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Frequently Asked Questions
What about my privacy?
At APPS, we take your privacy very seriously. Any personal information we obtain either before or during the examination will NEVER be used in any way except to complete your insurance exam. No one, including APPS personnel, should ever contact you for any reason other than regarding your insurance exam. All paperwork completed in conjunction with your examination will be destroyed after a reasonable period of time. If you have any concerns or questions about private information APPS has on file, please contact the Regional Director.
Why did my agent choose APPS?
APPS has been a leader in the industry since 1973 and in Georgia since 1982. Our continuing commitment to provide our agents and their clients with quick and accurate exams, innovative service concepts and willingness to go the extra mile has made APPS the #1 choice of over 5,000 Georgia agents.
How much will this cost?
The exam is of NO COST to you. All costs for this service are paid by your insurance company.
I had an exam six months ago. Can I use the information from that exam in lieu of a new insurance exam?
Usually the insurance company’s medical underwriter requires a current exam from a third party – not your personal physician. An insurance paramedical exam completed within the last 90 to 180 days, depending on insurance company’s policy, may be used. If the exam was ordered by another insurance company, that company must be willing to release the exam information. You should discuss this with you insurance agent.
What qualifications will the examiner have?
Each APPS examiner has been carefully selected, screened and trained by experienced managers. They are required to have a minimum of two years clinical venipuncture experience. APPS frequently conducts training meetings and calibrates their equipment. We encourage and welcome your comments regarding our examiners as well as other APPS personnel. Phone or email the Regional Director at any time.
Where will my exam take place?
Our examiners will come directly to your office or home. If you prefer to complete your exam in our office, we have several locations around Georgia and many more throughout the U.S.
Should someone else be present during my insurance exam?
The agent may NOT be present. If you prefer, you may invite someone else to be present. However, if there is some reason you would like a private exam, let your APPS representative know. We will assist you in maintaining your privacy during the exam process.
How do I make an appointment?
Your agent or insurance company will contact our office and give us the necessary information so we can contact you. An APPS representative will contact you by phone, email or letter to schedule a convenient appointment time and place. Appointment times are available during the day, evenings or on the weekends. If you would like to contact us, call or email the office nearest you. When contacting us, please provide us with your name, address, phone number, your agent’s name and phone number and we’ll do the rest.
How quickly can APPS schedule and complete my exam?
Generally APPS can set an appointment within three business days from the date we talk with you. Because many clients want the first or last appointment of the day, those times may not be readily available. The 10:00 AM through 3:00 PM appointment range usually can be scheduled within one business day.
I am leaving the country and need my coverage now. What can I do?
Getting your insurance exam completed is essential. Most insurance companies will not provide you with "Conditional Coverage" until the application, exam and required payment have been submitted to the insurance company or their agent. If you are under a time constraint, tell your APPS representative. We will do everything possible to complete your exam before you leave. You may consider coming into one of our offices for your exam. In most cases, APPS office exams can be completed the same day.
Is there a time limit on completing my insurance exam?
Yes, insurance companies have expiration dates ranging from 30 to 180 days from the date your application was signed. If your exam has not been received by the insurance company’s expiration date, then your application is cancelled. This makes it very important that you schedule your exam as soon as possible to allow for any unexpected disruption in the process.
What kind of an exam should I expect?
A PARAMEDICAL EXAM will take approximately 20-minutes and will consist of your medical history, height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and, on males only, chest and waist measurements. Additional time will be needed if other tests are preformed along with the exam.
A PHYSICIAN EXAM is completed by a Georgia licensed M.D or D.O. and will take approximately 45 minutes. It will consist of your medical history, height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and a physical exam of your heart, lungs, reflexes and general physical assessment. In most cases a physician’s exam will also require a blood draw, urine specimen and resting EKG, which will take an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
BLOOD SPECIMEN - Blood and urine samples are sometimes ordered without any other exam or test and usually take about 20 minutes. One of our experienced examiners will collect the required specimen with a sterile, disposable collection kit. The sample will be sent overnight to the lab for testing. The results are forwarded electronically to the medical underwriter at the insurance company and neither APPS, nor your agent will have access to the results. If you have had problems with blood draws in the past, discuss this with your APPS representative. We have several techniques that can be used to help make this an easy and comfortable procedure.
EKG - A Resting EKG may be completed alone or with one of the exams above and will take approximately 20 minutes. It may be completed in your home, business, or the APPS office. It requires that you disrobe from the waist up. Female EKG’s are assigned to female paramedical examiners. Female EKG’s may be completed by male physicians, if a chaperone is present.
