I received a bill for $1100 for a UA I had in August. I think I'm responsible for paying it. Is this normal? It was originally $1600, my insurance paid $500. I'm kind of upset because I had another test at my last appointment in December. My insurance changed last June. Since starting PM in March, I've had 3 UA's and I really don't feel like paying $1100 4 times a year. Have a appointment today for meds for my upcoming major foot/ankle surgery and I will talk to my Doctor but...... Wow!
Or check the EOB they should have sent you, or online.
On my BCBS, depending upon what was tested, where tested and by whom (in network?) I might actually owe $0, or 30% of the balance, or $150 plus 30% of balance.
If your test was out of network and insurance says the balance is between you and the tester, negotiate with the Biller. They will usually happily settle for much less that retail balanceof $1,100
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C3-C7
Severe DDD, Severe neural foraminal stenosis at 2 levels, moderate canal stenosis at 2 levels, significantly impaired left shoulder & arm function. Chronic moderate compression fracture at C6.
I've been in PM for 20+ years and I've never paid any out-of-pocket for a UA. Definitely do some checking but if you have to cover that much of the bill 4x a year, that's just crazy. Maybe you can have your doctor (or you, if you have any input) direct you to an in-network provider. You should be able to seriously reduce your out-of-pocket expense or maybe e get rid of it.
The Following User Says Thank You to Whoopee For This Useful Post: Stupid feet (01-04-2013)
That's a pretty large bill for a UA in my opinion. I looked at my most recent bill and it said $40 for mine. (which I pay 100% of everything, other than an office visit, until I reach my yearly deductible) but $40 is nothing compared to $1600. Yikes, i would definitely call, hopefully it was just a billing error. Good Luck! Let us know what they say. Take care!
The Following User Says Thank You to Paininohio For This Useful Post: Stupid feet (01-04-2013)
I'm going to call the insurance company and lab on Monday. I think the cost is common in this area. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks everyone for your comments!
I got an EOB for almost that much for my first UA and freaked out. I actually submitted an appeal, etc, as it was an out of network provider and the EOB said my insurance wouldn't pay any of it. It is that high of a cost as they test for the presence and amount of many many meds (depending on what the doctor requests). Plus, they overcharge as insurance won't pay the full amount anyways.
However, I talked to my doctor, and they have a deal where anything that the insurance doesn't pay the lab company writes off for their patients (stipulation of using their lab). Is this just an EOB, or an actual bill? If its an actual you owe $X bill, I'd call your doctor before the insurance, to see if they have a deal with the lab. My doctor told me if I ever got a bill (I haven't), to call them and they will take care of it. Hopefully its the same for you.
I also found out that they only sent my first UA out for the expensive test, then the ones I got after that (every 3-4 months), they only send out to the lab if they "need to", which I'd assume is if the in office test (cheap dip stick type) shows something that shouldn't be there, or excludes something that should be there, such as can happen with certain drug interactions, or as those tests aren't as accurate. The dip stick tests would be more in the realm of $40.
Long story short: Don't freak out yet, especially if its only an EOB. Call your doctor before the lab or insurance. Best wishes.
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Kate
constant head pain, fibro, and other fun!
chronic pain established in 2006
The Following User Says Thank You to tortoisegirl For This Useful Post: gmak (01-18-2013)
I also found out that they only sent my first UA out for the expensive test, then the ones I got after that (every 3-4 months), they only send out to the lab if they "need to", which I'd assume is if the in office test (cheap dip stick type) shows something that shouldn't be there, or excludes something that should be there, such as can happen with certain drug interactions, or as those tests aren't as accurate. The dip stick tests would be more in the realm of $40.
You hit the nail on the head right there. Those expensive tests aren't done all the time but they are extremely detailed and accurate. I think they're called "Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)".
You're right, those dipsticks are probably in the $40 range but IMO are notoriously inaccurate. I heard more horror stories about them and was a victim myself one time. It said I used pot when in fact, I hadn't smoked for over 30 years. I suppose you get what you pay for. Good Luck OP!
or check the eob they should have sent you, or online.
On my bcbs, depending upon what was tested, where tested and by whom (in network?) i might actually owe $0, or 30% of the balance, or $150 plus 30% of balance.
If your test was out of network and insurance says the balance is between you and the tester, negotiate with the biller. They will usually happily settle for much less that retail balanceof $1,100
my pain dr switched to ameritox i just got bill for 11oo bucks insurancesaid above normal and customary that makes it mine i just went again yesterday another ua came home to bill above we are supposed to start once a month this is not a pill mill but starting to act like one i am 57 back and neck fusion i cannot pay this not easy to change dr been here 2 yrs ameritox seems to be running the dr help
When I got the bill from my pain management clinic for my first UA I almost had a heart attack. It was $1,100 and this was four years ago. My insurance refused to pay any of it as it was not deemed medically necessary. I called the clinic and told them I could not afford to pay this and when they said they would take my insurance I assumed they were agreeing that they would accept what my insurance would pay which in this case was nothing.
They told me not to worry about it and asked me if I would pay $30 for a UA whenever they had to do one. I agreed to that and I have never had a problem since.
I think this charge is ridiculous. I am surprised any insurance would cover it. I am thankful my clinic was understanding. I'm not sure what I would have done had they insisted on me paying this charge. I can't afford that.
