Doctors charging crazy rates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in Virginia. Every time I see a doctor these days (or my child), I get hit with a $500+ bill after insurance. It seems crazy to me. The insurance company pushed us to get check ups so I dutifully took my daughter to a doctor recommended on their website. Apparently, we get "rewarded with a $25 gift card" if we do. Even though that seemed like a kickback to me, I took DD because she hadn't seen a doctor in over a year. Then I got a crazy bill. I assumed it was just that one place. So then, my other daughter needed a refill of a medicine she takes and I took her to another place. For the 15 minutes we were there, another $500 after insurance! That is crazy.

Who can pay for this? It's on top of the huge amount I already pay monthly. Thank god we are healthy because I can't imagine if I had to see a doctor regularly! Are people just paying 1/4 of their salaries for healthcare?

Geee one wonders why.
Insurance is a scam. Healthcare has been ruined because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Va. We have BCBS Standard plan. I have not noticed much change in the regular care like annual check ups, mammo, sick visits to pediatrician. One exception, an ophthalomolgy consultation at No Va Ophthalmology Assoc for Strabismus (eye misalignment) was over $300! I checked and they are supposed to be in-network. I would hate to see how much it would be for out of network!

Call your insurance. They may need to adjust it. If doc is in network the EOB shows what you pay abd they can't charge more by contract. Insurance can reach out to them if you ask. Or you can send the EOB to provider with note.

[Anonymous]

You are doing something wrong. This doesn't make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what kind of insurance you have, because check ups should be free under Obamacare rules

+1. Something is wrong with OP’s story

[Anonymous]

Call the insurance company OP.

[Anonymous]

Never pay that first bill. It hasn’t been fully processed yet. Pay the second or third after they have applied everything to it.

[Anonymous]

Is this one of those situations where you book an annual exam and then ask questions that are considered beyond the scope, so you're charged more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this one of those situations where you book an annual exam and then ask questions that are considered beyond the scope, so you're charged more?

That sounds like an expensive question to answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Va. We have BCBS Standard plan. I have not noticed much change in the regular care like annual check ups, mammo, sick visits to pediatrician. One exception, an ophthalomolgy consultation at No Va Ophthalmology Assoc for Strabismus (eye misalignment) was over $300! I checked and they are supposed to be in-network. I would hate to see how much it would be for out of network!

Only their Fairfax location is in network for BCBS FEP - changed last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this one of those situations where you book an annual exam and then ask questions that are considered beyond the scope, so you're charged more?

That sounds like an expensive question to answer.

My practice makes me sign something acknowledging that I'm bringing the kid in for a physical and anything else needs its own appointment. How "anything else" is determined, I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably have a high deductible policy, and bc you don’t have a lot of medical issues, you don’t hit the out-of-pocket max before the policy kicks in.

Annual check up is free even with a HDHP.

OP didn’t say it was an annual exam. She said every time she and/or her kid have a doc visit they get a big bill. High bills are what happens for us w our HDHP when anyone goes to the dermatologist, allergist, ENT, sick visit, etc etc. so yeah, annual exam is “free,” but every other doctor visit is $$$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Va. We have BCBS Standard plan. I have not noticed much change in the regular care like annual check ups, mammo, sick visits to pediatrician. One exception, an ophthalomolgy consultation at No Va Ophthalmology Assoc for Strabismus (eye misalignment) was over $300! I checked and they are supposed to be in-network. I would hate to see how much it would be for out of network!

Only their Fairfax location is in network for BCBS FEP - changed last year.

They should be notifying patients if they are now out of network.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Va. We have BCBS Standard plan. I have not noticed much change in the regular care like annual check ups, mammo, sick visits to pediatrician. One exception, an ophthalomolgy consultation at No Va Ophthalmology Assoc for Strabismus (eye misalignment) was over $300! I checked and they are supposed to be in-network. I would hate to see how much it would be for out of network!

Only their Fairfax location is in network for BCBS FEP - changed last year.

They should be notifying patients if they are now out of network.

They did - lots of notice two years ago when the change was made and even last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably have a high deductible policy, and bc you don’t have a lot of medical issues, you don’t hit the out-of-pocket max before the policy kicks in.

Annual check up is free even with a HDHP.

OP didn’t say it was an annual exam. She said every time she and/or her kid have a doc visit they get a big bill. High bills are what happens for us w our HDHP when anyone goes to the dermatologist, allergist, ENT, sick visit, etc etc. so yeah, annual exam is “free,” but every other doctor visit is $$$.

Here is what she said: The insurance company pushed us to get check ups so I dutifully took my daughter to a doctor recommended on their website. Apparently, we get "rewarded with a $25 gift card" if we do. Even though that seemed like a kickback to me, I took DD because she hadn't seen a doctor in over a year. Then I got a crazy bill.

This does not sound like a sick visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You probably have a high deductible policy, and bc you don’t have a lot of medical issues, you don’t hit the out-of-pocket max before the policy kicks in.

Annual check up is free even with a HDHP.

OP didn’t say it was an annual exam. She said every time she and/or her kid have a doc visit they get a big bill. High bills are what happens for us w our HDHP when anyone goes to the dermatologist, allergist, ENT, sick visit, etc etc. so yeah, annual exam is “free,” but every other doctor visit is $$$.

Here is what she said: The insurance company pushed us to get check ups so I dutifully took my daughter to a doctor recommended on their website. Apparently, we get "rewarded with a $25 gift card" if we do. Even though that seemed like a kickback to me, I took DD because she hadn't seen a doctor in over a year. Then I got a crazy bill.

This does not sound like a sick visit.

She also said: “Every time I see a doctor these days (or my child), I get hit with a $500+ bill after insurance. It seems crazy to me”

If you have specialists, you’re supposed to check in at least annually as well (especially if you have meds prescribed by that doctor, as OPs child does in one example she used), but that’s not a covered annual physical. I’m not here to debate, just offering an explanation bc we receive high bills for every doctor visit except annual physical.