Is this negotiable?? Medical bill question

[riverwed070707]

So it is not my intent to be insulting to anyone on the forum, especially those who may receive questions like this daily (not naming names ) but DH had a procedure done last month and I'm just wondering if we have any flexibility here. We have a high-deductible plan. He had to see his general doc to get a referral to a specialist - he forgot to tell the doc it was also an annual check up so he basically went in to just have a conversation and because it wasn't preventative med, it cost $100. Then he went to the specialist. Got the bill for that today and we were charged $1128 for the procedure and another $122 for a "new office exam". Now I understand that he was a new patient to this clinic but since he had to get an exam to see the specialist in the first place it seems quite ridiculous that he has to pay another new patient fee to get the procedure. This all took place in one visit and took a total of about 30 minutes. I'm not debating the cost of the procedure (although everything i read in advance indicated it would be much less!!) but can we call to negotiate the new patient fee?? Since we have a $4k deductible and will definitely not meet it this year, this is all OOP. Feeling a little queezy over how much it ended up costing This is pretty much going to wipe out half our HSA that took 4 years to build.

[MonkeyMama]

Sounds like one of those things that never hurts to ask.

I've gotten refunds in somewhat similar situations.

I think as a rule, most medical bills are questionable (in just that first billings are prone to errors). Always good to look through it and ask questions.

[DRILLINDK]

It never hearts to ask, but usually I decline to remove exams from bills. Although, I spend a fair amount of my time talking with and examining my patients. If you feel that your physician didn't spend enough time with your husband to justify the new patient exam fee, then I could see asking to have it removed. But a 30min new patient exam of doctor time seems fairly reasonable.

[riverwed070707]

It never hearts to ask, but usually I decline to remove exams from bills. Although, I spend a fair amount of my time talking with and examining my patients. If you feel that your physician didn't spend enough time with your husband to justify the new patient exam fee, then I could see asking to have it removed. But a 30min new patient exam of doctor time seems fairly reasonable.

30 minutes is certainly a reasonable exam time. This was 30 minutes for the procedure and an exam that supposedly happened during that same time span, not an exam and then the procedure. He was at the office (including lobby wait time) for 30 minutes. Seems to me that if a referral is required, the exam should have happened with the referring doc, no?

[wolfy]

30 minutes is certainly a reasonable exam time. This was 30 minutes for the procedure and an exam that supposedly happened during that same time span, not an exam and then the procedure. He was at the office (including lobby wait time) for 30 minutes. Seems to me that if a referral is required, the exam should have happened with the referring doc, no?

The new exam fee is reasonable. While the referring doctor knows your husband the new doctor does not. Did the referring doctor submit the medical records and all pertinent information to the specialist. My past experience has been that the referring doctor just sends a piece of paper that says patient needs to have procedure done and nothing else. The new doctor needs to know more info about your husband then just a name and what needs to be done. Like you said your husband was a new patient to this particular clinic. It doesn't hurt to ask though, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Good Luck.

[riverwed070707]

Actually the referring doc didn't know my DH either. It was his first time there. No testing or anything required and no records needed to be submitted. Because the two offices are part of the same health network, he didn't even have any forms to fill out because he was already in the system. I guess I'll go with the "it doesn't hurt to ask" mentality and give them a call on Monday.

[thesimplemoneyblog]

Best of luck in trying to get some of the costs reduced. It definitely doesn't hurt to ask. Also, some doctors offer cash discounts if you pay via cash instead of credit card. Just one less thing for them to have to deal with, and it can save you some extra money.