Medicine is like any other high-profit industry; encourage the customer to move through the buying process and dodge any questions about price until the deal is closed.

In the olden days, we figured stuff would be covered and our out of pocket costs would be no big deal. In the last five years I feel like hospitals have been steering us toward services that will generate the most revenue for them.

It's annoying be questioning doctors about expected costs of various care options and getting on the phone with the insurance company when your kid is bleeding in the ER, but it's what we do now. At least we have insurance.

I'd send them a photo of the scar, explain that you don't think their services were adequate, and then file a suit in small claims court. The whole point of going to a specialist would presumably be to receive better care--in this case, a smaller scar. If you don't get that, I wouldn't pay.

FWIW, my son had a fall last year and had a whole bunch of stitches in his eyebrow - I lost count - on the inner and outer parts of the wound performed in the ER by a plastic surgeon. He billed insurance $1900 and got paid just under $400. Not in NYC but still that's a huge difference.

You're paying for a specialist... that's what you get. If you didn't want to pay, you should have let urgent care (or ER doc) stitch him up.

8:30 here. Moved over the NYT and see this on front page - will help explain your situation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/health/the-odd-math-of-medical-tests-one-echocardiogram-two-prices-both-high.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

It's still a for-profit system and between that and liability risks, they will always bill you at the highest possible rate. Because it was near the eye, they decided to code it at the most expensive rate. The system is still in a shambles and will be until the government steps in and demands transparency in pricing as well as some price controls - just like EVERY other civilized country in the world, besides ours, has!

When I gave birth my son had a 48 hour stay in the NICU. We were still getting bills a year later! I started calling on every bill we were responsible for and almost all of them were "written off" by the dr.'s office.

No one can be a good consumer of medical care because of the billing system. It's really frustrating.

Urgent care gave me a price when I asked. I paid that amount and they billed me for another $100. I called them back and they backed down and said I didn't owe anything.

$4500-$2880=$1620

So how much do you actually owe?

I would not lie on medical forms by giving a fake SS#. Leave it blank.

There are two issues here:

The alleged quality of care which if unsatisfactory could arguably leave the provider vulnerable for more than merely the amount that the OP is required to pay.

The second issue is the financial obligation for going to a provider who is out of network ....... and on this I don't think the OP has a leg to stand on legally. If someone goes to an out of network provider there is not a lot of point in later complaining about having to pay more. It may seem excessive to the OP or anyone else receiving the care but that is neither here nor there.

Going the small claims court route may result in the provider dropping the demand whether because it is not worth the hassle or for fear of the publicity but it does not change the reality that the decision to go to an out of network provider was one made by the OP.

Anonymous wrote:OP: do you know what these Drs offices hate?

Small claims court. NYC isn't that far. Sue them in small claims court. The basis isn't that important - just follow the form and file. They WILL settle.

Hopefully you did not give your SS number on the medical form. If you did, they can and will ruin your credit score.

Always LIE if they require your SS number; look, the SS number is only supposed to be for SOCIAL SECURITY!!! If they are not paying YOU, then they do not need your SS number; they only want it to hurt you. It's not ethical for them to require it, so I see no ethical problem in lying about it (try leaving it blank 1st).

I just started doing this at new medical appts for me and my kids. I leave blank or write my cellphone number.

That's why I do my stitches myself. Really not that hard. Doctors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: My beef is that they didn't say they were out of network when called from Urgent Care, or when we showed up they didn't do paperwork until after the procedure.

There's no way I'm paying $700. I get that we have to pay something, but honestly I think they overcharged Aetna. GRR. I hate our medical billing system.

Thanks for the reality check though. Any plastic surgeons out there? 3 stitches is a Complex wound repair?

Does your child have a scar or not? If not, maybe you should simmer down a little and be thankful for the service you were provided.

Shut up. Being thankful her kid wasn't hurt more doesn't mean she can't be pissed about an outrageous bill.

What if the cheaper alternative left the child with a scar?

It's all a matter of perspective. The plastic surgeon offered expertise, and presumably no scars.

Just saying look at it differently. Imagine if kiddo had been stitched by someone else for $500 instead of $5,000. Would you choose that option?

It only seems outrageous now. In the great scheme of things, she's out of pocket $700.

+1

OP: do you know what these Drs offices hate?

Small claims court. NYC isn't that far. Sue them in small claims court. The basis isn't that important - just follow the form and file. They WILL settle.

Hopefully you did not give your SS number on the medical form. If you did, they can and will ruin your credit score.

Always LIE if they require your SS number; look, the SS number is only supposed to be for SOCIAL SECURITY!!! If they are not paying YOU, then they do not need your SS number; they only want it to hurt you. It's not ethical for them to require it, so I see no ethical problem in lying about it (try leaving it blank 1st).