Thanks all for the comments.

Keep in mind that the Cardiac Calcium score, EKG, or even a heart ultrasound won’t definitively show a blockage but may lead you to further testing. Also, a score of zero doesn’t rule out a blockage either!

If you have family history of high cholesterol, bypass surgery, heart attacks, etc you may find that your genetics are involved.

I have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, as my practitioner tested me for Lipoprotein (a) also written as Lp(a). This basically means that diet and exercise won’t change your high cholesterol numbers. Foot stomp here—if your Costco Red Rice Yeast and all your supplements aren’t helping you this may be the culprit.

Normal cardiac medicine would go along a prescribed path which steps up the degree of how invasive a procedure is, and your health insurance company will be a major factor in that pathway.

Here’s the thing—if your cardiac score exceeds a certain FAA number there is only one test they allow to start the process for special issuance and that’s a catherization, which your insurance company will blow a gasket over (procedure is about $80K amd you need two of them). I had to battle both the company and the insurance company to get this approved. If your score is less than 100 but more than zero you may be able to get away with a stress test but that wasn’t me.

Anyway, pilots tend to put off certain doctor stuff in fear of losing their medical—but had my situation become a heart attack, the survival rate on that particular artery would be about 11%.

To sum it up—my age, family history, Lp(a) factor, Cholesterol levels led me to the Calcium Score test. I had NO symptoms. If your score is more than zero you probably need to talk to your AME.

Here’s a good article from AMAS that talks about specifics on this topic.

 

Just to add more data points. Late 50’s, asymptomatic and had a heart attack in early October, 100% blockage so stent was put in.

I had not done the calcium scoring test. My cholesterol was slightly elevated but nothing some diet and exercise changes couldn’t take care of.

At most I’m 10lbs over my ideal weight. Everyone in my friend group has said I’m the last one anyone would have guessed was the one to have a heart attack.

As was mentioned earlier, the calcium score test is readily available, quick and inexpensive. It’s not a completely definitive test on blockage but it’s something. Anyone in their 50’s should be getting one and I’m not sure why doctors aren’t pushing them.

 

Win that battle with insurance?

 

I’m on the Regular Plan at SWA. I was denied my first cath procedure the day before the event. My AME had a peer-to-peer phone call which straightened it out.

The second event was denied 30 mins prior. They said there was nothing I could do so I went back home (out of state). Cost me four days and my AME was at his wits end.

At first I was told to pay for it out of pocket and apply for the reimbursement. Well, I wasn’t about to drop $80K…

I blew up the union and company phone lines, utilized our union-hired intermediary to no avail and then finally made a call to a company VP office which eventually resolved it.

I’ve withheld a lot of detail but this particular part of being denied was very disappointing (not surprising though).

 

Sounds like dealing with health insurance here at Delta. Is SWA self insured (some insurance company 'manages' but SWA pays actual claims) or is it actual insurance?

 

To answer your last question, my family doc told me I was welcome to get one but they are terribly unreliable and due to all my other health markers, he didn't see a need for it. Hospitals and labs often run specials where calcium tests are free or low cost because they often score high and the follow up care is ridiculously expensive.
I am not encouraging one way or another because I am not a health care provider, just offering a data point on why I haven't done it yet.

 

Self insured. Aetna/Cigna are both a nightmare to deal with. Union has a healthcare concierge on retainer.

 

I wonder how the changeover back to UHC will go.

 

Couple years back, Delta went from normal UHC, which was what they told us during open enrollment, only for it to be UMR when the cards showed up. The company then contracted "Quantum Health" to help "streamline our care".

It's been a clown show. I hope your guys changeover goes better.

I broke my collarbone in 6 places. UMR Wouldn't approve surgery because I was "older, and didn't need full strength or range of motion" (I was 44 at the time) but magically once a new fiscal quarter hit, we had the money for surgery.

 

I get more depressed and pessimistic about the American healthcare system by the day.