Medical exam

[hktw 7]

Hi all,

I searched medical information from the us embassy in Canberra.

At VIC state, only 1 the panel physician.

So,how can I have someone to compare the cost of medical exam?

Can I do some appropriate vaccinations with my GP then get a vaccination record?

Because I don't have one, I must have at least 3 or 4 vaccinations done with the panel physician.

And I had BCG vaccine when I was little,that would cause me to have a false positive

result for TB then I would be required to have a chest X-ray.

Thanks in advance

[Lainie B 465]

The panel physician in Melbourne always does a chest x-ray. So the vaccine you had doesn't matter.

Do you know exactly which vaccines you need? You don't need all of them on the list. Some will be "not age appropriate".

For others, it is cheaper to get the titre test (which can be done at the medical exam) than the vaccine itself (Varicella). The panel physician is very good at knowing which is the cheaper option. Also I found that he charged about the same as my local doctor for the vaccines I needed anyway (the MMR).

[KLS2010 30]

Sorry, your kinda out of luck with the panel physician - you will just have to pay whatever they will charge for the exam, unless you want to go to another state to get it done (which I'm sure would end up costing much more anyway).

Chest x-ray is required for all medical exams anyway, so the vaccine you had will not cause any problems.

If your vaccination history is up to date, but you just don't have proof of it, then just going and getting a blood titre done by your GP will probably be the best way to go. Be aware though, that even if you have had all your vaccinations done previously, immunity wears off ( I had all my childhood vaccinations, but my titre showed I had no immunity to Measles or Mumps, but I did for Rubella (which is usually all in the one vaccine). If you don't have immunity, you will have to have those shots again.

The most common shots required, if you haven't already had them/have proof are MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella), Varicella ( chicken pox) and TdAP (Tetanus Diptheria and Acellular Pertussis (whooping cough)). As the previous poster mentioned though, not all the shots on the list are required - some are not medically or age appropriate.

Oh and if you are having your medical any time soon , you will probably also need the flu shot - its also required if you do your medical during flu season.

[hktw 7]

Thank you for all your reply.

The panel physician would tell me which is good option for saving cost? really?

Yesterday, I just got my NVC case number.So, I think I should book a medical soon.

Unfortunately, now is flu season,right? I need a flu shot.

Does medicare cover a blood titre test? Actually, I did a body check this Mar.(all was blood test),does it matter?

Should I go to my GP to have my medical history record?

In conclusion, I have two choices- 1. a blood titre with GP + a flu shot

2.just do all with the panel physician

Am I right?

One more thing, I have to fly to Sydney for my interview?

I read from this link, no Melbourne.

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Australia&cty=Sydney

Thank you

Edited June 21, 2012 by hktw

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Yes you need to go to Sydney.

You might be able to get medicare to cover the immunity check (blood titre) and you can probably get some of the shot cheaper there than you would at the panel physician. If you have your childhood vaccination record that could help as well.

I'm not sure if your regular doctor for your full blood test would have checked your immunities but it doesn't hurt to ask!

[hktw 7]

Yes you need to go to Sydney.

You might be able to get medicare to cover the immunity check (blood titre) and you can probably get some of the shot cheaper there than you would at the panel physician. If you have your childhood vaccination record that could help as well.

I'm not sure if your regular doctor for your full blood test would have checked your immunities but it doesn't hurt to ask!

Thank you for your reply

Yeah,I am going to ask my GP about a blood titre.

I don't have my childhood vaccination record.

Sorry, I have some more questions, thank you for reply.

1. Will NVC or Sydney consulate send me a notice like when I have done the medical exam?

And they will provide me further instructions?

2.If I wait for the notice then starting to make an appointment with the panel physician.

Do I have enough time to get my exam report before the interview in Sydney?

Because my husband doesn't agree with me to do the medical exam before a notice receiving.

And he thinks the consulate will make sure I have done the medical exam before arranging an interview for me. Is he right? Or I worry much?

[KLS2010 30]

Since you just received your NVC case number..... don't wait to book the medical. Since there is only one panel physician in VIC, there may be a long wait for an appointment, so get on to that ASAP. (I had my medical done before I got my case number, well actually, I got home from the medical and checked with the NVC and they had assigned my number that day lol.)