The Following User Says Thank You to inpain2013 For This Useful Post: Stupid feet (01-21-2013)
I'm a Medicare patient. My pain management doctor submits a monthly bill of $1200 for the urine screen, and $400 for the office visit that's an established patient's rate!). I know medicare only pays a portion of this, but is this what the person without any insurance would pay? Yikes! I recently found out that he is doing his drug testing "in house", which means he is seeing even more profit! He is a very good doctor, albeit a bit greedy one might say! Yikes again.
I will find out about Medicare when I switch in 3 months. My PM's standard office visit is only $95 To $130, 10 to 20 minutes. He gets my $50 copay and $10 to $25 more from my BCBS insurance. When he does an in-house UA he bills another $380 and BCBS pays $200 more. He is a GP with additional training and certification in PM.
If you have no insurance he bills the full retail, and hopes you'll pay, I guess. If you negotiate they will settle pretty fast and easily for just the BCBS approved amounts of $60 to $75. Plus $200 for UA. Negotiate a little harder and the UA drops a little further.
If he trusts you and you have insurance, you get a UA about half your visits. If you have no insurance and he trusts you, UAs drop back to once every 3 or 4 months.
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C3-C7
Severe DDD, Severe neural foraminal stenosis at 2 levels, moderate canal stenosis at 2 levels, significantly impaired left shoulder & arm function. Chronic moderate compression fracture at C6.
My UA's costed $1750.00 each when I had insurance. Of course my insurance wouldn't pay a penny toward them because they deem them medically unnecessary. I'm still paying off the $7000.00 bill I owe for those UA's 4 years later.
Now that I have no insurance I'm only charged $150.00 a UA. My appointments are half price too now. It's actually cheaper for me to say I don't have insurance and just pay as a cash customer than for me to show them an insurance card.
It's kind of a scam that they can charged double the amount for appointments and 1000% more for UA's just because a person has insurance.
Hi the bills vary according to how many drugs they have to tests for. My PM dr used to used Ameritox which was out of network for me (they didn't take Cigna??) anyway the nurse gave me a POC at Ameritox I called them told them I was retired couldn't afford it so they wrote it off after a while they just stop billing me.
Stupid feet: I would definitely speak to the dr let them know you can't afford it Maybe you can get the number of the company POC too and work it out. I'm hearing in most cases they are wanting to work thru these things to keep the drs business. Cathy
Cathy
Last edited by noevr; 01-22-2013 at 11:34 AM.
Reason: Added more info
Yes they ask the insurance for more money because they know they will only pay a portion anyways. If you pay cash, you should ask them to accept a payment only equal to what insurance would reimburse, not the full billed amount. Medical bills are almost always negotiable....it never hurts to ask. Apparently having PM doctors add on-site UA analysis equipment is an emerging market (companies approaching doctors and telling them how much they can make by keeping the profits in hours).
keli13-If you still are owing the doctor (not a credit card or something), I'd negotiate if they will accept a percent on the dollar to settle it in full (such as 25%). Then find a way to come up with that percent (possibly borrowing if needed). The less likely they think they are to get the full balance, the more they will discount. If you were only making small or no payments, they'd be more likely to do this too. Sorry you had such ridiculous UA bills...I would have totally switched doctors or negotiated at the time. Best wishes.
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Kate
constant head pain, fibro, and other fun!
chronic pain established in 2006
Well, apparently, since my last UA in July, my PM switched labs and I just got a EOB
From the new lab which says I owe over $2200 from the one I took in December.
I asked the PA about it during my last visit last week and he said "don't pay it"
I'm not comfortable with that because I have perfect credit and I'm not willing to have my credit affected by this. I'm recovering from a major foot/ankle surgery & will get on the phone to the labs when I feel up to it. The whole thing is just rediculous, we have to live every day in pain and then we have to pay thousands of dollars to prove we're following rules. I'm sick of it.
Ameritox is the only company that I know of that charges that amount. They use gc -ms ( gas chromotography, mass spectrometry) to test for any and all opiates, benzodiazepenes, street drugs, marijuana, tranquilizers, ectasy, etc....and they also provide "normal" values for what is the median population of people taking these drugs. It is a very specific type of testing that shows not only a positive or a negative for drugs/medications but can tell how much you are taking of your medications according to your last reported dose....they test not only for medications prescribed to you but for those not as well.
This is why the test costs so much. Call them and tell them that you can not pay the balance of the test. They are supposed to forgive the rest of the bill that your insurance does not cover. You may need to contact them more than once however.
I agree I did this with them as well and they even finally stopped billing me he said he would just write it off. Ask your head nurse for the point of contact at the drug testing company. Mine was Zane Hanson. Cathy
If I wouldn't be paying my balance for my obnoxiously expensive UA's my PA or Doctor wouldn't see me anymore and it would affect my credit. The clinic I go to bills UA's thru themselves even though they use another company to test with. I've been a chronic pain patient for 20 years now and after searching for a pain clinic and doctors I like in my area, (I even drove 200 miles a month to see one in another state every month years ago) I've finally found Dr.s I really like and that's the only reason I stay. I hate that it's harder and more costly in many cases for those of us who are legit pain patients to be treated with pain meds because of all the drug seekers such as people looking to get high, and fakers out there. I've been on pain meds for so long I get no "high" or different feeling from them what-so-ever, and wouldn't no matter how much I would take. That's fine by me, I take them for the pain which thankfully they still help with although not as much as they used to. Good luck to you all dealing with your UA's.
The Following User Says Thank You to keli13 For This Useful Post: Stupid feet (01-27-2013)