STRESS TEST EKG (TREADMILL) must be completed in the doctor’s office and usually take about 60 minutes. The doctor’s office personnel will provide you with instructions regarding the test along with any pre-test preparation information you may need. Generally, you should bring athletic shorts, T-shirt, and comfortable running shoes. You should avoid eating a large meal for 4-hours before the test.
SALIVA TEST is a simple light rub with a sterile swab inside the mouth between the gum and the jaw. There is no preparation for this test and it will take approximately 10 minutes.
What Should I do in Preparation for my Paramedical Exam?
You should refresh your memory regarding your medical history. Make a list of your doctors’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and any current and past medications prescribed to you. We understand how busy you are and having this information available during the examination will enable our examiner to take as little of your time as possible.
If you are scheduled to have a blood draw, you should avoid eating for a minimum of 4-hours prior to your exam. In some cases your insurance company will require a 12-hour fast. If so, the APPS representative setting your appointment will let you know if the insurance company requires a fasting period greater than 4 hours. While fasting, you may have water, sugar-free and caffeine-free drinks. IMPORTANT – If you should not fast due to a medical condition, please notify the APPS representative and DO NOT fast. If you forget to fast, in some cases, we still may be able to complete your exam. Please contact your APPS representative prior to your appointment. We can determine if your appointment needs to be rescheduled.
In order for APPS to provide you with best possible examination, we recommend that you:
- continue taking any medications prescribed by your doctor.
- avoid rigorous activity at least two hours prior to your exam.
- drink plenty of water prior to your exam to aid in the blood draw and better enable you to provide a urine specimen.
- wear clothing that will allow access to your arms, legs and chest if you are scheduled for an EKG.
- be sure the exam is scheduled in a quiet location that will provide you with privacy.
- have any paperwork your insurance company has asked you to give us, completed and ready for the examiner before the exam. If you have any questions regarding this paperwork, talk to your agent or insurance company. The APPS Examiner is not authorized to discuss your insurance application or related paperwork with you.
When giving the APPS Examiner my medical history, do I need to "tell all"?
Yes, without question. Your APPS Examiner has been trained to record an accurate summary of your statements in a way the insurance underwriter can use to determine risk factors. This information allows the underwriter to correctly categorize your medical status. Without this information, the underwriter could make an unfavorable decision on your application based on data from other sources. A complete medical history from your insurance exam gives the underwriter your current and complete medical picture.
How do I change information on my exam or lab authorization form?
The exam form and lab authorization are legal documents, both for your protection and for the insurance company. No printed information on these forms may be changed by anyone, including your APPS Examiner. If any changes are made to these forms, the insurance companies have instructed APPS not to complete the exam or collect specimens. Written information recorded by the examiner on these forms may be changed if correct procedure is used. First, one line is placed through the original information, the new information is added next to the original information and the area is initialed and dated by the client and examiner.
What kind of lab tests will be run on my specimens?
Each insurance company tests for various medical conditions as well as nicotine and drugs of abuse. If you have questions about this we encourage you to contact your insurance company’s agent or underwriter.
Can I get the results of my Exam, EKG, Blood and Urine test?
Each insurance company has their own rules regarding the release of medical information. You should contact your agent or the Underwriting Department at the Insurance Company’s Home Office for their policy.
I don't understand the medical terminology. Where can I find the definition of diverticulitis?
Click here for the National Library of Medicine Medical Encyclopedia. Select the D – Di alphabetical index and scroll to the bottom of the list. Click on diverticulitis and learn more about diverticulitis than you ever really wanted to know.
How long will the Examiner wait if I am late for my appointment?
We realize with busy schedules, traffic and unexpected circumstances, occasionally we are all late for appointments or sometimes miss them altogether. As a rule, if the examiner begins the exam more than 15 minutes behind schedule, they are unable to make their next appointment on-time. As soon as you determine you are running late, call your APPS Office. We will do our best to accommodate your schedule and get your exam completed.
When should I start to worry that my Examiner may not show up for the appointment?
Our Examiners have been instructed to call you if they are going to be more than 15 minutes late. Sometimes things do go wrong with traffic, accidents, and misunderstandings regarding exam time or location. It may be the Examiner is just behind schedule and could not reach you by phone. Whatever the reason, we want to get your exam completed as scheduled. Call the APPS office or if after hours, the APPS on-call representative. We will do our best to accommodate you and your schedule.
English is not my native language. Can I have an interpreter during my exam?
Yes, but please discuss this with your APPS representative. The insurance company must approve the interpreter and he may NOT be the agent.
When will my policy be issued?
The underwriting process will vary with each applicant and insurance company. You should contact your agent or the insurance company’s underwriting department for information regarding the expected time of issue.
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