1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Is a dexa every 2 years enough?

Posted by hopefulheart @hopefulheart, May 21 4:16pm

My doctor suggested that a Dexa scan every 2 years is what he uses to monitor Evinity then followed by reclast
I asked about blood turnover markers to see if meds are working along the way
He said he doesn’t use those
Time for a new doctor????

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dlmdinia | @dlmdinia | May 23 11:34am
In reply to @willow5 "My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary...." + (show)
@willow5

My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary. You can call Medicare and ask them.

I never understand why a doctor won’t order something when a patient requests it, even if it is not recommended as protocol.

I quit smoking when I was 35, I’m 71 now. I would like a lung cancer screening. My PCP, who I do like, said my smoking history does not fit the protocol to order a screening. I may discuss with her when I go in for annual

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Medicare will pay for the scans every year provided you are actively being treated for bone loss. I have osteopenia which would normally not be covered (annually) nor would the drug to treat it, but because I am using an AI which can cause bone loss the drug is covered. Because I'm being treated for bone loss, the scan is covered annually.

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3 replies
hopefulheart | @hopefulheart | May 23 4:15pm
In reply to @dlmdinia "Medicare will pay for the scans every year provided you are actively being treated for bone..." + (show)
@dlmdinia

Medicare will pay for the scans every year provided you are actively being treated for bone loss. I have osteopenia which would normally not be covered (annually) nor would the drug to treat it, but because I am using an AI which can cause bone loss the drug is covered. Because I'm being treated for bone loss, the scan is covered annually.

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Can I ask
What’s an AI?

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1 reply
babs10 | @babs10 | May 23 9:47pm
In reply to @willow5 "My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary...." + (show)
@willow5

My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary. You can call Medicare and ask them.

I never understand why a doctor won’t order something when a patient requests it, even if it is not recommended as protocol.

I quit smoking when I was 35, I’m 71 now. I would like a lung cancer screening. My PCP, who I do like, said my smoking history does not fit the protocol to order a screening. I may discuss with her when I go in for annual

Jump to this post

I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP tests. There is a lot I don't know about medicine, but why do they care? Why would they refuse to order a blood test that a patient believes will have a positive impact on their health?

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3 replies
dlmdinia | @dlmdinia | May 23 11:17pm
In reply to @hopefulheart "Can I ask What’s an AI?" + (show)
@hopefulheart

Can I ask
What’s an AI?

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Aromatase Inhibitors such as Anastrozole, Letrozole and Exemestane which are estrogen suppression drugs for those with estrogen based cancers. These drugs can cause bone loss.

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susanfalcon52 | @susanfalcon52 | May 24 6:45am
In reply to @willow5 "My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary...." + (show)
@willow5

My understanding is Medicare will pay for one more than every two years if medically necessary. You can call Medicare and ask them.

I never understand why a doctor won’t order something when a patient requests it, even if it is not recommended as protocol.

I quit smoking when I was 35, I’m 71 now. I would like a lung cancer screening. My PCP, who I do like, said my smoking history does not fit the protocol to order a screening. I may discuss with her when I go in for annual

Jump to this post

Willow5,
Same smoking history here. I asked my GP for a screen and she ordered a chest x-ray as a start.

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njhornung | @normahorn | May 24 7:07am
In reply to @babs10 "I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP..." + (show)
@babs10

I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP tests. There is a lot I don't know about medicine, but why do they care? Why would they refuse to order a blood test that a patient believes will have a positive impact on their health?

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I had accidentally used the wrong term when requesting one test. As a result, I almost ended up with a bone scan rather than a bone density scan. Why the NP dd not question my request is beyond me.

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elisabeth007 | @elisabeth007 | May 25 9:25am
In reply to @babs10 "I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP..." + (show)
@babs10

I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP tests. There is a lot I don't know about medicine, but why do they care? Why would they refuse to order a blood test that a patient believes will have a positive impact on their health?

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As a former Medicare fraud investigator i will share my perspective……physicians are under intense scrutiny….if they order non-standard tests they can end up being investigated for abusive billing practices

If you want an atypical test and your dr refuses, you have a couple choices: 1. go to a dr who you know if prescribing it with some level of frequency or 2. offer to pay out of pocket

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1 reply
elisabeth007 | @elisabeth007 | May 25 9:28am
In reply to @babs10 "I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP..." + (show)
@babs10

I thought that same thing when I had 2 MDs refuse to order CTX and P1NP tests. There is a lot I don't know about medicine, but why do they care? Why would they refuse to order a blood test that a patient believes will have a positive impact on their health?

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in order for Medicare to pay with greater frequency, i believe the RX needs to sat “medically necessary” and the record must be well documented as to why its medically necessary

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1 reply
elisabeth007 | @elisabeth007 | May 25 9:29am

i think very few places are testing for markers

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freckle1 | @freckle1 | May 25 5:22pm
In reply to @dlmdinia "Medicare will pay for the scans every year provided you are actively being treated for bone..." + (show)
@dlmdinia

Medicare will pay for the scans every year provided you are actively being treated for bone loss. I have osteopenia which would normally not be covered (annually) nor would the drug to treat it, but because I am using an AI which can cause bone loss the drug is covered. Because I'm being treated for bone loss, the scan is covered annually.

Jump to this post

Same here in Australia. But I'm thinking of getting a DEXA scan every six months even if I have to pay for it. Might be a tad childish but I want to see concrete results for all this slogging away at the gym twice a week doing a variant of the Onera program. (I'm 76 with osteopenia and taking anastrozole. )

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