EMarieD

My mom is 74 years old and has been told for years that her thyroid is "sluggish" but not bad enough to do anything. She has all the classic symptoms, but always "normal" TSH readings.

I was recently diagnosed w/Hashi's, my niece is hypothyroid, my sister is having all her levels ran this month and my DR. advises my daughter to have her thyroid levels ran. My mom went to her DR yesterday armed w/all this information and told him she wanted her TSH, FT4, FT3, and antibodies ran and that her daughter's doctor said that thyroid issues can be hereditary. He promptly told her that he ran her TSH in 96 and it was normal and "where are you getting all this information from?" He then told her that Medicare will not pay for any additional thyroid tests unless the TSH comes back abnormal. Is this true?

She lives in a small town and the DR there is set in his ways and not real fond of being told what to do. I told her she needs to get to a doctor who is up to date. She's irritated and feels that her doctor ignores her cause she's fat and according to him that's a lot of her problem, yet she doesn't want to "rock the boat" and get him mad. I live in a city an hour away and have tried to talk her into coming here to my doctor's but it's getting difficult for them to drive so they have to rely on this doctor because it's a lot more convenient.

I seriously thought my mom going to him armed with all the information I had given her from my Doctor, he would be at least willing to run the additional tests, but no such luck.

Any ideas on how to get this doctor to budge, and if it is true that Medicare won't pay for the additional tests? I went to the Medicare website and they talked about covering tests that are deemed medically necessary and if I remember correctly it covers lab blood work. So wouldn't this be covered?

I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Thanks for letting me vent.