Cost of colonoscopy phohibitively expensive

[Guest1]

So, over a month ago, I saw my GI and we made a colonoscopy appointment. I had asked the receptionist if I was going to have to pay anything upfront (since my insurance only covers 80%) and she said she'd get back into contact with me asap if that was the case. Okay then...

A month passes. My procedure is supposed to be next Monday. Guess what I get in the mail on Friday? A bill telling me that I owe $831 before the procedure. A WEEK BEFORE MY APPOINTMENT! So, I was already irritible, but tried to contain myself as I called their office. I explained that it was a bit ridiculous to notify me of this payment (of that size) a week before, so she asked me if I could pay half upfront. Well, I could've HAD THEY TOLD ME THIS IN THE PRIOR WEEKS LIKE I ASKED! She casually mentioned that she'd cancel my appointment for me and when I could pay they could reschedule. I asked if she knew if the county hospital had any programs to help out and she said yes, but you can't have private insurance and you have to be low income. Thanks for punishing me for being middle class! ARGH! I'm looking at finances right now and I'll probably have to push it up a month, but that means no Sea World for my boys this summer. Money has been bad since my husband was hit by an 18 wheeler in April of last year and it had a huge domino affect on everything. Oh, well. I've waited this long for an answer...what's another month, bwah bwah! :ymad:

 

[forum contributor]

Oh hun, I'm so sorry!
Some people are really inconsiderate and don't care at all.
Have you tried calling your insurance company to see if they can help you out?

 

[CD68]

So, over a month ago, I saw my GI and we made a colonoscopy appointment. I had asked the receptionist if I was going to have to pay anything upfront (since my insurance only covers 80%) and she said she'd get back into contact with me asap if that was the case. Okay then...

A month passes. My procedure is supposed to be next Monday. Guess what I get in the mail on Friday? A bill telling me that I owe $831 before the procedure. A WEEK BEFORE MY APPOINTMENT! So, I was already irritible, but tried to contain myself as I called their office. I explained that it was a bit ridiculous to notify me of this payment (of that size) a week before, so she asked me if I could pay half upfront. Well, I could've HAD THEY TOLD ME THIS IN THE PRIOR WEEKS LIKE I ASKED! She casually mentioned that she'd cancel my appointment for me and when I could pay they could reschedule. I asked if she knew if the county hospital had any programs to help out and she said yes, but you can't have private insurance and you have to be low income. Thanks for punishing me for being middle class! ARGH! I'm looking at finances right now and I'll probably have to push it up a month, but that means no Sea World for my boys this summer. Money has been bad since my husband was hit by an 18 wheeler in April of last year and it had a huge domino affect on everything. Oh, well. I've waited this long for an answer...what's another month, bwah bwah! :ymad:

I've been steaming over an insurance issue that amounts to $830. Get this. I pay $1200 up front for a dental procedure of a child. Insurance is supposed to pay $830. Snafu in filing results in claim denied, but get this part. The dentist doesn't bother to tell me the claim was denied until THREE WEEKS later when I come in to have the procedure finished. Then he says that _I_ am now responsible for paying the insurance portion since it is officially overdue rioght there that day. Tells me I signed a contract to agree to pay it on the 41st day and low and behold today is day 41. To top it all off, he had those permanent crowns in his office the whole time he was sitting on that bill and I have a child with temporary crowns. Everytime I had called to ask if the crowns had come in yet (called for SIX WEEKS, supposed to be in in two) they would lie and say they weren't. Turns out dentists finally fesses up and says that he delayed treatment on my minor child because he wants the full bill paid up front by me.

I call insurance company and they tell me they denied the claim based on the fact XRAY wasn't submitted. Know what? Dentist didn't have a clue why the claim was denied. Didn't know. Didn't care. Gives me a long lecture about how evil insurance companies are and how they deny claims just to make money. I had to listen to a long BS political sermon. I left the office, got a copy of the xrays and resubmitted the claim myself. I'm going to have to call the insurance company myself and see if it's gone through. Insurance company wanted to know why I was filing this instead of the dentist, "It's not my responsibility, but it is my problem"

I am mad on so many levels. Why couldn't he tell me earlier? If he thinks he can get his money earlier by making me pay for it he's wrong. He could have gotten his money weeks ago by simply refiling the claim. And if he thinks insurance companies are so awful and evil and out to get everyone he should stop filing insurance on behalf of his patients. Just quit doing business with insurance companies like lots of other dentists and work on a cash only basis, tell your patients this policy up front but don't be sneaky about it.

We cancelled vacation this year also because of medical expensese. Dental expenses have cost us over $4000 in cash this year and the Crohn's has been $5000. I don't know if I'll have the money to buy any of my drugs next month, but I will the month after that. I chose to spend the money on the kids teeth knowing that I might come up short for my own meds. Kids come first. Who knows what will happen next month.

And I'll tell you what else, if it's not too impolitic to bring it up on this board. I have a tremendous amount of anxiety about what the future holds in terms of health insurance because of all the national politics going on right now. I feel like I'm in a very vulnerable position both medically and financially to start having to pay more taxes on my "cadillac plan" because I "consume too many medical services" or to be forced into a different kind of coverage that leaves us picking up more of the tab than we already are.

 

[Guest1]

Oh hun, I'm so sorry!
Some people are really inconsiderate and don't care at all.
Have you tried calling your insurance company to see if they can help you out?

I actually haven't -- I wonder what they could do? It'd be worth a shot, I suppose! Blah, so annoying!

 

[Guest1]

Wow, CD, that left me speechless! How infuriating...

 

[CD68]

Is your colonoscopy routine or does your GI want to take a peek because of something special going on?

How's the drought treating y'all down there? I had to get up in dark early morning hours to let my dog out and and when I opened the door it felt like a convection oven outside. Yikes. AC ran 17 hours yesterday...had to get a brand new system about a month ago. Between that and my medical bills I alone will bring the entire world out of a recession. You watch.

 

[Guest1]

It'll be my first colonoscopy (I haven't been officially diagnosed, but have a lot of symptoms), so doc just wants to see what's going on in there.

Oh, the drought is horrrrrrrrrrrible. I feel you on it feeling like a convection oven outside. Every time I open my back sliding door, a heat wave takes over my entire kitchen. We just switched electric companies and I'm anxiously awaiting to see our bill and hope to see an improvement. We're use to $450 electric bills here.

Anyone know how to do an indian rain dance? We could use it here in Texas really badly right about now, thankyouverymuch!

 

[misscris]

Hey Vanessa ... I'd send you my rain, being from Seattle and all, but even I'm not getting it at the moment. Ok ... who stole the rain?

 

[cheeky]

sorry to hear about your troubles vshirey... unexpected medical bills are no fun.

you need to move to Canada!

 

[prettykitty]

Hey Vanessa ... I'd send you my rain, being from Seattle and all, but even I'm not getting it at the moment. Ok ... who stole the rain?

We stole it in Atlanta!

V -- I'm sorry about the whole insurance/insensitive receptionist business. That sucks!