$1000 for an ultrasound?? Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

I just got a bill for a routine 20-week anatomy scan for almost $1000. I have insurance (United Healthcare Choice Plus, high deductible) and this was done at an in-network hospital (Washington Hospital) and I'm kind of just aghast that there is no "plan discount" — I am left to pay the full amount.

Has anyone 1) Had this experience 2) Felt similarly swollen with rage 3) Done anything about it? Like, chosen a different radiology clinic for a future ultrasound? Disputed claim? Negotiated a discount (supposedly Medstar doesn't do this)

I feel extremely frustrated to be paying about $700/month for insurance that doesn't cover routine prenatal care. Just another thing to be angry about as a new parent in America.

[Anonymous]

Have you double checked with your insurance company? Sometimes the hospital bills incorrectly. I would try to dispute it or get it reduced before paying that amount.

[Anonymous]

That doesn't seem right. Routine pre-natal care should be covered under Obamacare, even with a high deductible. Do you have an explanation of benefits for this bill? Don't pay it until you do. And call you insurance and ask them.

[Anonymous]

You should have been angry about this before you got pregnant.

But there should be a "negotiated" discount price for someone with your insurance.

[Anonymous]

It sounds high but mine was similar ($750 for the anatomy scan)

[Anonymous]

Your routine prenatal care isn’t covered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should have been angry about this before you got pregnant.

But there should be a "negotiated" discount price for someone with your insurance.

+1
I feel similarly "swollen with rage" all the time about our health care system and the people it is making enormously richer every day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't seem right. Routine pre-natal care should be covered under Obamacare, even with a high deductible. Do you have an explanation of benefits for this bill? Don't pay it until you do. And call you insurance and ask them.

This has to be the case, otherwise it is a crystal clear case of sex discrimination. Even if you had to pay cash, anything north of $250 is unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

High deductible? That needs to be met prior to being covered. Learned that the hard way. Changed plans immediately after giving birth.

[Anonymous]

I have high deductible $800 a month plan. All I know that it covers absolutely nothing. I still have to pay out of pocket and since we are hardly ever sick, we will pay t all. It also doesn't cover emergency.
You probably need to meet the deductible.
Do you qualify for medicaid?
I'm dropping my insurance and going to EU once a year.

[Anonymous]

Yep, same situation with the two PPs with high deductible plans. Will you deliver before the end of the year? At least it’s all on one calendar year and you’ll definitely hit your deductible. Get your other specialist visits in this year too.

[Anonymous]

My neighbor on Medicaid told me she calls the ambulance any time she has to go to the doctor because it’s free and she doesn’t have to sit in a waiting room. Your routine prenatal care pays for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't seem right. Routine pre-natal care should be covered under Obamacare, even with a high deductible. Do you have an explanation of benefits for this bill? Don't pay it until you do. And call you insurance and ask them.

+1. It should be free, OP. Call your insurance company.

I had a baby in 2019 and paid nothing for all of my prenatal visits (thanks, Obama!) but am pregnant now and every time I check in at my OB they try to say I owe a $40 copay. Every time I decline because I know that's illegal and I never hear about it again. But I see that they're trying to get money they aren't entitled to out of patients, and I wonder how many are falling for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't seem right. Routine pre-natal care should be covered under Obamacare, even with a high deductible. Do you have an explanation of benefits for this bill? Don't pay it until you do. And call you insurance and ask them.

+1. It should be free, OP. Call your insurance company.

I had a baby in 2019 and paid nothing for all of my prenatal visits (thanks, Obama!) but am pregnant now and every time I check in at my OB they try to say I owe a $40 copay. Every time I decline because I know that's illegal and I never hear about it again. But I see that they're trying to get money they aren't entitled to out of patients, and I wonder how many are falling for it.

I don’t think it’s the case for high deductible plans though.

[Anonymous]

My 3D mammograms with tomography at a pricy local hospital are in the $700 range at list price. Everything has an insane MSRP, but fewer pay it. See if you can negotiate with the billing department for the preferred insurer rate.

Were you "out of network"?

If this is your experience now, check into future issues related to giving birth (e.g. the out of network providers who work in your hospital).