Hello: I am not sure if I am doing this correctly or not but I will try to convey my message that I left using the Ameritox thread a couple of days ago by starting a new thread. I would like to hear from someone regarding their experiences with drug screening companies and how you have handled the costs, etc. I want to be sure that I do not offend the administrator in any way or break any rules by name calling so I will not do that. The company Ameritox was already used and threads replied to, so I felt at ease by leaving my experience with them. Since I am new to the board, I will introduce myself, Brenda, and I am a chronic back-pain patient having gone through two back surgeries and left with permanent nerve damage and live with chronic pain on a daily basis - hence, my reason for having a pain management doctor.
Here is a copy of what I left the other day:
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: GA
Posts: 2 Re: Ameritox drug screening
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I am new here on the health boards and I must tell you all that you have not seen anything yet. I was billed a whopping $1,500.00 by Ameritox after what my PM doctor was paid. I was told by my PM doctor's office that I should not have to pay it - Ameritox filed a claim on my insurance twice and got the same response from them - unnecessary charges - claim denied. I cannot pay this and am being billed for the full amount, $1,500.00. And, this was my first drug screening which took place in November,2008 - I was drug screened again last week which was not but about 5 months from the first one, so I am looking for the same thing - another bill. I do not know what to do. I too received a financial aid document to fill out which is a joke - it still leaves the patient owning most of the bill. I was told by my PM doctor's office that this was not the Dr.'s screening, but a screening that is done by Ameritox for their own records, etc. One of the ladies who handles my Pm doctor's insurance filing, etc. told me NOT to pay it. Should I just ignore the bill? Will they turn it over to a collection agency? I am so concerned about this. Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
I would love to hear from some of you regarding my post.
Personally I have never had this problem before, I can only tell you what I would do. First of all I would not pay it, I would send a certified letter stating that you are not responsible for the bill and you are disputing it. They can turn you over to a collection agency, I would continue disputing it. They can take you to civil court, but I would dispute it there. Personally I think you would win. Just hang in there and I wish you good luck.
They could try to take you to collections, so while I would not pay it either, I would not just ignore it. Getting this taken off your credit report can be a pain in the butt. If they decided to run this additional test "for their own reasons," you are absolutely not responsible for that. The only thing they should be paid for is what your doctor ordered, period. If they did the basic screen your doctor ordered and insurance paid for that, whatever else they decide to do with their time and money (and your urine) is their own problem. They can't sneak in some extra tests and then expect you to pay for it.
What troubles me is that your doctor's office has chosen to contract with this company. I would consider making a plea to the clinic manager or whomever is in charge of these contract and explain to them that the company they have chosen for drug screens is causing severe financial harm to their patients. Gather as much information as you can. If you speak with someone on the phone, document your conversations carefully. Write down the name of the person you talk to. I like to use written communication in these types of situations because you have a record of what the company says.
I am very interested in hearing how this goes for you. I wish you good luck.
I was told by my PM doctor's office that this was not the Dr.'s screening, but a screening that is done by Ameritox for their own records, etc. One of the ladies who handles my Pm doctor's insurance filing, etc. told me NOT to pay it. Should I just ignore the bill? Will they turn it over to a collection agency? I am so concerned about this. Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
I would love to hear from some of you regarding my post.
Can I ask what you mean when you say that this isn't a screen that the doctor ordered, but a screen for their own personal records? Did Ameritox do two screens? One for the doctor, and then another screen for themselves? If so, then why would they do that, and if again they did choose to do a second simply for their own records, then you DID NOT authorize that second screening, therefore it's on them to eat the cost.
I totally agree that you should write and send a dispute and make sure to mail it certified as well as return receipt requested. Keep a copy of the dispute as well as the receipt from the post office and the green slip you will get back when Ameritox signs for the letter. This way, if they turn you over to collections, you have proof in black and white that you dispute this bill. You can then do the same with a collection agency, and be sure to send them copies of the dispute, receipts & green slip from when you sent it to Ameritox.
You have a legitimate and valid dispute here if Ameritox is double billing your insurance or doing screenings that you did not authorize or even know about.
I appreciate everyone's responses and will do exactly what you all have suggeted - dispute it. Yes, they did in fact double bill my insurance company. My Pm doctor's claim that month was $1,250.00 (or something like that when he normally charges around $180.00) and my insurance company paid everybit of it with the exception of my co-pay. When I questioned the lady in billing about my PM doctor's large increase in his bill that month, she stated that it was for the tox screen! So he was paid for it. Then Ameritox submits another claim for the $1,500.00 for the more 'extensive screening' which I was not aware of. I do not care if my PM doctor wants to do a drug test every other month or so - I take my medications correctly and he knows very well what I take from my GP - he was given a written report of what my regular doctor gives me - such as cholesterol medication, lyrica, diazepam, and tamezapam for sleep plus a medication for high blood pressure. (I am on several medications, but no pain medication except from my PM doctor). I am going today to fax another memo to my doctor's office and copy it to Ameritox to let them know that they need not bill me again for this amount of money as I cannot pay it.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I will keep everyone abreast of what is going on with this.
Hello: I am not sure if I am doing this correctly or not but I will try to convey my message that I left using the Ameritox thread a couple of days ago by starting a new thread. I would like to hear from someone regarding their experiences with drug screening companies and how you have handled the costs, etc. I want to be sure that I do not offend the administrator in any way or break any rules by name calling so I will not do that. The company Ameritox was already used and threads replied to, so I felt at ease by leaving my experience with them. Since I am new to the board, I will introduce myself, Brenda, and I am a chronic back-pain patient having gone through two back surgeries and left with permanent nerve damage and live with chronic pain on a daily basis - hence, my reason for having a pain management doctor.
Here is a copy of what I left the other day:
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: GA
Posts: 2 Re: Ameritox drug screening
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am new here on the health boards and I must tell you all that you have not seen anything yet. I was billed a whopping $1,500.00 by Ameritox after what my PM doctor was paid. I was told by my PM doctor's office that I should not have to pay it - Ameritox filed a claim on my insurance twice and got the same response from them - unnecessary charges - claim denied. I cannot pay this and am being billed for the full amount, $1,500.00. And, this was my first drug screening which took place in November,2008 - I was drug screened again last week which was not but about 5 months from the first one, so I am looking for the same thing - another bill. I do not know what to do. I too received a financial aid document to fill out which is a joke - it still leaves the patient owning most of the bill. I was told by my PM doctor's office that this was not the Dr.'s screening, but a screening that is done by Ameritox for their own records, etc. One of the ladies who handles my Pm doctor's insurance filing, etc. told me NOT to pay it. Should I just ignore the bill? Will they turn it over to a collection agency? I am so concerned about this. Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
I would love to hear from some of you regarding my post.
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