Make sure you know which things you are supposed to have immunity for before you get the titre done otherwise it will be a waste of time. I had all my childhood vaccinations, but didn't have any records. The panel physician's office told me to get an immunity check for Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (chicken pox - since I had no memory of ever having had chicken pox), and to just go ahead and get a Tdap (Boostrix) shot (and a flu shot since it was flu season). In the end I had to have 4 shots even though I had all my childhood vaccinations.

Best thing to do would be to call the panel physician's office and explain your history - they should be able to tell you what you need to do from there.

If you haven't already done so, you should also be looking to get your Police check done ASAP too.

Yes they will notify you and give you instructions on what to have done (medical exam, police check, etc), but if you already have these done ahead of time then you will get through the process quicker.

[hktw 7]

Since you just received your NVC case number..... don't wait to book the medical. Since there is only one panel physician in VIC, there may be a long wait for an appointment, so get on to that ASAP. (I had my medical done before I got my case number, well actually, I got home from the medical and checked with the NVC and they had assigned my number that day lol.)

Make sure you know which things you are supposed to have immunity for before you get the titre done otherwise it will be a waste of time. I had all my childhood vaccinations, but didn't have any records. The panel physician's office told me to get an immunity check for Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (chicken pox - since I had no memory of ever having had chicken pox), and to just go ahead and get a Tdap (Boostrix) shot (and a flu shot since it was flu season). In the end I had to have 4 shots even though I had all my childhood vaccinations.

Best thing to do would be to call the panel physician's office and explain your history - they should be able to tell you what you need to do from there.

If you haven't already done so, you should also be looking to get your Police check done ASAP too.

Yes they will notify you and give you instructions on what to have done (medical exam, police check, etc), but if you already have these done ahead of time then you will get through the process quicker.

Thank you for your help.

So,I should have a immunity check for Measles, Mumps, Rubella ,Varicella and Tdap (Boostrix)? Then go ahead to get how many shots I must have.

I am looking for my police check for a while,no worries.

About the consulate interview,do you know how long the interview will be assigned after case is completed? Because I am planing to move back to the US before the visa being expired.

Thank you very much.

[Lainie B 465]

For MMR it is cheaper to get the shot than the titre

The panel physician will tell you exactly what you need, and whether it is cheaper to get the shot or the titre

Honestly you would be better off just going to the panel physician and letting him decide than trying to guess. By the time you get all those titres and then all the shots you need at your GP you will be paying a lot more than what the panel physician will charge.

For information on the Sydney consulate, see this link

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Australia&cty=Sydney

The interview won't be assigned until you send them your medical, police certificate and all required forms.

I don't quite understand your last question. You have to move to the US before the visa expires - they won't let you in if it has expired.

[KLS2010 30]

For MMR it is cheaper to get the shot than the titre

The panel physician will tell you exactly what you need, and whether it is cheaper to get the shot or the titre

Honestly you would be better off just going to the panel physician and letting him decide than trying to guess. By the time you get all those titres and then all the shots you need at your GP you will be paying a lot more than what the panel physician will charge.

For information on the Sydney consulate, see this link

http://www.visajourn...alia&cty=Sydney

The interview won't be assigned until you send them your medical, police certificate and all required forms.

I don't quite understand your last question. You have to move to the US before the visa expires - they won't let you in if it has expired.

Not necessarily the case. I wasn't charged for my immunity check, nor was I charged for any of the vaccines I received.

I was advised by my panel physician's office get the titre and any required shots done by my GP, as they would be cheaper than if done by the panel physician at the exam. Hence why I advised that the best thing to do would be to call the panel physician's office and let them tell the OP what their options are, based on their history.

Secondly, the other part I highlighted - this may be true for K1, but it isn't for CR-1. The NVC schedules the interview, not the consulate. The NVC will require the Police check to be sent to them, but the medical results will need to be taken to interview. The NVC does not ask for proof of having done the medical before scheduling the interview.

To OP - the NVC generally schedules interviews during the first two weeks of each month (although they do also schedule outside of this time). Interviews at Sydney will usually be about 6weeks (give or take a week) after you get your CC (case complete).

[Lainie B 465]

Not necessarily the case. I wasn't charged for my immunity check, nor was I charged for any of the vaccines I received.

