How do I get comprehensive health screening in a week? (I'm in Chicago) (MRI, colonoscopy)

[morecup]

In my home country I could just go make an appointment in a week, or for tomorrow sometimes, and get a very comprehensive health screening from a hospital of my choice. No referral needed. The only thing I had to do was to pay about $1500. And I could get this:

Hearing test, eye exam
cardiovascular disease screening (electrocardiogram test)
pulmonary function test
chest X-ray
vascular screening
tumor marks (PSA test, AFP blood test, CEA test, CA 19-9 test)
bone density test
medical age tests using MEDI-Age
ultrasound imaging of the upper abdomen
gastroscopy
blood test (liver function test, Hepatitits A/B/C, Autoimmune disease, Anemia, Gout/arthritis, Thyroid gland, Electrolyte blood test, Pancreatic cancer, Circulatory system, Diabetes, Kedney function)
Complete urinalysis
ultrasound for carotid artery, thyroid, prostate
lung disease screening (low-dose CT scan)
brain disease screening (brain MRI or brain MRA)
cardiovascular disease screening (autonomic nervous function stress test)
cardiovascular disease screening (ultrasound image)
hair mineral analysis
colonoscopy
genetic testing for cancer risk

But when I just wanted to do colonoscopy, I contacted the student health center at my university, and they sent a referral to a hospital, and when I called the hospital, they made an appointment to just take a look in more than a month later (not colonoscopy, they will just talk).

I want to just forget about this slow process and go directly go comprehensive testing right now. How can I do that in Chicago?

[spencgr]

do you have insurance?

[morecup]

Yes but how do I know which test is covered by the insurance?

[morecup]

This came up (https://www.lifelinescreening.com/) from my googling but I can't understand what they are saying.

I typed in my Zip code, because that's apparently how they find out the nearest testing site. But then what came up in the list is "Joseph and Sarah Levy Senior Center". This is not a hospital. How can they conduct a comprehensive blood test, x-ray, ultrasound, colonoscopy in such a place?

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by morecup

Yes but how do I know which test is covered by the insurance?

You call your insurance.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by morecup

In my home country I could just go make an appointment in a week, or for tomorrow sometimes, and get a very comprehensive health screening from a hospital of my choice. No referral needed. The only thing I had to do was to pay about $1500. And I could get this:

Hearing test, eye exam
cardiovascular disease screening (electrocardiogram test)
pulmonary function test
chest X-ray
vascular screening
tumor marks (PSA test, AFP blood test, CEA test, CA 19-9 test)
bone density test
medical age tests using MEDI-Age
ultrasound imaging of the upper abdomen
gastroscopy
blood test (liver function test, Hepatitits A/B/C, Autoimmune disease, Anemia, Gout/arthritis, Thyroid gland, Electrolyte blood test, Pancreatic cancer, Circulatory system, Diabetes, Kedney function)
Complete urinalysis
ultrasound for carotid artery, thyroid, prostate
lung disease screening (low-dose CT scan)
brain disease screening (brain MRI or brain MRA)
cardiovascular disease screening (autonomic nervous function stress test)
cardiovascular disease screening (ultrasound image)
hair mineral analysis
colonoscopy
genetic testing for cancer risk

But when I just wanted to do colonoscopy, I contacted the student health center at my university, and they sent a referral to a hospital, and when I called the hospital, they made an appointment to just take a look in more than a month later (not colonoscopy, they will just talk).

I want to just forget about this slow process and go directly go comprehensive testing right now. How can I do that in Chicago?

Welcome to the USA's healthcare system. You may also need to consider that there's a pandemic going on right now. The medical establishment is stretched to its limit. You can't expect to walk in somewhere on short notice and get all these tests done. You're going to have to wait. Call your insurance provider. They can probably direct you to providers who can arrange those procedures. Depending on your insurance coverage you may need referrals for some, you may not. Establishing yourself with a primary care provider (GP or PCP) can get those tests done. The PCP can take care of many of them directly, but if not, they can generate the necessary referrals to someone (like a participating hospital) who can.

[reed303]

Originally Posted by morecup

This came up (https://www.lifelinescreening.com/) from my googling but I can't understand what they are saying.

I typed in my Zip code, because that's apparently how they find out the nearest testing site. But then what came up in the list is "Joseph and Sarah Levy Senior Center". This is not a hospital. How can they conduct a comprehensive blood test, x-ray, ultrasound, colonoscopy in such a place?

They don't.
I went to one of these a few years go, sponsored by local church. They just do a few non-invasive ,rather simple, tests to see if anything major stands out. Mostly blood tests and ultrasounds. I did have a foot doctor tell me I needed orthotics to stop my right shoe from wearing out so fast.

The website does have a list.

[reed303]

Curious what kind of hospital could possibly do all those tests in a short time. Around here you would either be in the hospital for at least a month, or coming back every 3 days or so for a month or more.