How often do you do something without knowing the price?

Abrowneyegirl · ‎03-15-2010

My blood is boiling!!!

When will there be transparency in medical pricing and costs?

When my doctor suggested that I should have a ultrasound of my heart to establish a baseline for my medical records I said fine.

When I went to the front office to schedule, I asked about the $$ (it is done in the office). I am on private insurance and need to plan for deductible, co-insurance, FHSA, etc.

You would think I asked them the gross national product of Venezuela! Several people started to scurry around trying to figure this out. One women had the nerve to ask me why I wanted to know. I asked her when was the last time she bought something for thousands of dollars, that can not be returned without knowing the price?

I had to leave without the price because no knew and was given so numbers to call. I have know talked to 7, yes SEVEN people- going up to the manager in attempts to find the price of one test at one practice. So far prices they quoted ranges by over $2500.

I went through this earlier in the year at an imaging center. They were able to tell my their would be additional costs that would have to be applied to my deductible so they needed me to sign form that was I willing to pay "those costs and fees" and I resisted my natural urge to say 'yes' and sign, but then I though NO and asked 'how much is the scan?'

Again, mass confusion- there was NOBODY that could answer that question??!?!! I know that price varies significantly depending on who you are and what insurance you have.

Finally I said just give the price you charge a person who has no insurance - no answer.

I expressed my annoyance that an imaging center can not tell me the cost of an image. I was not asking the price I re-attaching my leg= a complex surgery.

I was told I would have to leave and wait for someone to call me, then set up another appointment to come back. :-/ Again this took weeks of calls.

I wish more patients would ask more questions then perhaps practices would be better prepared.

In this day and age this is unacceptable.

catwhisperer · ‎07-11-2010

I recently went through a similar situation. Very frustrating. No one wants to give a straight answer regarding costs.

I promise to remind myself every day that I am strong, courageous, and resilient.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

agree and it is annoying.

but every insurance company has a different deal

did you call your insurance company for the cost to you?

but NOONE wants to go with a single payer. (don't answer it will be political)

silkyk · ‎03-03-2011

I'm begining to think they make it up as they go along. Ridiculous!

Mustang Shar · ‎03-24-2010

I agree, unfortunately almost all offices have separate billing departments. They go by the procedure code, some tests have multiple different codes depending on the exact procedure requested by your ordering physician. Sometimes your Physician doesn't know the code either, LOL. Plus if you're in a PPO, there are contracted prices that only screen the exact cost once the claim goes through the network. So IF a diagnostic test is $2500.00, it may actually be PPO priced at say $1275.00.

if you want to pursue, contact the billing department shown on your statements. Request they find the procedure code and the charge. They will need to pull your record, so let them research it.

Hope this helps. Yes, you're upset but perhaps understanding what exactly is involved will help you know why most don't have access to the information you need.

StylishLady · ‎03-11-2010

My 2¢ on this. I'm afraid a lot of this testing has to do with malpractice lawsuits. Doctors may be worried that if they don't have to undergo certain tests that it may come back at them later. Another factor in causing the rise in health care costs.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

They should be able to tell you what they will bill you, but I haven't had experience with any offices that will tell you the cost after that bill is submitted to your insurance.

I'm on Medicare and the offices do seem to know whether something is Medicare covered or not. That's a start. But they don't know what it might cost me - they don't know if I'd already paid my annual deductible, they don't know whether my other insurance is going to kick in, etc.

Sometimes they try, but I've learned not to go with what they tell me without checking in with my own insurance people. I'd have to call them anyway because I have no idea whether that's a covered procedure when it's for a baseline instead of for a perceived problem and I wouldn't trust the billers to know!

Scary and frustrating.

NativeJax · ‎01-27-2015

You should call your insurance company and find out what they pay towards the procedure, then you will know the cost the doctors office will charge. They find out what insurance will pay and the. They will usually charge more than that.

I know, I think it's all a racket.

Abrowneyegirl · ‎03-15-2010

@jackthebear Yes I did call the insurance company. I thought that would help, they most they could tell me was the 'customary charge'

I would have to contact the practice to find out what they were going to charge, because anything beyond the customary charge was paid 100% by me, in addition to deductible and co-insurance........