I was wondering, what kind of medical tests and or shots did you have to have before starting your nursing program?
We had to have a drug test, prove all our shots were up to date, have a rubella tither, PPD (or chest xray) and have or start our Hep B shots.
I cant believe how much all of this costs. Insurance considers most of this stuff voluntary and would not pay for any of it. the doctors visit, drug test and rubella tither was $328 and the xray was $175. Thank goodness i already had my heb b series.
I have health insurance, but I couldn't get an appointment in time to turn in my forms. I went to my student health center, which doesn't take insurance, and it cost me in the neighborhood of $150 to get all the shots and titers that I needed.
Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
I had titers drawn for the MRR and chicken pox. Odd thing I was immune for MMR (even though I'm technically not fully vaccinated) and not immune to chicken pox even though I had a whopper of a case when I was little.
Now titers don't mean much...my mom had a titer drawn twice for the same thing. If came back different each time. I was going to have the titer for pox drawn again but didn't bother.
So I did the varicella and hep series and my insurance paid for it and same with the ppd.
I didn't really pay for anything out of the ordinary...maybe a co-pay so I could have a yearly physical which I needed anyway.
Does anyone know roundabout what Varicella titer costs? I was able to scrape up the proof of immunizations for everything I need (MMR and Hep B) except for that.
I was a little miffed since I thought my insurance would cover with co-pay. They covered the physical, the titers and the Tdap, but not the PPD or the Hep A & B shots, which are 62 bucks a pop at the health dept. here. The insurance co. told me that I would have to have my doc prescribe the Hep A&B, pick it up at a pharmacy and then I could come back and have it administered and then they would cover it...but none of the pharmacies in my network would get it. Pretty damned annoying considering the cost of insurance.
Did you know ahead of time that your insurance wouldn't cover the tests? There should be clinics near you that do physicals for employment/school that charge around $100 for all the tests and the physical. In my neck of the woods you can get it done for around $85. I havn't called my insurance to see if I have coverage for something like this or not.
The health dept here did not do any of that. Only the Hep B shots that i had already gotten. I had a positive ppd, thats why i had to have the xray. I called everyone trying to get it done cheaper. I had a heck of a time finding a doctor to do the drug test. Most didn't meet the work place standards that had to be in place. UGHHHHH I live in a small town, so not as many options here.
The health dept here did not do any of that. Only the Hep B shots that i had already gotten. I had a positive ppd, thats why i had to have the xray. I called everyone trying to get it done cheaper. I had a heck of a time finding a doctor to do the drug test. Most didn't meet the work place standards that had to be in place. UGHHHHH I live in a small town, so not as many options here.
I'm sorry about your experience.
I live in a very small town (600 people) and our health dept does offer all immunizations (which covers the whole valley of about 3000 people).
Mine wanted a physical exam, 4 titers (proof of vaccination was not sufficient), 2 PPDs, a urine test and a blood test. The cost was just over $500 and my insurance didn't pick up a dime of it. Adding insult to injury: the deadline to have it all completed was so tight I didn't have any time to shop around to see if I could do better. :angryfire
I'm not even finished--I have to start Hep B this week...and I don't know if my insurance will cover that either.
MB37
1,714 Posts
I have health insurance, but I couldn't get an appointment in time to turn in my forms. I went to my student health center, which doesn't take insurance, and it cost me in the neighborhood of $150 to get all the shots and titers that I needed.