268.00 for a blood test.

[Mari333]

every couple yrs or so I have my thyroid levels checked to adjust my synthroid medication.
2 yrs ago, cost was 82.00

today: 268.00

I have catastrophic health care insurance. no doctors visits paid for, 10,000 deductible. I pay 240 a month for the cheapest HCare insurance I could find from state farm.

so all tests, procedures, out of pocket.
no wonder everyone is dying or staying sick.

[villager]

1. And aren't you glad the Democrats are "looking out for you" by desperately trying to avoid

a public option in their health care "reform?"

[Mari333]

3. Ive given up on most of the Dems

:)

[Buzz Clik]

2. Dying isn't cheap, either.

[liberal N proud]

4. Yep

Our daughter had a blood test done at the Cleveland Clinic that amounted to no more than a prick of the finger and let it drip on a mat on the floor until it clotted.


$365.00 was the bill.

[KansDem]

5. Well, investors expect a return on their investment...

When you have "middlemen" involved in the equation, you have higher costs. Contrary to what Republicans want us to believe, privatizing does not make operations run more efficiently with lower costs. Just the opposite.

Health care, along with energy and education, should be considered national security issues and treated as such.

No one should be permitted to profit from health care...

[Junkdrawer]

6. You know that the insurance company would pay maybe $30 for the same test....

See about negotiations...

...

From a Hospital Employee
I have a few hints based on the policies at the hospital I work for (granted, they may be different at your hospital but it doesn't hurt to check). First, look over every inch of your bill for double charges, treatments you didn't receive, etc. These kinds of errors happen fairly frequently, but most people don't know to check. Also, check your doctor's bill for the same thing, especially for procedures normally done by nursing staff. One of my fellow nurses once had a baby in our unit and was billed by the attending physician for an IV start. Doctors don't start IV's in our unit, nurses do. She refused to pay that charge.

Secondly, see if there's a financial counselor at the hospital. They often will negotiate the charges, especially if it's a large hospital that normally serves indigent patients (they get money from the state to help make up the difference). Also, many physicians will do the same thing, especially if they know you don't have insurance. Talk to your doctor and see if he/she will accept a lower payment. One of my mother's doctors, knowing she was struggling to make ends meet, forgave her entire balance. Others will often accept the "usual and customary" payment that they would have received from an insurance company, which you can bet is lower than what you were billed.

Thirdly, remember that hospitals and doctors usually don't charge interest. Once you've negotiated your lowest fee, do not be tempted to take out a loan or put the balance on your credit card. Every single hospital and doctor that I know of will leave you alone as long as you are making regular monthly payments, even if those payments are only $10 or $20. The key is REGULAR payments. If you let them know what you can afford to pay per month and keep your promise, they will not persue legal means of collection.
Cindy
Newbury, OH

...

You Can Negotiate
My job requires me to negotiate with medical providers. I can assure you that hospitals can, and will, negotiate charges. They would rather get paid by you than turn the bill over to a collection agency, or worse, write the charges off. I would explain your financial situation, and offer a lowball sum, mayby 25%. I would not expect to pay less than 50%. They will often discount to 2/3. if they want you to pay more than 75% ask for the person's supervisor.
Adam W.

....

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980923c.cfm

[mwooldri]

42. Exactly. HIV test: lab billed $125, insurance paid $11.

Though if we lost insurance I can get lab tests for $0 due to the fact that my wife works at a clinical testing laboratory.

[Tansy_Gold]

7. Thanks for the info. I'm headed for the same tests

No insurance here at all. I have no idea what the routine office call will cost. It's been about two years since my last T-7 and TSH, so I'm sure those will be on the agenda.

The only good thing is that my medication is inexpensive.

And they -- THEY -- want to FINE us if we don't fork over our cash to them so they can then decide if they want to spend it on our health care or not?

Fuck 'em. Fuck all of 'em.



Tansy Gold, who would move to Spain in a heart beat if she won the lottery (which she doesn't play anyway)

[Mari333]

8. Im just glad Im 58

hopefully I wont outlive my finances.

