Doctor's making you pay upfront?

[Jessica4Bama]

I had to go back to the dermatologist today to get more tissue removed around a mole that came back abnormal. A lady from the office called me last week and said my cost would be around $250 after what my insurance doesn't pay. I said okay. I didn't ask if they billed me or not. I just assumed such so I didn't bring a check to pay with. I went to checkout and the lady said I owed such and such amount. I said I didn't come prepared will you not bill me because it will be paid for through our company? The younger lady asked the older lady, and the older lady said did you not get a phone call explaining the charges you would owe. I said not from the insurance company, but I did through this office. I said have you already billed my insurance? She said no, but we know this is the amount they won't pay. I said well it's paid for through our company so she told the younger lady to bill the insurance. The younger lady got kinda ....ed about that or so it seemed to me.

So this is my first time dealing with anything like this. All the other doctor's I've been to always file on the insurance then send a bill if they don't pay everything. When did this change?

 

[Tide1986]

I had an endodontist a few years ago collect the entire fee up front. For most other doctors these days, they all at least collect the copay up front before providing services.

 

[seebell]

My docs bill me. Seems like a dermatologist wanted payment at the end of my visit one time a while ago. Waited for like two hours then after a five minute consult she wanted $300. We changed.

 

[OreBama]

My old doctor was fair. I pulled out my cash and he waved around the prescription and we exchanged at the same time.

 

[Jessica4Bama]

I always have to pay a copay up front, and I did just that last month when I had my regular check-up. I guess this is considered a "surgery" so I didn't have a copay today. That's just strange. I never had that happen even when I had an expensive MRI done last month as well.

 

[Catfish]

My old doctor was fair. I pulled out my cash and he waved around the prescription and we exchanged at the same time.

Tough but fair.

 

[Vinny]

I'm under my wife's medical plan which is self insured, however the company I work for, their medical benefits are retarded. Not only do they have a copay, but they also get a bill on the back end weeks later. Yikes.


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[cuda.1973]

If you have conventional insurance, it works about the same way as you have encountered.

If you have O'DumboCare..................you pay 100%, up front. Up to you to get reimbursed. If you do, at all. (Ridiculous deductible.)

 

[bamachile]

My doctor charges up front - $10 per quart

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I had to pay for my MRI and my surgery before they would even do it. I had to borrow the money because it was a lot. I even asked if they could just bill me and they said no. They did offer that I could pay 1/3 of it (which was still a lot). My guess is doctors and hospitals have so many people flake on their bills they are tired of it and now make people pay most if not all upfront.

 

[seebell]

If you have conventional insurance, it works about the same way as you have encountered.

If you have O'DumboCare..................you pay 100%, up front. Up to you to get reimbursed. If you do, at all. (Ridiculous deductible.)

That hasn't been the case with me at all 'cuda!

But then I don't live in the same world you do.

 

[Bazza]

Haven't been to a doctor in a couple years. Last time was a walk-in clinic where I picked up a Z-Pac for some bronchitis I couldn't shake. I actually talked the doctor into giving me a script for 2 Z-Pacs so I wouldn't have to come back just to renew the script. And it turned out, I did need the second Z-Pac, but finally did shake the bronchitis.

I don't have a regular doctor and have been (knock on wood) very healthy all my life, outside of the normal wear and tear injuries a landscaper gets...cuts and bruises and the occasional muscle ache and sprain.

I will be eligible for Medicare in about 2.5 years and depending on how our system is set up at that time, will sign up with Humana for one of their plans that will cover anything needed. My friend Hardy - a die-hard Bama alum - and in his early 70's - said he has Humana and they are great. They use your Medicare money so you just deal directly with them....easy peasy....

 

[Jessica4Bama]

Then I went to fill my prescription. The dr wrote one prescription with two Meds on it. One an antibiotic the other a pain med. I told them to just put the pain med on hold and I would fill it if I needed it. I went back to pick it up and they had filled it. I said I didn't want it that it would just be wasted. She looked strangely at me and said it's $5.07. I said I don't want it. Well we can't hold it. I said that's fine, but I don't want it it will be wasted. I said I'll take ibuprofen if I need something. The pharmacist said something about all the laws they have out now, but since it was written together on one prescription they couldn't hold it. I understand that, and those things make me feel like crap. No thanks. The nurse said now if you take it you can't drive for six hours. Haha. I said okay. I'm not going to take them.

