Doctor’s Aren’t Scary and other Myths about Annual Check-Ups
Halloween might be around the corner, but that doesn’t mean everything has to be scary.
Sure, annual checkups are a pain because 1. They take a long time. 2. They often require you to take time off work meaning you lose money. And 3. What if they tell you something terrible?
These are all fair points! And while you could argue with them by saying: “yeah, but going to the doctor is the right thing to do” there’s actually more to it! In fact, these points aren’t as cut and dry as you might think.
Myth: Annual Exams are a Waste of Time
Well, here’s the thing. They might take a while, but you really only have to go once a year. Plus, if you set your appointment ahead of schedule (AKA before the rush that comes with the end of the year), you’ll probably be able to be seen at the time you expect.
Even if that’s not the case, by having your annual exam there’s a good chance you’re saving a lot of time in the long run. If you have a diagnosable illness or have markers for some kind of chronic illness, your annual exam can help point that out to you. Meaning you could stop/slow down a disease before it takes over your life. During your checkup you could also get a free flu vaccine or a much-needed booster—if this is the case, you’ll definitely be saving time by not getting sick later!
On top of that, building a rapport with your doctor is important! The more frequently you go, the more records the doctor has, and the quicker you’re able to get in and out of future appointments.
Myth: Going to the Doctor loses you Money
Yes, going to the doctor can cost you money. Whether or not it’s the actual bill (depending on your insurance) or taking actual money from your paycheck because you need to take time off—but that’s not always the case.
There’s not much we can do to get around a bill/deductible that your insurance isn’t covering. If you currently have insurance that doesn’t cover your annual exam, be sure to check in with us next open enrollment so we can make sure you’re picking the healthcare option that’s best for you. That being said, traditional healthcare isn’t the only thing to consider when paying for doctor bills.
Depending on which Aflac plan you have, you might actually end up making more money off going to the doctor. The hospital plan pays $25/$50 (low/high plan) for seeing a doctor for illness/injury! And the accident/critical illness plan both pay you ($50) if get a common exam (read more about that here). These payouts stack. Meaning, if you have the hospital plan and the critical illness plan, there’s a chance you’d be leaving your 1hr appointment with $100~150 going right into your bank account.
If you’re worried about losing time out of your paycheck, well. That’s a different story! Unfortunately, the law is a bit tricky when it comes to what sick leave covers, but some employers count going to the doctor as “preventative care,” so if you have sick leave hours, you might be able to use them, talk with your employer to check before you take time off.
There are also some doctor offices within San Diego County that have availability past standard working hours and some that are open on holidays. Check with your insurance provider, their site should allow you to search for in-network doctors!
Finally, an exam might keep you from losing money later by diagnosing/preventing an illness. Think about it this way, if 2 hours off work is going to crush you, what would losing 3 days to the flu do? Or what if you lose even more time due to a severe illness.
An Exam Might Lead to Some Bad News
This is the unfortunate truth. Yes. You might get some bad news at an exam. If you’re a worrier, like me, every little test is a spike of anxiety that something is going to go wrong. But nothing feels better than getting your results back and learning that you’re actually fine.
Yes, technically speaking an annual exam could lead to you learning about a disease/illness that is going to require some fighting. If that’s the case though, isn’t it better to know early? Plus! Going to an annual exam might lead to the doctor catching some behavior you could take to help eliminate your chance of even getting an illness you’re at risk for, to begin with, such as hypertension or diabetes.
Ultimately, going to the doctor regularly is a chore. It takes a good amount of time, there are more “productive” things you could be doing, and it might be stressful. But, it is something that needs to get done. Putting it off only leads to more problems down the road. Plus, where else do you get to stick your tongue out at someone.