topic Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money? in Community Chat

Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Mindy D — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:14:07 GMT

Would you submit your tax return to the maker of an expensive diagnostic lab test to get a very large reduction in the cost of the test? Would you run the risk of sending your tax information to a lab company?

There is a specialized test that can differentiate GI problems and help a doctor make a correct diagnosis after other testing, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scans, upper and lower GI, has not been able to help the specialist come to a conclusion.

Only one lab in the U.S. has the rights to the testing. It's proprietary and the doctor makes no money when using the test. It's strictly for getting the correct diagnosis. If your insurance turns you down for coverage then you submit a form asking for a reduction of cost along with verifying documents, which would consist of income tax, to the company. The form goes to the lab company. They have a program to reduced prices when insurance does not cover this testing. Many private insurances cover the test but Medicare and Advantage Plans might not.

The test cost $750.00. The reduction would be lowered to a cost of either $75, $175, or $250, depending on income.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Anonymous032819 — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:04:46 GMT

NO!

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

On It — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:06:26 GMT

@Mindy D No, I would not give my private information to any company. It is just too risky. I am very concerned about the people who gave their DNA to Ancestry. It was bought by a private equity firm. Who knows what they will do with that info? It is very valuable to insurance companies.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Mindy D — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:10:47 GMT

@Anonymous032819 @On It @You would pay the $750 rather than the $75 to keep your tax information secure?

Note that the specialized lab company will already have your SS# and insurance information in order to submit the bill to the insurance company.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

On It — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:10:16 GMT

@Mindy D Most definitely.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

SurferWife — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:11:53 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@Anonymous032819 @On It @@You would pay the $750 rather than the $75 to keep your tax information secure

I know this wasn't addressed to me, but emphatically YES, I would rather pay $750 instead of $75. No way would I divulge PII to some company to save money!!

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Melbalee — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:12:05 GMT

No way

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:12:32 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
Would you submit your tax return to the maker of an expensive diagnostic lab test to get a very large reduction in the cost of the test? Would you run the risk of sending your tax information to a lab company?
There is a specialized test that can differentiate GI problems and help a doctor make a correct diagnosis after other testing, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scans, upper and lower GI, has not been able to help the specialist come to a conclusion.

Only one lab in the U.S. has the rights to the testing. It's proprietary And the doctor makes no money when using the test. It's strictly for getting the correct diagnosis. If your insurance turns you down for coverage then you submit a form asking for a reduction of cost along with verifying documents, which would consist of income tax, to the company. Many private insurances cover the test but Medicare and Advantage Plans might not.

The test cost $750.00. The reduction would be lowered to a cost of either $75, $175, or $250, depending on income.

@Mindy D

Are you sure you have to submit actual tax returns ... or submit the information on a financial statement form?

I'm asking because I know someone who has applied somewhere else to qualify for a very expensive drug, and fills out a form with the information. The foundation processes the information and then notifies them whether or not they are eligible. She has been receiving the drug free of charge ... the foundation also pays for refrigerated shipping of the drug.

Since you say Medicare & Advantage plans MIGHT NOT cover, that means they also might .... and I would exhaust all options with Medicare first.

One other thing .... can you determine how long this company has proprietary rights to this test? These rights are not indefinite. Good luck.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:15:23 GMT

@SurferWife wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
@Anonymous032819 @On It @@You would pay the $750 rather than the $75 to keep your tax information secure
I know this wasn't addressed to me, but emphatically YES, I would rather pay $750 instead of $75. No way would I divulge PII to some company to save money!!

@SurferWife

In the process of determining eligibility, they already have access to that personal information.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Mindy D — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:19:35 GMT

@Tinkrbl44

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Mindy D wrote:
Would you submit your tax return to the maker of an expensive diagnostic lab test to get a very large reduction in the cost of the test? Would you run the risk of sending your tax information to a lab company?
There is a specialized test that can differentiate GI problems and help a doctor make a correct diagnosis after other testing, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scans, upper and lower GI, has not been able to help the specialist come to a conclusion.

Only one lab in the U.S. has the rights to the testing. It's proprietary And the doctor makes no money when using the test. It's strictly for getting the correct diagnosis. If your insurance turns you down for coverage then you submit a form asking for a reduction of cost along with verifying documents, which would consist of income tax, to the company. Many private insurances cover the test but Medicare and Advantage Plans might not.

The test cost $750.00. The reduction would be lowered to a cost of either $75, $175, or $250, depending on income.

@Mindy D

Are you sure you have to submit actual tax returns ... or submit the information on a financial statement form?

I'm asking because I know someone who has applied somewhere else to qualify for a very expensive drug, and fills out a form with the information. The foundation processes the information and then notifies them whether or not they are eligible. She has been receiving the drug free of charge ... the foundation also pays for refrigerated shipping of the drug.

Since you say Medicare & Advantage plans MIGHT NOT cover, that means they also might .... and I would exhaust all options with Medicare first.

One other thing .... can you determine how long this company has proprietary rights to this test? These rights are not indefinite. Good luck.

