Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Price of Peace: $$ and Medical Clearance

Not only is the Peace Corps application process lengthy, it can be damn expensive, too! Listed below is an itemized "bill" of the various costs I encountered during the medical/dental review.

Medical
Visits with my Primary Care Physician (3)--$180
Tetanus booster--$26
Lab work---$1140!?!
Follow-up lab test--$80
Mental health evaluation*---$165
*not required of all applicants... just the really awesome people ;)

Dental
Cleaning/exam--$90
X-rays--$95
Filling--$198

Total = $1,974
Peace Corps reimbursement = $225 ($165 for medical; $60 for dental)
Total cost to Kimberly = $1,749

OK, part of the reason why the costs were sooo high are due to my current lack of health insurance. Yet there were certain tests and evaluations that I doubt *any* insurance company would view as "medically necessary." For example, if you received the Polio vaccine during childhood, why should Blue Cross or United Health Care pay for additional proof of immunity?? (The Peace Corps requires evidence of Polio titers in your blood, to demonstrate the vaccine's efficacy.) It is also unusual to be tested for a G6PD enzyme deficiency if you are asymptomatic, but that was another lab required by the Peace Corps.

Although I recognize the importance of assessing a potential volunteer's health, the medical clearance process was tedious, time-consuming, and, for me, expensive. $80 for a follow-up lab? Yes, because a liver enzyme (AST) was a single point outside the "normal" range. An additional doctor's visit because I was *1* pound "underweight"? Yup!!

My main point in submitting this post, however, was not to whine and complain, but to warn prospective volunteers of the potential costs involved with medical clearance. I had not encountered many entries in the blogosphere related to this subject, and, therefore, some of the medical bills (especially the $1140 for lab work!! WTF?!) came as a surprise.

Afterwards, I learned that Peace Corps applicants can schedule their medical appointments at a Federal health care facility (VA hospital, Indian Health Services, etc.), free of charge, after obtaining a letter of authorization from the Office of Medical Services. My understanding, however, is that a long wait may be involved, and when you are applying to the Peace Corps time is of the essence!!

My advice to PC applicants is to do some comparison shopping at various hospitals/clinics, and to ask ahead of time for a price quote on labs. My desire to get through the process quickly and efficiently really cost me in the long run! And if you happen to be 1-2 pounds underweight, just hit the McDonald's drive-through before visiting your doctor, or wear some heavy boots. Trust me, it will save you a co-pay and the hassle of additional paperwork! :)    

Monday, May 9, 2011

High Performance

Because you were probably curious about the "magical underwear" referenced in my previous post, I present to you the ExOficio Give-n-Go Bikini Brief! I've already ordered 10 pairs.
http://www.exofficio.com/products/details/womens-give-n-go-bikini-brief

Gotta love the product description:
"17 countries. 6 weeks. And one pair of underwear. Okay, maybe two. This underwear is up for the challenge. Engineered with Aegis Microbe Shield and unbelievably quick-drying, ExOfficio Give-N-Go is ready for odor-free, active adventuring."

Flippin sweet!

Bienvenidos!

Welcome to my blog!  After some deliberation and procrastination I have decided to document my Peace Corps journey on the web---mostly because I found the blogs of current and former Peace Corps volunteers to be extremely helpful in surviving the lengthy application process, learning what to expect in the months ahead and how many pairs of underwear to pack. Periodic blog entries will also provide my neurotic mother with tangible evidence that I'm alive. 

Because blogging is completely new to me, I will undoubtedly exploit new features and design options as they become known to me. It will likely annoy you. :) The fonts, background colors, etc. will probably change and evolve several times in the coming weeks. I hope you can survive the journey!

"Al Otro Lado" is Spanish for "to the other side," which captures the essence of my Peace Corps adventure in a single phrase. A month from now I will be traveling to the Southern Hemisphere with 2 checked items of luggage (total weight cannot exceed 80 lbs.!!) and a small carry on-bag. In preparation for this journey I have moved out of my home, sacrificed my vegetarian diet, and re-discovered my natural hair color. I have also learned about the magic of "high performance underwear."

I am both nervous and excited to encounter the challenges before me: eating guinea pig, befriending alpacas, and learning how to wield a machete.

See you on the other side!