Medical billing question?
Haine asked:
I visited a doctor and was told that my bill was $65.00 This happened around March. I paid it full. I got a bill in the mail this week saying that the procedure, which I was told was 65 and paid it full, is now 101.53, and I still need to pay 36.53 dollars more. Is this fraud? Can they really do this?
$65.00 only covers the office visit not any procedures that they do while you are there. Yes you still need to pay the difference.
melody r
30 Dec 08 at 7:50 pm
Many offices charge a general fee for the doctor to see each [cash-paying] patient. This just assures that you are seen. The billing department doesn’t know the exact charges for the day until the doctor turns in the marked superbill (checklist of procedures and charges).
If I were you, I would grab my bill and the call the office to ask what they charge for the procedure listed in ink. Don’t mention your name, account, or any identifying info. Just say you are inquiring as a prospective patient.
MsMiss
1 Jan 09 at 8:44 am
Most medical offices follow a Medicare-accepted method of billing which includes having specific procedural codes for every aspect of the services a patient receives. It is possible you paid for the procedure but there may have been some late entries that could have included tests or supplies or other professional services associated with your procedure. You should be able to call the doctor’s office–no need to play games and not tell them who you are–and explain your situation and ask them to break down the bill by its procedural codes. Then ask what each code translates to and what the specific charges are for each code. There are often outside billing offices handling the billing for many different doctors’ offices and it is common for some charges to be posted later than others. The doctor’s office or the billing office should be able to explain the details to your satisfaction.
Yo' Mama
2 Jan 09 at 10:32 pm
Its not fraud.
I’d request an itemized copy of the bill, if you haven’t already received one. Most likely, the $65 was the charge for the office visit itself.
Anything else would be an additional charge – for example, lab work, an x-ray, an immunization, etc. Did you have a blood draw or give a urine sample while at your doctor’s visit? If so, the extra charges would likely relate to that.
Definitely review the itemized bill to put your mind at ease though.
sls314
4 Jan 09 at 11:44 am
You need to ask for an itemized statement of charges for that visit.
The $65 may have been your office visit copayment. If the doctor did any tests or provided any other services, there may have been additional charges that aren’t included in the copay.
Ask the billing office to explain the situation to you. That’s the only way you’ll know for sure.
Christie
7 Jan 09 at 2:21 pm