Over $5K for Blood Work!?

[dmbarnha2]

Progenity

An EOB is just an explanation of benefits, once Progenity gets that, they start the appeal process to get the rest covered, at most you will ever be out of pocket is $145 (per 2014 rules)

[Leo]

I remember few years back I had a small fever, hospital is walking distance and I went to the Emergency Room directly since its closer than the front door. The doctor and nurse talk to me, did a simple check up and stuff, and after couple test, they sent me home. The bill is around $6,000. I was pretty mad. My insurance paid for 66% and I had to pay third of the bill. So yeah lesson learned, don't go to ER unless you need to and always call insurance on how much would you pay.

[FrugalFish]

Glad you got things straightened out, but here is my gripe with your situation (because I've been down this road myself).

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease. Both parents must be positive for the defective gene in order for there to be any risk to the child. If you already have an 18 mo old, I'm guessing your wife was tested last time and it wasn't an issue- so why test on subsequent PG? It's a waste of time and money- her status would not change.

I am a CF carrier, and learning that while PG with DD was stressful. DH was then tested, came up negative, which meant there was very little chance that DD would be affected. (Interesting side note: CF is generally seen in people of certain European descent, so if DH had been the PG woman in our relationship, CF testing would never have been done- but that we learned after the fact).

Anyway, the second time I was PG (which ended in MC), the same medical service providers tried to force me to have CF test. I told them the known results for myself and DH (even had the paperwork), and insisted to know why we needed to repeat a medical test for a known result that would not change. They were difficult with me and tried to insist we do it again. In the end I won out, but where is the interest here? Making money off a pointless test? Okay, vent over.

[youngblud]

Take a vacation to Asia st Luke's Philippines!

An incredibly comprehensive and tailored physical is aroung $350.
Full blood work, ultrasounds, xrays, spirometry, ekg, stress tests, urine, stool tests and a dozen others I'm forgetting. It's like a hotel where a pretty nurse guides you to each procedure.


The summary they give and battery of tests are state of the art.

We fly back here annually just for that.

[disneysteve]

Take a vacation to Asia st Luke's Philippines!

An incredibly comprehensive and tailored physical is aroung $350.
Full blood work, ultrasounds, xrays, spirometry, ekg, stress tests, urine, stool tests and a dozen others I'm forgetting. It's like a hotel where a pretty nurse guides you to each procedure.


The summary they give and battery of tests are state of the art.

We fly back here annually just for that.

Medical tourism is a booming business. I know someone who just had surgery in the Dominican Republic last week for this very reason. Her procedure, everything included, cost her $2,000. The same procedure here in the US probably would have been 7-10 times that amount. The facilities are beautiful, state of the art centers with largely US-trained doctors who are probably living like kings there. My partner and I were just talking about it yesterday. Let's say of the $2,000 fee, the doctor keeps only $500. If he can do that procedure 4 times a day, 5 days a week, 46 weeks a year, that's a gross annual income of $460,000. That would be a very nice salary here but in Dominica where the cost of living is miniscule compared to the US, it would be huge!

I think we're going to see more and more of this as the healthcare system deteriorates in this country.

[Gailete]

I think I would be worried about the competency of the doctors for very specialized surgery, like corneal replacements on eyes that previously had it done and are now scared, etc. My hubby saw a specialist about a month ago and she said he needed his corneas replaced which he assumed he would need due to the corneal lattice dystrophy that runs through his family. Then he sees a doctor this week who wants to try a different approach. It is hard enough to decide what to do and try here in the states where you can easily go home and think about what approach to take. I guess I can't image flying somewhere to a foreign country and then hoping they would know what they are doing and you had made the correct choice in what you are having done, although basic surgeries I would suppose they are competent enough.