@Tinkrbl44 @@Your friend...how did she substantiate her income without using tax documents? Did the financial statement form just ask questions she answered with no proof her answers were true?

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

SurferWife — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:16:40 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@SurferWife wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
@Anonymous032819 @On It @@You would pay the $750 rather than the $75 to keep your tax information secure
I know this wasn't addressed to me, but emphatically YES, I would rather pay $750 instead of $75. No way would I divulge PII to some company to save money!!
@SurferWife

In the process of determining eligibility, they already have access to that personal information.

@Tinkrbl44

They wouldn't have mine; I wouldn't give it to them.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

shoesnbags — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:16:42 GMT

@On It wrote:
@Mindy D No, I would not give my private information to any company. It is just too risky. I am very concerned about the people who gave their DNA to Ancestry. It was bought by a private equity firm. Who knows what they will do with that info? It is very valuable to insurance companies.

@On It

I'm one of those people who gave their DNA to Ancestry. I'm not concerned if the rest of the world knows that I'm mostly Irish and German ancestry. And I'm not too concerned that someone will make little ShoesnBags clones. I've enjoyed my Ancestry membership, and there are just too many other things in today's world to worry about.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

On It — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:20:32 GMT

@shoesnbags wrote:
@On It wrote:
@Mindy D No, I would not give my private information to any company. It is just too risky. I am very concerned about the people who gave their DNA to Ancestry. It was bought by a private equity firm. Who knows what they will do with that info? It is very valuable to insurance companies.
@On It
I'm one of those people who gave their DNA to Ancestry. I'm not concerned if the rest of the world knows that I'm mostly Irish and German ancestry. And I'm not too concerned that someone will make little ShoesnBags clones. I've enjoyed my Ancestry membership, and there are just too many other things in today's world to worry about.

My concern is they have a genetic record that could show predisposition to disease and health problems. No one knows for certain what they have done if anything with those genetic markers.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:22:56 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@Tinkrbl44
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Mindy D wrote:
Would you submit your tax return to the maker of an expensive diagnostic lab test to get a very large reduction in the cost of the test? Would you run the risk of sending your tax information to a lab company?
There is a specialized test that can differentiate GI problems and help a doctor make a correct diagnosis after other testing, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scans, upper and lower GI, has not been able to help the specialist come to a conclusion.

Only one lab in the U.S. has the rights to the testing. It's proprietary And the doctor makes no money when using the test. It's strictly for getting the correct diagnosis. If your insurance turns you down for coverage then you submit a form asking for a reduction of cost along with verifying documents, which would consist of income tax, to the company. Many private insurances cover the test but Medicare and Advantage Plans might not.

The test cost $750.00. The reduction would be lowered to a cost of either $75, $175, or $250, depending on income.

@Mindy D

Are you sure you have to submit actual tax returns ... or submit the information on a financial statement form?

I'm asking because I know someone who has applied somewhere else to qualify for a very expensive drug, and fills out a form with the information. The foundation processes the information and then notifies them whether or not they are eligible. She has been receiving the drug free of charge ... the foundation also pays for refrigerated shipping of the drug.

Since you say Medicare & Advantage plans MIGHT NOT cover, that means they also might .... and I would exhaust all options with Medicare first.

One other thing .... can you determine how long this company has proprietary rights to this test? These rights are not indefinite. Good luck.
@Tinkrbl44 @@Your friend...how did she substantiate her income without using tax documents? Did the financial statement form just ask questions she answered with no proof her answers were true?

@Mindy D

Yes, filled out the application and swore they were true. If submitted, they can easily verify at that point.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

CelticCrafter — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:34:14 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@Anonymous032819 @On It @You would pay the $750 rather than the $75 to keep your tax information secure?

Note that the specialized lab company will already have your SS# and insurance information in order to submit the bill to the insurance company.

@Mindy D how would they have a persons SS#? We have been dealing with medical issues for the past 5 weeks and not once was he asked for his SS#.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

On It — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:41:12 GMT

@CelticCrafter Unfortunately for some of us older Medicare patients the Social Security # was also the Medicare #, so it is our there in that sense. I am skeptical of giving them the income tax return because of the financial information that is included. Who knows how that could be mishandled if left unsecured on a server?

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

qbetzforreal — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:41:23 GMT

No, I would not hand over tax returns to show proof of income.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

Love my grandkids — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:45:22 GMT

@Mindy D No how, no time, no way.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

geezerette — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:52:06 GMT

@On It wrote:
@CelticCrafter Unfortunately for some of us older Medicare patients the Social Security # was also the Medicare #, so it is our there in that sense. I am skeptical of giving them the income tax return because of the financial information that is included. Who knows how that could be mishandled if left unsecured on a server?

@On It

All of those Medicare accounts/numbers were changed a few years ago and everyone received new cards reflecting the change. No one should have a Medicare account that is the same as their Social Security number now.

Re: Would you take this risk to save quite a bit of money?

depglass — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 18:52:42 GMT

By the time Ancestry or anyone else does something nefarious with my genetic info, I will be scattered on our woodland property.