Another insurance problem

[dakcp2001]

Ok I have no health insurance at the moment, recently changed jobs. I had to get a preemployment physical which I paid for out of pocket ($125). I informed the DR I had no insurance and told her I needed to know all costs up front before they are incurred. She told me she wanted to do a blood test, I refused and asked to wait until after my new insurance kicks in. (60 days after start date) she went and checked the cost, told me it is only $25. It didn't sound right to me, but she went and checked a second time. I paid them that day with a credit card. I had already paid the $125 for physical, so then had to pay the $25 as a second charge.

Got a bill yesterday for $133 from the lab. The DR office was already closed, I left a voicemail. Do I have any recourse? She obviously had to cost wrong. I knew it seemed to good to be true. This bill is what I get for not listening to that little voice in my head that told me this didn't sound right. UGH. I am so stressed out right now! And definately looking for a new DR.

 

[seashoreCM]

Wait until they open on Monday and question the bill with the doctor's office.

I believe that an insurance company would pay much less than $133. for that same lab test.

THis is a situation where it is fair game to wheel & deal or to haggle or to beat down the price as opposed to just pay it.

 

[tamis]

I feel your pain. I had insurance and went in for a yearly physical. The Dr. wanted to run 3 standard blood tests (cholesterol, sugar levels, and one other I can't remember.) Turned out my insurance only covered the cost of the physical, but not any of the blood work. I got a bill for $360 from the lab That was not a happy day for me, but it also made me realize I need to look over my insurance info more carefully the next time I visit the Dr. I'm so sorry it happened to you especially where you had to pay for everything OOP. Hopefully the lab will be willing to work with you to reduce the payment.

 

[SunnieRN]

The Dr probably quoted you the lab draw fee. The fee to have the labs drawn.

Did you get the job?

I work in a hospital. When I lived in Ca, I had HMO coverage. You knew how much something would cost, it was always the same. A lot was covered! Now that I am in TX, working for a hospital, they only offer a PPO plan. I avoided these with a passion, when I had the choice.

PPO plans are more expensive and almost always you have a 10% cost, above your care plan. Less services are covered also.

Our PPO plan changed this year. It changed to our hospitals PPO. Our costs are higher every pay period and our co pays have sky rocketed. An MRI, done at our hospital, had a co pay of $300 prior. It would now be $1500, for the same MRI. Remember, this is with our hospitals insurance.

Health care is a major burden for companies, financially. Problem is, they are starting to shift the bulk of the burden to the employee. Very scary in my book. It has the potential to completely change your financial picture. Even if you are in perfect health, you could have an accident. This could devastate you and your family financially.

 

[SoonerSarah]

I learned a much harder way to always question and grill before allowing to have work done. While I was seeing an Endocrinologist (without insurance, which she was reminded constantly), she ordered up some bloodwork. When I came back the next month for my results and to go from there, she is all giggly about how SHE ordered the wrong labs. I was really upset because she of course was more than kind enough to tell me that although she was the one to order the wrong tests, the tests were still preformed on my blood, and so I would be paying everything. The labs she incorrectly ordered cost me over $1,000. I had all sorts of other problems with her as well, but the hospital was very unsympathetic and could have cared less. I ended up switching over to another hospital and never had a problem.

 

[LilyWDW]

The $25 was how much they were charging you for having the blood drawn at the office. It was NOT the cost that the lab would charge you for running the actual tests. Most likely, you would have had to contact the lab and ask them how much those test would cost you to figure out the final cost. From my experience, those things are not done in house and are sent out to a central lab that runs the tests for multiple doctors and clinics.

This is how my charges have always been done. One charge for the draw at the office and then a separate charge from the lab for the tests.

 

[scrapquitler]

Ok I have no health insurance at the moment, recently changed jobs. I had to get a preemployment physical which I paid for out of pocket ($125).

I'd be complaining to the prospective employer.

Anytime I needed pre-employment physical/drug testing, etc. The prospective employer sent me to one of those corporate medical places and THEY Paid for all of it, nothing out of pocket or upfront for me.

If you had to pay, you should be finding out from HR if they are going to reimburse you for it.

Same thing when I had to have fingerprinting and a special endorsement on my drivers license: the prospective employer paid for it.

NO WAY would I be paying for things like that 'just in case' I got hired.