I was advised by my panel physician's office get the titre and any required shots done by my GP, as they would be cheaper than if done by the panel physician at the exam. Hence why I advised that the best thing to do would be to call the panel physician's office and let them tell the OP what their options are, based on their history.

Secondly, the other part I highlighted - this may be true for K1, but it isn't for CR-1. The NVC schedules the interview, not the consulate. The NVC will require the Police check to be sent to them, but the medical results will need to be taken to interview. The NVC does not ask for proof of having done the medical before scheduling the interview.

To OP - the NVC generally schedules interviews during the first two weeks of each month (although they do also schedule outside of this time). Interviews at Sydney will usually be about 6weeks (give or take a week) after you get your CC (case complete).

I missed that he/she was an IR1/CR1 not a K1 - thanks for the correction

Also if you can get the shots/titre done at the GP for free, then I say go for it. I had the follow-up MMR at the GP and it wasn't free. I had to pay for the vaccine, and it was about the same price the panel physician charged for the first MMR, if I remember correctly.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Lainie B

[KLS2010 30]

I missed that he/she was an IR1/CR1 not a K1 - thanks for the correction

Also if you can get the shots/titre done at the GP for free, then I say go for it. I had the follow-up MMR at the GP and it wasn't free. I had to pay for the vaccine, and it was about the same price the panel physician charged for the first MMR, if I remember correctly.

No problem

Paying or not paying for the shots I guess is a hit and miss thing, done at the doctor's discretion. The first doctor I saw when I requested the titre also gave me a script the same day for the Tdap (Boostrix). But when I went back to get the results of the titre, I had to see a different doctor and they told me to forget about the script for the shot since they had it on hand. Maybe they just took pity on me because I ended up needing a total of 4 shots!!

[hktw 7]

Thank you guys, I understand that more.

Today, I went to see my GP.

The GP told me it's unnecessary to have an immunity check?

Because I had a blood test for Varicella before.

Then he gave me two shots-flu and Tdap for Whooping cough, they're free.

Finally, I just had a free blood test for Measles and Rubella.

Now, waiting for the blood result to see what I need to have next.

He also said that he would write a letter of updated vaccination record to me.

[JNEKG 4]

Thank you guys, I understand that more.

Today, I went to see my GP.

The GP told me it's unnecessary to have an immunity check?

Because I had a blood test for Varicella before.

Then he gave me two shots-flu and Tdap for Whooping cough, they're free.

Finally, I just had a free blood test for Measles and Rubella.

Now, waiting for the blood result to see what I need to have next.

He also said that he would write a letter of updated vaccination record to me.

I just had my medical in Melbourne on the 15th June. The medical itself costs $359 and it covers the examination by Dr Charles, the chest xray and blood test. It does not include and vaccinations. If you can get them done with your GP. It will save you time with Dr Charles who doesn't seem very organized to me. I was there for the standard two hours.

I had to get MMR, tetnus-diphtheria-pertusis and a flu shot. Those three cost me around an extra $140 on top of the $359. MMR was the most expensive at $99. Like a previous poster said, you might have immunity for measles and mumps and only need the rubella shot but they come as one vaccine so you will need the whole MMRshot.

You have gone about it now the right way. I hope this information has helped you.

All the best.

[hktw 7]

I just had my medical in Melbourne on the 15th June. The medical itself costs $359 and it covers the examination by Dr Charles, the chest xray and blood test. It does not include and vaccinations. If you can get them done with your GP. It will save you time with Dr Charles who doesn't seem very organized to me. I was there for the standard two hours.

I had to get MMR, tetnus-diphtheria-pertusis and a flu shot. Those three cost me around an extra $140 on top of the $359. MMR was the most expensive at $99. Like a previous poster said, you might have immunity for measles and mumps and only need the rubella shot but they come as one vaccine so you will need the whole MMRshot.

You have gone about it now the right way. I hope this information has helped you.

All the best.

Thank you for sharing your experience That's really helpful!

I made an appointment today and a receptionist told me $345 no cover vaccinations.

So, if I don't have one of them, I must have the whole MMR shot,right?

(Hope my blood test shows I have the whole MMR )

Because when I talked with my GP, he said "that one"(I forgot which one)no need.

Then he said yeah we could have blah blah..

And I didn't have the blood test receipt. I also couldn't remember which two for the test.

Anyway, next Tue I will know the result.