if you found the right doctor this could be done.
GregCollins2
Well-Known Member
When the AME's office submits the claim for payment to the insurance company they have to report exactly what the visit is for, if they put down that it was a standard yearly physical they would be guilty of insurance fraud and in for serious trouble if the insurance company found out.
TheWife
New Member
[ QUOTE ]
Whoever paid $100 for a 3rd class got ripped off. I only pay $70 for a 1st class in Detroit. I would shop around for your medical. The prices vary greatly
[/ QUOTE ]
It cost $100 here, I wouldn't say any one got ripped off until they did price comparisons, because prices can vary greatly by state.
Whoever paid $100 for a 3rd class got ripped off. I only pay $70 for a 1st class in Detroit. I would shop around for your medical. The prices vary greatly
[/ QUOTE ]
It cost $100 here, I wouldn't say any one got ripped off until they did price comparisons, because prices can vary greatly by state.
