FAA Physical covered by health insurance?

[abripl]

Does anybody have definite word if FAA physicals (private pilot, not
commercial) are or should be covered by health insurance?

[Robert M. Gary]

Not to my knowledge. They are pretty useless as a real life physical.
Also, you'd have to find a network dr. that is also an AME, something
I've not been able to do.

[Peter Duniho]

Post by abripl
Does anybody have definite word if FAA physicals (private pilot, not
commercial) are or should be covered by health insurance?

It simply depends on your insurance and who you can find to do the exam.

If you have a policy that covers a regular medical exam, AND you have an AME
who is covered under that policy, then your exam can be covered.

One downside is that many policies require that the regular exam be given by
your "primary care" physician, and there are good reasons for not using your
primary care doctor for the FAA exam.

Conversely, if you're covered under an HMO or something like that, you may
find it difficult to find an AME who would be covered under that policy.

Of course, as Robert points out, the FAA medical exam isn't the same as what
you might get for an annual checkup. One might not want to replace their
free thorough exam with an FAA medical exam. Many people don't get annual
exams anyway though, so the FAA exam is still more of a checkup than they'd
get otherwise.

Pete

[Robert M. Gary]

As you point out too, there may be a bit of conflict of interest
between an AME who is looking out for the FAA and your primary Dr who
is looking out for you. Its kind of like talking to the NTSB attorney
without your own attorney. :)

[George Patterson]

Post by Robert M. Gary
Its kind of like talking to the NTSB attorney
without your own attorney. :)

More like using an NTSB attorney as your own attorney.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

[Gary G]

It completely depends on your Health Care plan.
Mine does not cover "in network", but reimbursed me
80% of the cost as a doctor's visit.
It wasn't filed as a flight physical - only as general
physical exam.

[Don Hammer]

My primary physician is also my AME. The nice thing is he works with
me to keep me in shape to fly. He also takes care of many airline and
corporate pilots in the area. Seems to me it's about good health and
not about maintaining a flight physical that really counts. Guess to
me living is more important than flying.

The insurance pays for my annual physical, but I have to write a check
for the FAA portion.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Post by Don Hammer
My primary physician is also my AME. The nice thing is he works with
me to keep me in shape to fly. He also takes care of many airline and
corporate pilots in the area. Seems to me it's about good health and
not about maintaining a flight physical that really counts. Guess to
me living is more important than flying.

That's a good thing because it is entirely possible that some minor ding is
going to cost you your medical one day. A Pan Am pilot told me, and I took it
to heart: "you only tell your AME all your problems if you're looking to
retire".

I have two docs: my AME and the one who fixes my toenail crud, etc. The two
have not been introduced.

Good health? That's what my primary care physician is for. Flying? That what
my AME is for. I don't confuse the two. I've been burned by the system on
something that took many thousands of dollars to prove was a false positive so
you'll excuse me if I take a more circumspect view of the FAA medical
department.