Obtaining Medical Exams as a Midshipman

[lpoli112]

Good afternoon all,

I'm currently a ROTC Midshipman who is undergoing his SNA physical. I was able to obtain one prior to service selection (am currently a 3rd year) if that matters. I was told that I needed to get a methacholine challenge and pulmonary function exam in order to get a waiver for childhood asthma. My LT told me that to get an exam at a Naval Medical Clinic, you will need a referral from your tricare PCM. However, I am not in the tricare system, but he also said they are supposed to make an exceptions to this for someone like me undergoing a commissioning physical.

When I called my local clinic, which offers the exam, the lady said she only knew how to make an appointment for me if I had a referral. Should I call back and ask to speak to someone else if I get the same response or have some extra information to back up my claim? My only other option is to pay for them out of pocket at a civilian doctor, which is quite expensive. I do not know much about Tricare, so any help or information on this will be appreciated because I got limited information from my LT.

On a side note, I have no history of asthma, simply a bronchitis diagnosis, with an inhaler perscription and failed breathing test as a direct result at a young age. The waiver guide says I only need a waiver if I have "Any history of asthma", which I do not. I was unable to protest this when I was speaking with the flight doc as I couldn't read the description of the waiver due to pupil dilation. Is there any way that I can protest the need of this waiver in my current position?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Words

It sounds like you need to get your NROTC class advisor involved and see if it’s possible to get a consult on the Navy’s dime. It’s also common for NROTC Mids having to pay out of pocket for medical items in order to pass a commissioning physical.

Check out the NAMI guide for the specific medical standards.

 

[Gatordev]

A couple of things, and you'll probably need to do some more homework to get some of the answers to this, but...

I was able to obtain one prior to service selection (am currently a 3rd year) if that matters.

By third year, I'm assuming you mean 2/c...

Disregard the above...I realized my timeline was off.

Did you get an upchit? Or were you told you wouldn't be issued one until you did this test?

I was told that I needed to get a methacholine challenge and pulmonary function exam in order to get a waiver for childhood asthma. My LT told me that to get an exam at a Naval Medical Clinic

Your unit can help with this. If you were getting an actual commissioning physical with flight medicine, the flight doc could have his Corpsmen work with you and the office that does the test in order to get the referral, assuming the Navy will do that (as Guru said, it might not be something the Navy pays for).

When I called my local clinic, which offers the exam, the lady said she only knew how to make an appointment for me if I had a referral.

Did you call a clinic or a MTF (hospital)? If it's a hospital, then yes, that's the answer you're going to keep getting and you'll need the flight doc and your unit to help out (if they can...but they may not be able to). If it was the clinic, then someone from Flight Medicine should be able to walk over to the testing office and explain what they're trying to do for you and facilitate the appointment.

 

[thump]

Good afternoon all,

words

I was in the same situation back in the day, bullshit asthma diagnosis as a kid. I had to get a PFT to get into NROTC and then a methacholine challenge to fly.

NROTC mids are not a thing in Tricare. Perhaps this flight doc can refer you, but barring that expect to go out of pocket at a civilian facility. That’s what I had to do.

Arguing ARWG verbiage won’t help. If NAMI says you need a waiver then you need the waiver. They are extremely conservative but on the bright side, this is a relatively easy one to get assuming you pass all required testing.

 

[lpoli112]

I was in the same situation back in the day, bullshit asthma diagnosis as a kid. I had to get a PFT to get into NROTC and then a methacholine challenge to fly.

NROTC mids are not a thing in Tricare. Perhaps this flight doc can refer you, but barring that expect to go out of pocket at a civilian facility. That’s what I had to do.

Arguing ARWG verbiage won’t help. If NAMI says you need a waiver then you need the waiver. They are extremely conservative but on the bright side, this is a relatively easy one to get assuming you pass all required testing.

Thank you for your honest response. Based on what you and gatordev said, I’ll try contacting the flight doc later today, but understand now I’m probably just SOL.

 

[lpoli112]

A couple of things, and you'll probably need to do some more homework to get some of the answers to this, but...


By third year, I'm assuming you mean 2/c...

Disregard the above...I realized my timeline was off.

Did you get an upchit? Or were you told you wouldn't be issued one until you did this test?



Your unit can help with this. If you were getting an actual commissioning physical with flight medicine, the flight doc could have his Corpsmen work with you and the office that does the test in order to get the referral, assuming the Navy will do that (as Guru said, it might not be something the Navy pays for).



Did you call a clinic or a MTF (hospital)? If it's a hospital, then yes, that's the answer you're going to keep getting and you'll need the flight doc and your unit to help out (if they can...but they may not be able to). If it was the clinic, then someone from Flight Medicine should be able to walk over to the testing office and explain what they're trying to do for you and facilitate the appointment.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my query. To answer your questions, no I do not have an up chit and I called an MTF. I have not tried calling the flight doc to ask for a referral, but I will definitely try that later today. It’s a little difficult because the methacholine challenge is a rare test and there was no MTF or clinic within an hour drive of my ROTC unit according to my LT that tried to schedule one out there.

The location I found that offers these exams is near my parents home and after my LT tried the many places in range of my unit, the advice I got was essentially pay out of pocket or find a military facility that offers the exam and convince them to fund the exam, so this advice is very helpful and appreciated.

 

[Gatordev]

It’s a little difficult because the methacholine challenge is a rare test and there was no MTF or clinic within an hour drive of my ROTC unit according to my LT that tried to schedule one out there.

Gotcha. Yeah, it looks like you'll have to do what you're planning and thump mentioned...pay out of pocket to get the X.