In the modern economy, this is on the forefront of every person’s mind. Does your existing medical insurance cover a DOT exam? Usually, the insurance does not cover such appointments.
Your employer may cover the cost of the exam. If neither your insurance nor your employer cover the cost of the exam, the cost of the exam may be a job related expense and therefore a tax deduction. (Please consult with your tax prepared for details.)
At The Charlotte DOT Exam Center we charge $70.00 for the exam.
Drug testing is available for the charge of $90.00.
What should you bring to a DOT Physical?
You are required to provide a complete list of the medication, which includes the medicine doses and the names and addresses of the doctors. To avoid having an incomplete examination it is recommended that you make a list of all medications prior to your appointment. If you are being treated for a medical condition, please have your treating physician fill out this form prior to your exam. Failure to do so will delay your receiving your health card.
To ensure that the DOT exam runs satisfactorily and steadily, you should carry appropriate items or documents if you have any specific medical problems. For instance,
- If you have a certain kind of problem in your hearing or vision, then you should carry hearing aids, contact lens, eyeglasses with to you the clinic.
- If you have diabetes, then you are required to bring the most recent lab test results (a1c) as well as the blood sugar logs.
- If you have any heart-related issue, then you are required to get a letter from your cardiologist that reflects the medical history as well as the present medications, and shows that you are safe to work.
- If you have any kidney disease, digestive issues or any chronic pain or any other health related issues, please bring a letter from the treating physician explaining the issue, the treatment and your compliance and how well you are tolerating the treatment.
It is critically important, to be honest, and share details of your prior or current health conditions. If you fail to do so, then you may have your certificate revoked.
What the DOT Physical Exam Covers?
The DOT physical exam checks a driver’s health and body for any kind of abnormalities in the below-mentioned areas like:
- Overall appearance:
The doctor/medical examiner who will be conducting the DOT physical and examining you at the clinic will check to determine whether you are overweight and have any other obvious health issues like tremors, shaking, excessive, etc.
- Eyes:
Your eyes will be checked to see if they have proper dilation, movement or any structural problems. Moreover, the doctor will also check your overall vision. You need to have at least 20/40 vision in each of your eyes, with/without correction, at least 70” field of vision in the Horizontal meridian in each of your eyes. You are also required to have the ability to recognize the colors displayed by traffic signals- i.e., standard green, red, and yellow’ as well as other devices.
I am the administrator for the Charlotte DOT Exam facility, located in Charlotte NC. I oversee the facility services providing DOT exams in accordance with the standards of the FMCSA. We also provide DOT drug testing with MRO support when required. Drug testing can also be done for non-DOT exams such as pre-employment. In order to minimize wait times, I always encourage our clients to contact us first and make an appointment.
I would also suggest that each individual wanting to test for the CDL health card read the article “Preparing For Your DOT Exam” as it lists several things to bring to the test, such as CPAP usage reports and medicine lists.
