Here's A Good one For Y'all

[1STMP]

My primary care physician has notified
his patients as to his planned
retirement, leaving said to find
replacements.
I made a call to to a local provider and
they agreed to an initial consultation
that day.
After filling out the usual forms of
transferable info, the doc called the
appointment. After 20 minutes the
interview was complete. His
intention to do a complete physical
upon my first scheduled appointment
a month from date.
A week later.....
A bill shows up in the mail from my
proposed provider (I haven't made my
mind up at this point, as to our patient/
doctor compatibility) for $355.00
bucks. "New patient office or other
outpatient visit."
I'M NOT A NEW PATIENT YET!
I was not notified that this initial
consultation would be chargeable.
Am I that nieve? I could have visited
at least three different offices that day,
to the tune of at least $1,065.00
bucks?
I'm at a loss here as I've never been
late on the paying of ANY bill due
for the last 50 years. My credit rating
is impeccable at 755±....how would
you proceed?
My initial inclination is to tell them
to stick that bill in a proverbial
location.
P.S.
I have the means to pay the bill.
The institution has received
Medicare's contribution.

 

[toolmanmike]

I would certainly talk to them about it. If they charged Medicare it's because they could. You may have to get a lawyer involved.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I’d go back to the office and chew their *** out. Of course, you’ll probably receive anther bill for their time involved.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Pay your bill, don’t let it ruin your credit, don’t go back.

 

[toolmanmike]

My primary care physician has notified
his patients as to his planned
retirement, leaving said to find
replacements.
I made a call to to a local provider and
they agreed to an initial consultation
that day.
After filling out the usual forms of
transferable info, the doc called the
appointment. After 20 minutes the
interview was complete. His
intention to do a complete physical
upon my first scheduled appointment
a month from date.
A week later.....
A bill shows up in the mail from my
proposed provider (I haven't made my
mind up at this point, as to our patient/
doctor compatibility) for $355.00
bucks. "New patient office or other
outpatient visit."
I'M NOT A NEW PATIENT YET!
I was not notified that this initial
consultation would be chargeable.
Am I that nieve? I could have visited
at least three different offices that day,
to the tune of at least $1,065.00
bucks?
I'm at a loss here as I've never been
late on the paying of ANY bill due
for the last 50 years. My credit rating
is impeccable at 755±....how would
you proceed?
My initial inclination is to tell them
to stick that bill in a proverbial
location.
P.S.
I have the means to pay the bill.
The institution has received
Medicare's contribution.

False Claim's Act?

 

[67 Mopar]

I could understand $35.00 for an initial consultation, but $355.00!
Give them a call first to see what gives, perhaps it was billing error, or other mitigating factor.
If this isn't a mistake or a typo, then I would talk to the folks at Medicare. If you have Medicare, an office visit shouldn't cost $355
Myself, I tend to ask questions beforehand, to help avoid any possible misunderstandings in the future. Even then, however, things can still go south on occasion and require you to waste hours of your time on the phone.

 

[68gtxman]

This is the way we’ve turned our medical providers into = money producing machines for the system. I needed a medical sign off for my local scuba diving shop (he claimed his insurance provider required it). I called my doctor’s office and they said I needed to come down to fill out the forms. I went down and they charged me $275 for the doc to briefly look at my file and sign the form that I filled out. I was outraged. The office said they couldn’t do anything about it because the practice was purchased by a large medical group (Virtua) and this was their policy. Virtua bought nearly all of the private doc practitioners throughout south Jersey. This is a sign of the times I’m afraid @1STMP . Pay the bill and keep your credit score intact.

 

[hdwrench]

i would call and complain of the outrageous amount for a consultation. ask for a reasonable reduction . i would pay a reasonable fee but not that much . if they insist i would then send then a few dollars a month skipping occasionally so they would have to take the time and money to send nasty grams . ask if you choose them to be your doctor would a physical would be affordable, perhaps under a thousand dollars , then giggle a bit ….i would also complain to your medical provider.

 

[Detective D]

Pay the bill, or pay a lawyer, but odds are if you signed papers some clause in there somewhere said this was fine.
You can go back just to chew them out but the people sitting at the desk at front have nothing to do with this. Would have to ask for billing on the phone, and ask for the person in charge.
Calling medicare might be the best arbitration tool at your disposal, the clinic is not going to argue with their decision.

Inflation is not going to leave the medical care out. I am middle aged, my insurance contribution for employer insurance is going up 35% this year. Most "need this to live" things have doubled in price in the last 2 years. Doctors are owned by CEO's now, they usually don't get a lot of say in this either.
2026 mid terms, and especially 2028 election will see medical costs circle back as one of the three biggest platform topics because people are going to be "too poor to live" in short order as this continues.
This is all going to get a lot worse, it is the modern day after all.

 

[5.7 hemi]

My son was referred to another dentist for a root canal. So they sent all the records to this new dentist and on the scheduled date we arrive. They do X-rays and chit chat for a bit. Then I was told we’d need to come back 2 weeks to have the root canal done. That pissed me off! I said to the doc, you have my sons records, you did X-rays and now he can’t get this done for 2 weeks………I was under the impression he was getting it done today according to the other dentist.

So I paid my share $105 for the X-rays and “consultation”, then when my son came back 2 weeks later, I paid another $325 (my share” and now that my son is going back to his regular dentist for a crown, my cost share is $722.

We didn’t need a consultation from dentist #2, just needed the root canal done, but it’s a very lucrative way for dentist’s to get some more money from you and your insurance.

 

[SlingLow]

If they can bill you without your prior knowledge and consent, then I would bill them $455 for your time. Explain to them this is standard procedure in your world. They owe you $100.

 

[Davefinan]

I’m surprised Medicare didn’t reject that claim

 

[not so famous bob]

most are in it for the $$ nowadays ...JUST LIKE MOST OF OUR POLITItions

 

[1STMP]

I’m surprised Medicare didn’t reject that claim

So am I as there was no medical
service performed.
Don't talk to your doc should you
greet him in a public place. He may
send you a bill for his time./s

 

[1STMP]

I called Medicare today with questions
about the charges on the bill.
It seems they're legit as the ability to
charge a physicians time stems from
the days of Covid lockdowns gone by.
During the "pandemic" many medical
procedures and approved
recommend treatments were advised
over the phone or websites of
providers. The regulations are state
driven, and NM is one of the states
that has not yet dropped this practice.
When I brought up the fact that I
showed up in person at the docs
office, there was dead silence on
the other end of the phone. Then
a reply - "There's no way for us to tell
from charges submitted from the
medical entity, wether [you] actually
attended an in person consultation."
I asked then about reimbursement.
"Medicare has approved the charges,,
[you] are responsible for the
remainder"
I headed into this endeavor knowing
I wouldn't get far.....

 

[F4R/T]

Greed has ruined everything. To help people isn’t acceptable, to screw everyone along the was is the modern way. It also seems the folks that work pay more than others for everything.

 

[YY1]

When my wife was in for a gall bladder removal, several doctors that were IMO completely unrelated to the procedure...came in while she was unconscious or semi-conscious to "check on her" and each billed for their unrequested services at about the same $200-$350 per "hour" one hour minimum.

She said she remembers one of them literally sticking his head through the open door, and saying something she couldn't make out, then leaving....yep, got a bill for that.

...and because the respiratory specialist filled out the paperwork in an odd way, she now has a "suspected history" of COPD.

...from an unrequested consultation for an unrelated procedure.