I got got a good chuckle out of that when I left.

 

[Go Bama]

Then I went to fill my prescription. The dr wrote one prescription with two Meds on it. One an antibiotic the other a pain med. I told them to just put the pain med on hold and I would fill it if I needed it. I went back to pick it up and they had filled it. I said I didn't want it that it would just be wasted. She looked strangely at me and said it's $5.07. I said I don't want it. Well we can't hold it. I said that's fine, but I don't want it it will be wasted. I said I'll take ibuprofen if I need something. The pharmacist said something about all the laws they have out now, but since it was written together on one prescription they couldn't hold it. I understand that, and those things make me feel like crap. No thanks. The nurse said now if you take it you can't drive for six hours. Haha. I said okay. I'm not going to take them.

I got got a good chuckle out of that when I left.

I sit on the other side of this coin.

I rarely write two Rx's on one sheet but when I do it's because I suspect the patient wants the pain meds only. OFTEN when I do that, the pharmacy will call and say the patient only wants the pain meds and not the antibiotic. In your case, you can tell you provider you want the pain Rx on a separate sheet and you will get it filled if you need it. The problem is that now doctors can no longer call in hydrocodone Rx's for patients even when they need them. They must have the written Rx so if you were to refuse the pain Rx at the surgeon's office, you would not have anything if you needed it.

Pain tolerance from one individual to the next varies tremendously.

In my office we ask patients to pay the estimated amount that insurance will not cover. If you don't, you will lose a very large percent. Patients have a tendency to think "my insurance covers everything. If it didn't pay, you guys did something wrong."

 

[Bubbaloo]

People just don't realize how often health care providers get stiffed by the patient and/or insurance, medicaid or medicare.

Some people would squeal if their pay check was a day late, yet expect Dr.s et al to wait for weeks or months for payment.

 

[Jessica4Bama]

People just don't realize how often health care providers get stiffed by the patient and/or insurance, medicaid or medicare.

Some people would squeal if their pay check was a day late, yet expect Dr.s et al to wait for weeks or months for payment.

Oh I agree. I'm sure the providers don't like it. I know I wouldn't. I have to deal with that at our business because we get a lot of purchase orders. It can get frustrating. But how do they know what the insurance will pay and won't pay? My mother has a credit at the same doctor because they overcharged her when she went, but the insurance paid more than they thought.

 

[cuda.1973]

That hasn't been the case with me at all 'cuda!

But then I don't live in the same world you do.

True. I have buddies, up north, who think I make that up. They claim O'DumboCare pays for EVERYTHING. (Never thought to ask them how they actually know that, as I suspect it will be "well, a buddy of mine had this operation, and..................")

No, sorry, it is the truth.

As I have said before: If I scare you, stay out of Texas. I am fairly tame, compared to a lot of folks that I know. (Mainly because I am sick so much of the time.)

 

[seebell]

Ain't going to Texas as long as you there Cuda!!:eek2: :biggrin: Don't you be coming to Maysville either Bub!

My Doctor emails prescriptions straight to the drugstore. Not sure about pain meds but I know you have to pick them up in person. Paperless office.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Haven't been to a doctor in a couple years. Last time was a walk-in clinic where I picked up a Z-Pac for some bronchitis I couldn't shake. I actually talked the doctor into giving me a script for 2 Z-Pacs so I wouldn't have to come back just to renew the script. And it turned out, I did need the second Z-Pac, but finally did shake the bronchitis.

I don't have a regular doctor and have been (knock on wood) very healthy all my life, outside of the normal wear and tear injuries a landscaper gets...cuts and bruises and the occasional muscle ache and sprain.

I will be eligible for Medicare in about 2.5 years and depending on how our system is set up at that time, will sign up with Humana for one of their plans that will cover anything needed. My friend Hardy - a die-hard Bama alum - and in his early 70's - said he has Humana and they are great. They use your Medicare money so you just deal directly with them....easy peasy....

I had them for several years and I wasn't happy at all. I can't go into detail now, but I will later - gotta go see my doc...