5226 Dollars for a Bloodtest

Let me start by saying i am not defending anyone here i am just giving a little explanation after dealing with the health care system myself.

The hospitals and Dr offices charge very high fees for these services because the insurance companies make them contract for a certain percentage and in order for them to get any money they have to jack up the prices they charge so the insurance companies will pay them adecent price for the services. It is horrible and that is one of the main reasons for all the problems in the health care system right now.

I work in HR and I always tell my employees and anyone else I can, to be as informed as possible when it comes to going to the dr and insurance. When your Dr wants you to do tests always get pricing before hand and check with your insurance on coverage amounts. A lot of times Dr.'s and labs significantly reduce the price if you pay out of pocket versus insurance and this could be cheaper for you in the long run. It takes them forever to be paid by insurance companies so they are more willing to work with you rather than the insurance companies.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

that seems unreasonable. I think it won't hurt to ask. Maybe they did something wrong. The coding or typing ?? who knows...

I agree. These test costs are outrageous!
The last set I agreed to cost me over $700 out of pocket!
You can call the hospital billing office and negotiate a discount if you can pay the new amount in full.

The cost for that blood test seems outrageously high, even in the midst of exorbitant health care costs. Have you spoken to your insurance company about the "reasonable & customary" charges that they "allow" a health care facility to charge? I know that my insurance company implements this policy so that health care providers, labs, hospitals cannot gouge us with high fees. Also, the few times my family had to go to an emergency room and had lab tests, STAT, my insurance company denied the charge of the "Pathologist reading the test" because, they say (and it is true), there are NO Pathologist present who has to interpret the printout of the results when it is a STAT test because, the Dr., who is presently overseeing the patient, is the one who interprets it, on the spot, and you are already getting charged for their consultation.

Yes, I would be upset, too, and I think, before you pay that bill, do some googling on the "reasonable and customary" charges that are generally charged for your particular tests. Then....talk to your insurance company to, either make sure this blood test was taken at a facility that falls under your health care plan... and if the charges are reasonable or if there was supposed to be any write-off that the the blood-testing facility/lab was supposed to apply. Then, call the facility. See if they can do anything, if the cost is still exorbitant. Good to be proactive in situations like this. Who knows, if you get the right person...they may just reduce or write-off your costs if you explain what has happened. Good luck.

Sorry to hear that. I dont know how old your son is or his health concerns but its odd (unless there is a concern for a pathology) to do a cholesterol test and testonteron test. Perhaps you are being mistreated by your primary care and should seek other options.

Mama C, I feel your pain! I truly do! I am still paying off medical bills from 10 years ago. Not because I refused to pay for them but because of several reasons.... the INSANE cost of medical care, having to be seen by numerous Drs for the same problem but them refusing to treat unless they share my dollar with 3 other Drs before they treat, unwarranted blood tests and medications etc.... I can go on and on here!

Our latest is 1 vaccine for our daughter when she was around 12 mnths old or so. We were not told that our Well Baby through our health insurance company was maxed out and she had no coverage for this again until she is 2yrs old then... the Dr did the shot and then billed us $800!!!!!!! YEP- That is $800 for ONE shot!!!! The same shot had I known I was maxed out from billing errors I could have had done for free at the health dept. Now had the Drs office billed our insurance correctly the prior 12 months for appts I would have had that covered but there is no fixing it- I have tried for months now! So that is $800 out of pocket for me! It is freakin insane!

We also just got sued from a hospital for not paying our bills in a timely manner.... but when you have 15 places all trying to get $ from you the dollar only stretches so far! The hospital also opens a new acct each visit. So for my sons accident, my daughters birth and being in NICU, then my son breaking his leg and what have you- each one is a new acct... so that is $20 for each acct I have open there. We have been paying everyone $20 or so a month until it goes to collections- YES even if you are paying they can still send it to collections so be careful there! Most Drs offices will work with you though but the hospitals want to charge interest and do this or that and .....

So here I am with about $10,000 or more in medical debt! I have a daughter who has a rare disease (Mastocytosis) and has been in the hospital many times for this and it has gotten to the point where my hubby and I are starting to neglect our healthcare because we can not afford it! I had a procedure done earlier this year for my heart and have not been able to follow up with further testing because of the cost.

I am also a SAHM, I really have no choice because of my daughters needs or I would work. My hubby works 2 jobs making decent money, we live in a tiny house and we have downsized our vehicles and actually only have one now and have gotten rid of most unneccesary bills besides the internet. We do not live beyond our means in the least and we are not making it month to month.... so I know what you mean exactly!

I am sorry you are going through this. Try to call the Drs office and see if they can reduce it even more. Of course it is probably the lab that is charging you that so you may have to call them. A lot of times they will reduce it if you can pay for it all at once- hopefully this is an option for you!

Thank you for starting this post and giving me the chance to vent also! Just know that you are not alone and as for what these people are thinking---- I just have no idea!

Blessings to you and yours and I hope all goes well with your sons test!
- T.

"Spots Are Beautiful"
Support Understanding and Research of Pediatric Mastocytosis
www.mastokids.org

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! That sounds way outgrageous. My son's hospital stay (1 day) was about the same. Maybe you should call and look into that it doesn't sound right. Good luck and I hope your bill was a typo!