A pre-employment physical is a medical examination an employer requires before you start, to confirm you can safely perform the job. Maxem Health charges $35, excluding additional testing.
What it is checking
Not whether you are healthy in general. Whether you can do this specific job without harm to yourself or others. A role involving repeated heavy lifting is assessed differently from a desk role, and an employer requiring one for a driving position is looking at different things again.
The employer sets the scope. The clinic performs it and reports back on fitness for the role.
What the exam usually covers
- Health history: current conditions, past injuries, surgeries and medications
- Vital signs: blood pressure, pulse, height and weight
- Vision and hearing screening, particularly for roles where either is safety-relevant
- General physical examination: heart, lungs, abdomen, spine and musculoskeletal function
- Range of motion and lifting assessment for physically demanding roles
Employers frequently add a drug screen and, in healthcare, education, food service and similar sectors, TB testing. Both are separate tests with separate fees.
What your employer actually receives
Fitness for the role, not your medical file. An employer is told whether you can perform the job, with or without accommodation. Your diagnoses, medication list and history stay between you and the clinic.
If a drug screen is involved and you take a prescribed medication that could produce a positive result, disclose it to the Medical Review Officer rather than your employer. Handling that is precisely what the MRO exists for.
What it costs at Maxem Health
- Pre-employment physical: $35, excluding additional testing
- TB testing: $50
- DOT physical: $100
These are published on the employer services page. Employment-related exams are generally not an insurance or Medicaid benefit, and drug screens and DOT physicals are excluded from the Maxem Health Discount Program.
Many employers pay directly or reimburse. Ask before you pay, and keep the receipt.
How to prepare
- Bring photo ID and any forms your employer gave you
- Bring glasses or contacts, and hearing aids if you use them
- Bring a complete medication list with dosages
- Wear clothes you can move in, particularly for a physically demanding role
- Get a normal night’s sleep and go easy on caffeine, since blood pressure readings are affected by both
- Eat and drink normally unless your employer’s paperwork says to fast
Maxem Health also provides an employment physical form to download and print beforehand.
Other employer services
Maxem Health works with employers on workers’ compensation care with a dedicated case manager, DOT examinations and drug screens, substance abuse screening and MRO services, return-to-work examinations, pulmonary function testing, and on-site education, screenings and flu shots.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a pre-employment physical take?
Usually under an hour for a standard exam. Added drug screening or TB testing extends the visit, and a TB skin test requires a second visit 48 to 72 hours later to read the result.
Can you fail a pre-employment physical?
You can be found unable to perform specific job functions safely. That is not the same as failing a health test, and employers have legal obligations around accommodation. Ask what specifically was found and whether accommodation was considered.
Does insurance cover a pre-employment physical?
Usually not, because it is employment-related rather than medically necessary. Maxem charges a flat $35, excluding additional testing.
Do I need an appointment?
No. Maxem Health clinics are walk-in seven days a week including holidays. You can save your spot online first.
Walk in at a Maxem Health clinic
Maxem Health Urgent Care has 15 clinics across Mississippi, Louisiana and Oregon, open seven days a week including holidays. Most clinics run Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday 9am to 6pm, though hours vary by location. Walk in for a pre-employment physical seven days a week.
Save your spot at your nearest Maxem Health clinic, or find clinic addresses and hours.
This article is general health information, not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation by a licensed provider. If you are worried about your symptoms, get seen.