Medical Exam

[perfect 39]

As you know we have to get a new medical for my son after getting an RFE for AOS.

When I phoned the Civil Surgeon he said it would cost $110 for the medical exam plus the lab work etc. He stated that my son aged 17 has to have the HIV, syphillis etc bloods which I can understand, but also that he will have to have the TB test done again and then return in 3 days time to have it checked.

If that's the case why did they not do that at his initial medical? He had the BCD vaccination done at school and this is verified by his own dr's records so why would he need to have the test for immunity done again. When I worked at a hospital in California they told me that you shouldn't be given the test shot too often.

Who is right? does he really have to have this done again or it is enough that he had his BCG done in 2004? Are they just trying to maximise how much I'm going to have to pay them and asking him to have things done which are not really necessary.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[dp8255 0]

Hi there, believe it or not, when we send out my AOS application we didnt have RFE's, just to make sure we would be fine, we phoned one of the civil surgeon here in MI, we explained that we dont need medical cuz my medical before i left my country wasnt 1 year yet, so they said ok good they'll only gonna charge us for 30$ to transfer the information in Vaccination supplemental form, when we're already there they said its 220$ (Goshhhhhhhhhh) its 1 hour and 45 minutes driving from home to there. by that time we didnt have the choice cuz we only had 1 week before the interview, so we paid 220$ (yeah we did) plus 128 for the bloodwork they let me take the whole medical again.

Maybe you try to call different civil surgeons and compare the prices before u let them do it, from what i understand they dont have to give specific shots if its less than a year.

Some of them they over charge sometimes knowing that they're working with the INS.

Goodluck!

[faith42 0]

I may be wrong, but it is my understanding that TB test is only valid for 6 months, so if you need a new medical you must redo a TB test (they can't just copy the results from the last one). If you have medical insurance you may be able to have your own doctor do the test and result readings (some surgeons charge additional money for TB test - whether it be skin or X-ray). Then you can take the copy of those findings to the designated surgeon. I think that you may be able to do the same with the blood work, but in that case your exam needs to be scheduled within 14 days from the (blood) test date.

Procedures vary from office to office so I would verify this information with the doctor's office you are planning to attend. Also, since fees vary from office to office I would call and compare prices/services.

Good luck!