Question So I'm 65 and on medicare which will not cover a physical. What do older divers do for the required physical? How extensive should it be?

[fred32176]

Visit your doctor and get their opinion on whether you may have an issue diving. I believe you get two wellness visits a year and you can ask your doctor about whether diving has extra risk for you. Health, not age is a factor in diving.

I'm 67 and a lot of the folks at my local dive shop are older than I am. There are a lot of older divers in Florida. Health is the key, not age.

 

[rongoodman]

Do you have a cardiologist? A stress test might catch any lurking cardiac issues as well as giving you some idea of your exercise tolerance.

 

[1fspeed]

I'm 51, never smoked, drink once a month, ride my bike to work year round (10miles 1000' of elevation gain), competed in mountain and road bike races for years, never overweight, but ended up in the cath lab 4 years ago with a 99% occluded circumflex, and a 60% occluded LAD (widowmaker).

I have no family history of heart disease and so when I showed up in the ER with chest pain they treated me for heart burn, which makes medical sense given my history... Thankfully my troponin (protein when found in the blood that can indicate heart damage) was slightly elevated so they consulted cardiology. "Coming in to the ER was the best decision of your life" said the cardiologist after he placed a stent in my circumflex.

In my mind, a "diving physical" should decide if you can shoulder your gear, swim 200 meters, pull your unconscious buddy out of the water. A medical physical decides who's liable when something go wrong.

You have risk factors, I didn't.
I have heart disease, you don't.
Just dive, worry less.

 

[Green Frog]

I’m now 74 yo, and have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, so my Primary Care Physician sees me twice a year (or more) under Medicare. Back in Maywhile preparing for a trip to Nassau I filled out the Medical form from the SSI website and dropped it off at my Dr’s office since ha had seen me a couple of weeks before. They told me to leave it, but then called me right after I got home to come get it.

 

[GarBear58]

Thanks all for you input. All good advice for a new older diver. I will let you know what I find.

 

[GarBear58]

I'm 51, never smoked, drink once a month, ride my bike to work year round (10miles 1000' of elevation gain), competed in mountain and road bike races for years, never overweight, but ended up in the cath lab 4 years ago with a 99% occluded circumflex, and a 60% occluded LAD (widowmaker).

I have no family history of heart disease and so when I showed up in the ER with chest pain they treated me for heart burn, which makes medical sense given my history... Thankfully my troponin (protein when found in the blood that can indicate heart damage) was slightly elevated so they consulted cardiology. "Coming in to the ER was the best decision of your life" said the cardiologist after he placed a stent in my circumflex.

In my mind, a "diving physical" should decide if you can shoulder your gear, swim 200 meters, pull your unconscious buddy out of the water. A medical physical decides who's liable when something go wrong.

You have risk factors, I didn't.
I have heart disease, you don't.
Just dive, worry less.

Kind of supporting some of the rest of my thinking. I could pay big $$$ for a physical and still have a problem - no guarantees...

 

[boulderjohn]

When I went on Medicare, I immediately got the first of the initial series of standard Medicare physicals, all completely covered. I have had physicals every year since, all completely covered.

 

[GarBear58]

Do you have a cardiologist? A stress test might catch any lurking cardiac issues as well as giving you some idea of your exercise tolerance.

I'v had no reason thus far to go see a cardio...

 

[rongoodman]

I’d say your age is reason enough, let alone your smoking history. Many diving related fatalities turn out to be sudden cardiac death amongst us older divers.

 

[lowflyer]

At age 65 you should be on Medicare, which provides a yearly Wellness Exam. Doctors love these exams because Medicare pays very well for them if the doctor knows all the applicable billing codes. As a previous long time smoker you may be eligible for a free abdominal ultrasound screening for an abdominal aneurysm and a Low Dose Computed Tomography of your lungs to screen for lung cancer.

If you want a dive specific history and physical for some reason, you will have to pay for it. If you just want the form signed for a class or resort, maybe your doctor will sign it based on the wellness exam. Most of us, if we are generally feeling well, self-certify.