Medical charge roulette

Auf Kiltre
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Medical charge roulette Sept 9, 2020 7:48:56 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by Auf Kiltre on Sept 9, 2020 7:48:56 GMT -5

I have a Blue Cross PPO out of Maryland. Billing gets processed through my state's BCBS (Texas). My doc orders 2 MRI'S (brain and neck) and a stress test. Per my insurance, depending on how they are billed (type of facility, in patient/hospital affiliated, yadayada), my obligation can be $0 on the stress test and $100 on the imaging.

Or, as informed by the two facilities $800 for the stress test and $2700 for the MRIs.

Yeah, no. I'll either get these done in non-hospital affiliated/free standing facilities or I'll just wait for emergency medicine. Come on Medicare! 4 more years.

Peegoo 🏁
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Medical charge roulette Sept 9, 2020 9:09:46 GMT -5

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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Sept 9, 2020 9:09:46 GMT -5

That has happened to me. I've received bills like this and I send them to my HMO. Only one time did I ever get pushback and I pushed right back. They paid it.

It is obvious to me that all these charges are negotiable, because my medical billing receipts always contain lines like this:

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Procedure: Siamese Cat Scam
Amount Billed: $700.00
Amount Paid: $325.00
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It blows my mind that these charges seem so arbitrary. What it tells me is medical services set their fees with no regard to actual cost; it appears to be a dart thrown at a dartboard in the dark, and HMOs decide what the actual cost is and pay that amount.

And it's still profitable for the services provider.

It's like having to negotiate to buy a damn car.

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fkaJimmySee Journeyman And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. Posts: 1,182	Medical charge roulette Sept 9, 2020 9:33:48 GMT -5 Home Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by fkaJimmySee on Sept 9, 2020 9:33:48 GMT -5 There's a joke going around that medical insurance is socialism in action, but getting your carrier to pay is capitalism.
	Keep safe. Keep Healthy. Get vaxxed and boosted (twice) STAT.

Post by Auf Kiltre on Sept 9, 2020 7:48:56 GMT -5

Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Sept 9, 2020 9:09:46 GMT -5

Post by fkaJimmySee on Sept 9, 2020 9:33:48 GMT -5