Wait, what?
I still have private insurance so getting a PSA test hasn't been a problem, and it's covered under my insurance.
My first PSA test eight years ago was a 5.0, so I got a biopsy and they found nothing. Since then I've been getting a PSA every year and all the results have been between 5.0 and 7.4. The last couple of years they did an MRI and found nothing.
So I'm okay for now, but I wonder what will happen when I retire and I'm using medicare.
You're saying that it would be illegal for me to get a PSA??
I have almost identical PSA values as you - just above the 5 value that's considered marginal. I'm on Medicare. If a doctor treats just one Medicare patient, he must abide by all the Medicare rules, under penalty of law. These rules allow only a certain number of PSA tests. If I need more PSA tests than the rules allow it is illegal for the doctor to prescribe them. It is also illegal to get the test without the doctor's prescription, thus I can't get them, even if I pay the cost myself.
I suppose it would be possible to find another doctor who takes no Medicare patients to prescribe additional PSA tests. I would then have to both pay him, and pay for the tests. I think, though, it would still be illegal for my Urologist to add the results to my medical history.