Legal medical scam

[Platapus]

Sheesh, and I wonder what is wrong with US healthcare.


Well another couple of birthdays came around and once again it is time for my old man internal exam. (yea!)


I called up the previous officer that checked out my pooper and they pulled my records. I told them I had a referral from my GP for another swell time.


They told me that before I could make an appointment, I had to have a telemedical appointment with the doctor?


When I asked why, since my GP has already ordered the procedure, I was told that it was their office policy.


Well, I could not do a tele meeting but I could do a phone call. So the doctor called me and talked to me for about 10 minutes. He discussed the prep and went over the procedure. I had been there done that a few times. At the end of the 10 minute phone call, I was told that someone from his office would call me to make the appointment. That was about 3 weeks ago.


Today, I received a medical bill from this office. Now remember, the only contact I had was two phone calls, one with a doctor for about 10 minutes.


The bill was for $542.00


Fortunately my insurance paid $497.00 of that but that still leaves me coughing up $45.00 for a frickin phone call!!!


WTF?


$542.00 just for a phone call. Billed as an "office visit". This is not for the procedure, just the phone call.


That is so messed up. I can just imagine the doctor's bill for when he actually does something. This colonoscopy will probably run about $50,000


This is insane!


/rant

[mapuc]

Makes me glad that I pay more taxes than you do.

Here it is free to visit doctors and getting treatment(It is paid over the taxes)
Only thing who cost money is medication-Even here you pay some percentage the rest is paid over the tax

Markus

[Skybird]

[Reece]

Good grief Thomas, I feel for you, something should be done about the medical system over there!!
Here in Australia it is similar to what Markus describes over in Denmark, thank God!

[d@rk51d3]

Originally Posted by Reece

Good grief Thomas, I feel for you, something should be done about the medical system over there!!
Here in Australia it is similar to what Markus describes over in Denmark, thank God!

It's changing though, and not for the better.

It's become a right little money spinner.

[Reece]

Lets just hope it doesn't ever get as bad as it is in the US.

[Jimbuna]

I shuddered when I saw the word 'colonoscopy'

Someone I know underwent the procedure a little over a month ago and unbeknown to them or whoever carried out the procedure was punctured twice in the bowel during the procedure, sepsis set in and organs began shutting down.

They were buried whilst I was in Mexico recently.

This is just a FYI I'm sure you'll be okay

[August]

My old doctor would have me come to the office for an annual health exam then she would order the same standard blood test screens that she did every year, then she would call me back to the office to discuss their findings and charge me for second visit. I finally told her I wouldn't do two visits for the same thing any more and made her put in for the blood tests a couple weeks in advance of my annual physical so the results would be back before I went.

Now my new doctor just mails me the results after my physical. Then I got him to change all my prescriptions to 90 day supply instead of just 30. Saves me two thirds the annual copay fees.

[GoldenRivet]

Its all BS, and i doubt there is a doctor alive in the USA who truly gives a damn about anything outside the confines of his wallet.

[Skybird]

[malachi009]

I've heard why they are doing that, so the hospital basically puts a random price on EVERYTHING and your insurance "negociate" the price, they pay the price which is sicnifically lower, then the difference in prices is marked as a loss on the tax reports of the hospital... literally a shady bussines activity in the legal public field...

[Platapus]

I am going to call the office to inquire about this. I hope this is for the entire procedure and that they just billed me all at once. Even in the US, a phone call can't cost $500....... OK, who am I kidding?

[Shadowblade]

[Jeff-Groves]

Calling a Sex line is cheaper for 10 minutes!
It's mostly the Doctors scamming the Insurance companies.
But they are all in that game together!

[vienna]

Everybody in the medical/insurance industries are scamming to see how much they can drain out of the pocketbooks of patients; this is supported and encouraged by the very nature and structure of the laws in the US governing/regulating the medical/insurance complex; as long as the medial/insurance lobbies, aided by Big Pharma, hold sway over Congress, I doubt things will change anytime soon; I, for one, am glad I live in California since the State has been active in pushing reforms within the state that benefit patients over the medical/insurance/Big Pharma interests; for instance, starting July 1, 2024, CA law will require full transparency by providers of all prices, fees, and other charges to patients at the time they are treated; this is being done to stop "surprise charges/bills" that patients sometimes face when they are given a final billing; there are also laws that mandate hospitals to offer patients a sort of 'rate card' listing the actual price of the services, materials, etc. to be used to treat a patient, allow the patient to perhaps 'shop around' for a better price (it should be noted the corporations owning CA hospitals is still fighting these laws; for seniors using Medicare, there is also a CA state program called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program) providing free services to seniors who are experiencing difficulties in dealing with insurers and/or providers; I have actually had to use their services twice, once when a diagnostic facility told me (after I had shown up for the procedure) that I would need to pay an additional fee before they would do the test procedure; I called HICAP and told them of the problem and they got on the line with the test facility and read them the riot act since my Medicare and supplemental insurance clearly stated I could not be charged any fees or co-pays; it was somewhat gratifying to watch the formerly arrogant and demanding test facility person reduced to a stuttering, stumbling lump by the HICAP Rep; living in CA is not so bad for a senior...


CA has also pushed the envelope in ways that have had national effects; some of the reforms and legislation enacted here have been copied (much to the dismay of insurers, hospital corporations, and Big Pharma) and one push by CA has resulted in a backing down by Big Pharma regarding the price of insulin for diabetes; the price has been skyrocketing for years now and Big Pharma has been lining their pockets on the backs of diabetics at their mercy; although there has been much chin-music from Congress along the lines of "Something has to be done about this", no real Congressional legislative action has been forthcoming; the White House had called for the price of insulin to be set at USD $35.00 per month, a far reduction from the insured average price of ~USD $250.00 per month and the uninsured price of a whopping ~USD $1,300.00 per month; the CA Governor came out with the idea for the State to, in essence, get into the pharmaceutical business and start manufacturing insulin for the use of CA citizens with a price set at USD $35.00 per month; the idea is a novel approach to offer aid to hard-strapped patients and got a lot of interest from some other states who were considering following suit; well, surprise , surprise, as soon as Gov. Newsom floated his idea, Big Pharma, who had been snickering at the inabilities of Congress and the White House to secure an actual plan, decided to make a 'magnanimous' gesture and reduce the price of insulin to, surprise, surprise USD $35.00 per month; of course, that magnanimity only came once they were faced with the reality that CA, and perhaps some other states, were going to very seriously undercut their market share by cutting out Big Pharma from the insulin equations; say what you will about CA, we still can get things done and make the fat cats and pols quake a bit...


I would suggest, if someone is on Medicare or a senior, that it might be a good idea to see if your state or county has some sort of agency or department dealing in senior issues who can either assist with your concerns or maybe direct you to someone who can give you assistance; asking is free and it never hurts to ask...






<O>