My Medical Experience

[Danu 19]

If you have to get a vaccination do you have to pay for it in cash? Just wondering cuz I found out my health plan at work doesnt cover vaccines, so I'm thinking I'll wait and get the gardasil when they do my medical and then do the rest of the shots down there cuz his plan will cover them. This way I can plan out how much I will need to pull aside for that.

[SapphireDreams 71]

If you have to get a vaccination do you have to pay for it in cash? Just wondering cuz I found out my health plan at work doesnt cover vaccines, so I'm thinking I'll wait and get the gardasil when they do my medical and then do the rest of the shots down there cuz his plan will cover them. This way I can plan out how much I will need to pull aside for that.

I'm 99.9% sure you can't get Gardisil at the medical. You have to get a prescription for it from a Dr. and then buy it at a pharmacy and then go back to the Dr. to have it injected. I doubt they keep it on hand, although anything is possible. I would check with them though.

You also need to have all of your shots done before or at your medical before your interview, so you can't wait. However, tetanus and all of the other shots if you need them are covered with your healthcard at your Dr's office, so you don't need a health plan (at least not in Ontario).

[SapphireDreams 71]

Well she called me back today and told me that all I need to bring to prove that i had the Gardisil shot was my little yellow immunization booklet with it written in. Which seems wrong to me, but I'm going to do that because in order to get a letter i have to make an appointment to see my Dr. and that is just a pain for me. So I hope she's right.

My proof of a recent tetanus booster was in the standard yellow immunization booklet... just FYI.

Yeah I'm cool with that one, but I'm just surprised they take Gardisil just written in. I seriously could've just written it in myself and since it's so controversial and expensive, I totally would've thought they would make me get a letter.

[Danu 19]

If you have to get a vaccination do you have to pay for it in cash? Just wondering cuz I found out my health plan at work doesnt cover vaccines, so I'm thinking I'll wait and get the gardasil when they do my medical and then do the rest of the shots down there cuz his plan will cover them. This way I can plan out how much I will need to pull aside for that.

I'm 99.9% sure you can't get Gardisil at the medical. You have to get a prescription for it from a Dr. and then buy it at a pharmacy and then go back to the Dr. to have it injected. I doubt they keep it on hand, although anything is possible. I would check with them though.

You also need to have all of your shots done before or at your medical before your interview, so you can't wait. However, tetanus and all of the other shots if you need them are covered with your healthcard at your Dr's office, so you don't need a health plan (at least not in Ontario).

hmmm I was under the impression that as long as you have started it that its ok...but I didn't know how Montreal was on that...ugh its so expensive here, its going to cost me $150 a shot Its the only one of all the shots I'm missing so I was hoping i could just do it in TO...that sucks.

Edited January 23, 2009 by Danu

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Oh yeah, you can definitely just get the first one here and then the rest in the US. I misread your post! Sorry i thought you meant other shots than Gardisil! I think you still need to get a prescription though, I would call them and see if they can give you Gardisil. I could be wrong.

It was actually $178 with tax and everything!! Sucks!!

[Danu 19]

^^ Oh yeah, you can definitely just get the first one here and then the rest in the US. I misread your post! Sorry i thought you meant other shots than Gardisil! I think you still need to get a prescription though, I would call them and see if they can give you Gardisil. I could be wrong.

It was actually $178 with tax and everything!! Sucks!!

Oh good. I can always get it just before I go for my medical from my doctor because they actually keep the vaccine on site. Thanks for answering! I know it will be a bit before I come up to that but I want to start putting aside money for each step of the process.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I had my medical this morning, pretty painless but it was a long wait. I got there at 7 a.m. and there were already at least 20 people ahead of me!!

I was done by 10 a.m., which I guess isn't that bad... but still long!

They just took my vaccines from the yellow booklet I have, even Gardasil, I didn't need a letter or proof of any kind.

I had a female Dr. and she was very nice.

[OBX 51]

I had my medical this morning, pretty painless but it was a long wait. I got there at 7 a.m. and there were already at least 20 people ahead of me!!

I was done by 10 a.m., which I guess isn't that bad... but still long!

They just took my vaccines from the yellow booklet I have, even Gardasil, I didn't need a letter or proof of any kind.

I had a female Dr. and she was very nice.

Thanks for the info.

What was the outcome of the new costs? Did they honour the price they originally gave you?

[SapphireDreams 71]

I had my medical this morning, pretty painless but it was a long wait. I got there at 7 a.m. and there were already at least 20 people ahead of me!!

I was done by 10 a.m., which I guess isn't that bad... but still long!

They just took my vaccines from the yellow booklet I have, even Gardasil, I didn't need a letter or proof of any kind.

I had a female Dr. and she was very nice.

Thanks for the info.

What was the outcome of the new costs? Did they honour the price they originally gave you?

Yes they honoured the $185.. they didn't even mention the $275 to me at all. So I'm guessing they know which day they booked your appointment and noted how much they said it would cost. They must be keeping track somehow.

I'm really glad I booked in time to avoid the extra $$

[OBX 51]

Happy you didn't have to pay the extra and that all went well.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Happy you didn't have to pay the extra and that all went well.

Thanks OBX!

I also just wanted to add that I still got an XRay and no TB test, not sure if I'll need to get a TB test at a later time, hopefully not! I forgot to ask about it as well.

[Danu 19]

I had another question just out of curiousity. I know a lot of people check everything off on the checklist and send it back even if they dont yet have everything. One of the things on the list from what I saw appears to be the medical. Does this mean I can book for a medical before knowing my interview appt? I only ask because I thought I had read from a few other people on the K1 boards that some places wont let you book until they know when your interview is going to be.

Sorry for the n00bish questions >< lol

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Yup you can book the appointment before you know your interview. Most people at the office had their interview from what I gathered... and they asked me for my appointment letter. But I told them I didn't have one yet, and I just gave them my MTL case number off of my packet 3 and they took that.

The medical is good for 12 months.

[Danu 19]

^^ Yup you can book the appointment before you know your interview. Most people at the office had their interview from what I gathered... and they asked me for my appointment letter. But I told them I didn't have one yet, and I just gave them my MTL case number off of my packet 3 and they took that.

The medical is good for 12 months.

Thanks darlin! You are such a sweetheart

[OBX 51]

Happy you didn't have to pay the extra and that all went well.

Thanks OBX!

I also just wanted to add that I still got an XRay and no TB test, not sure if I'll need to get a TB test at a later time, hopefully not! I forgot to ask about it as well.

I doubt that you will require a TB skin test later as the x-ray should have covered that. I'm not sure why they would want to switch to the skin test though (other than due to costs) because generally that requires you to return in 2 - 3 days to read the result. Now that would be a pain!! Good luck with the rest of your journey.