Anyone have to pay an annual "Administrative Fee" to their doctor??

[AlisonYoung]

I just received a letter from one of my specialists that they are implementing a $50 ANNUAL "administrative fee!" The letter says that "insurance pre-authorizations, insurance filings, prescription refill requests, prior approvals and maintenance of medical records are all adding additional costs to providing healthcare." AREN'T THOSE THINGS PART OF THEIR JOB?? I work in a medical facility myself, and without those "duties" I wouldn't have a job!

I go to this doctor twice a year, every six months. They have never had to do anything "extra" for me. I go to my appt., get my refills, that's it. And I have NEVER been in and out of this doctor's office is under 3 hours! The waits are ridiculous! One time I was there FIVE HOURS and they acted like "I" was the one with a problem, since "I" had a problem with it! Problem is, he is one of only two doctors in this specialty, so the choices are slim. Still, I'm thinking of switching doctors.

Has anyone ever heard of this "paperwork fee?" I am just floored!

I'm a reporter for USA Today and am interested in talking to people whose doctors are charging administrative fees. Please call me at 703-854-6466 or email me at ayoung at usatoday dot com.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

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[adisneymama]

My dh said he read that most practices will likely be starting this as a result of the new universal healthcare plan because of rules about billing and admin fees. He said it was on Yahoo news earlier today, but I can't find it now.

This is very true. My dh's cardiologist just handed us a form that states what they will now be charging us for. They told him when they handed it to him that it was due to their increased cost from the healthcare plan. Thanks Obama...

 

[angwill]

Dang everyone has there hand out looking for more in this failing economy. Greed is what it is all about.

 

[My3kiddos]

$5 if you want to use a credit card or debit card for payment

From what I understand businesses who agree to take credit cards can not charge a fee to take them. I wouldn't pay it and I would tell them it was against merchant agreement. They can actually be fined for that. So what they lose a couple bucks, they get enough from us as it is.

 

[Huff]

I'd find another Dr. if mine had such fees. Many companies are trying to add all sorts of service fees that to me are part of doing their job that I'm already paying for.

Soon we will have fees when you go grocery shopping. Bagging fee, cash register entry fee, produce bag/twisty wrap fee, parking lot fee and last but not least shopping cart rental fee.

 

[ReneeQ]

Here's the latest. I spoke again to BCBS and they continue to state the dr. cannot charge this fee, yet I'm having trouble getting that in writing to present to the dr's office.

In the meantime I spoke to the office manager at this dr's office. She claims it's a "Practice Management Fee" and that the ins. co. cannot regulate that fee, whether they are a provider or not. I stressed I do not feel this is fair, and if they need to charge extra fees, it should be charged to those they provide extra services to. She said IF they charge this fee, legally it HAS to be across the board to all patients. (Not sure of the laws on that).

She said something about how they go above and beyond by trying to find free medications for their patients that need them. (Nice, but doesn't affect me). She said that most dr's in this specialty require patients come in every 3 months, and even EVERY MONTH if they are on pain meds. I said that wasn't even reasonable, and no one, especially someone with many specialists, can go to them all EVERY month. I'm thinking her point was, I was saving time and money by them only "requiring" I come every six months, than every 1-3 months.

Bottom line, I let her know I was NOT happy, but was keeping my appt. (which happens to be tomorrow), as I don't have time to change dr's right now. She did say if paid by June 1, the fee was "only" $35 and not $50.

BIG UPDATE - She calls back yesterday and says that they have decided to rescind the Practice Management Fee for all patients at this time!! She said she did have two insurance companies call and tell them they CANNOT charge this fee (though she STRESSED they disagree with this) and that they have had "about 10 patients" complain about the fee.
(Really? ONLY 10, and you're willing to cancel the fee for everyone?)

At least I don't have to pay the fee!!

 

[DisneyAngel83]

I am not sure how they can get away with charging it anyways since the insurance *** do very much regulate the drs offices, but I can understand why they would want to charge it.

I am one of those administrative people in our office and I do all sorts of things for patients, none of which are directly reimbursed by anyone. Not only that, but I am one of 4 of us who do this!! The owner has to roll our paychecks into "expenses". Almost everything I do the patient could do themselves if it weren't for the sticky insurance/doctor relationships we have today.

 

[iwrbnd]

Hmmm, maybe if my doctor husband started doing this he wouldn't have to cut his salary every year just to make payroll!

 

[disfan07]

I have 9 different doctors and the only thing that is listed that they are technically supposed to charge for is prescriptions filled without an appointment but I have never had this happen. My doctors routinely fill new prescriptions for me without seeing me and without charging.

What's ridiculous is being charged for your medical records. When I moved, my internists office wanted....$100 for 3 years worth of medical records!!!!! It's not like we had a choice of changing doctors...we were moving across teh country. let's just say that we did not get the records. We had already paid $40 for 3 years of hospital records so we figured screw it...if any of my new doctors needed the records we would deal with it then....none of them have asked.

The kicker is, that none of my specialists charged for records. my pulmonologist, dermatologist, and cardiologist all gave use copies for free yet my internists office wanted $100 for records...ridiculous.

I love how all I have to do now at any of my doctors offices is aks for a copy of something and it's like...okay, we'll print you out a copy. no fuss at all. it's wonderful.

She said that most dr's in this specialty require patients come in every 3 months, and even EVERY MONTH if they are on pain meds. I said that wasn't even reasonable, and no one, especially someone with many specialists, can go to them all EVERY month

This is the only part of your post that I don't necessarily agree with and the only reason is because I do this...every month. I have 7 specialists that i see throughout the year. I have to see my cardiologist every 2 weeks, my pulmonologist every 3 weeks, my dermatologist once a month, my immunologist once a month and my neurologist once a month...this month I have also been to a neurosurgeon twice and a neuro-opthalmologist....So I see 5 specialists each month (average 6 appointments)......so while it is not necessarily REASONABLE or convenient, it is POSSIBLE....there have been months where I am driving to the hospital two or three times a week....it's not even close to ideal but it is what it is and if you have to do it you make it work

 

[skhermsmeyer]

My kids go to a pediatrician who started charging $15/kid/year for the administrative fees. It's supposed to go for calling to ask questions, getting refills, filling out forms, etc. They started it 2 years ago, before that there was never any charge for any of the things. "Well, the nurses have to find out the information, look it up, call you back, blah blah blah". Yeah, I get that, but it's part of the JOB. Every single time I step into their office, it's an automatic $100 charge, no matter how small the exam (i.e. looking in DS's ear for an ear infection), and then the price goes up from there depending on how big the issue is and how long they are in the room. The doctor never understands why I don't just want to chitchat.

Glad I only have 2 kids or else it would be outrageous. But, we love the doctors, nurses, PA's, and even the front staff. Guess they know they can get away with it.

 

[AlisonYoung]

Are any of you being charged fees willing to talk with me off line for an article I'm working on about doctors' fees? ayoung (at) usatoday dot com.