[October]

9. Same for my teenage daughter!!! Outrageous!!!

My daughter is pursuing a career as a professional ballerina. Her "school" is full time, but not accredited, so our insurance company (my husband's employer is large enough to manage its own health insurance) will not allow her to be included. Only full-time college students are covered, which I understand -- but why is nothing else offered??? There must be a lot of kids attending college part-time in this economy -- and they are dropped, too.

Anyway, for her health care we pay $100 a month, $5,000 deductible, $40 co-pay visits -- and it was the cheapest we could find for a TEENAGER with no health issues.

It's never been this bad.

[Uben]

10. Be very thankful......

...you have it pretty good. I pay $1400/mo for A $5K deductible, and 50% of the next $10K, so I could be out as much as $10K/yr.
Once you have had cancer, you cannot get private insurance at anywhere near a reasonable rate, but you cannot afford not to have it.
A reoccurrence can bankrupt you in a heartbeat!

[October]

14. They have us where they want us...

Your statement to "be thankful" is where they want us.

We are all one catastrophic illness/injury away from bankruptcy, yet we're to be thankful for the crumbs they toss our way while Big Pharma et al rake in the profits.

There's a Cancer "treatment" center in Philadelphia that wants to build on an area of park land. The land is preserved, yet this huge corporation is threatening to leave the city if they don't get it. (Fox Chase Cancer Center)
They're controlling everything.

(Much as FedEx is threatening to cancel their order of airplanes if legislation doesn't go their way. I digress.)

I'm so very sorry for your illness and health care issues, Uben. I truly understand.

I've been outraged since my late mother had a catastrophic illness five years ago that ended up taking all that she owned. She was 60 at the time of her stroke, and I was her legal guardian. I've posted about it before, so I'll not do so again. Trust me, it was Hell. They took all the profits from the sale of her beautiful home, car, possessions -- and then took her monthly pension. She was relegated to a nursing home from 60-65 because of partial paralysis and some cognitive loss. She could leave nothing to her loved ones (kids/grandkids) because she would have had to have done so 2 years prior to her illness. (You have to be clairvoyant now?) It's rigged against us.

Illnesses are all "treated" now - and such centers are popping up all over. It costs us more, keeps us down -- and profits the greedy corporations.

[Uben]

17. My wife's the one who had cancer.......

...not me, but it still costs the same either way. Fortunately, we can afford the insurance. Though high, it has saved us over $250K in surgeries and reconstruction.....so far. I figure spending money on one's health is the best investment one can make. The alternative isn't all that appealing.

[femrap]

31. OMG! Just 5-6 years ago

I paid $100/month with Anthem Blue Cross w/ a $5,000 deductible and $15 for generic prescriptions...and I was 50.....which sounds similar to your daughter's coverage. I now pay $227/month.

I am surprised no one has gone postal yet.

[SoCalDem]

11. Not just human health care.. Our cat's vet bills for a MONTH are over $1100.00

just yesterday I picked him up from boarding him while we were out of town (due to his recent liver ailment) $192.00 and $27.90 for SEVEN pills ..

The only upside to it, is that we did manage to save him , and his labs all came back normal..but it cost us a bundle...and it took 3 weeks of syringe feeding him 3 times a day (that was NO picnic for any of us), and now we have created a monster, since his "old food" is now no longer good-enough for him, and we have to feed him the super-expensive stuff, and practically beg him to eat it :)..of course the other cats swoop in and vacuum it up the minute we take our eyes off the dish..:grr:

[dkf]

16. I had to pay several hundred bucks every couple of weeks

for my diabetic cat since we were trying to find a level of insulin that worked for her. That lasted for a few months.

She passed away last year after about 3 years of shots and my only regret is that I couldn't have had my vet bills longer.

I really miss her.

[SoCalDem]

20. Willie's vet emergency was a very acute one, so hopefully

now that he's back to normal, we're out of the woods, but our Bubby is next to start "vet-ing", since he's gotten so HUGE. As soon as we can figure out a way to GET him to the vet (he won't fit in the carrier we have),. The vet thinks he may be diabetic..

I'm so sorry you lost your girl. It's terrible when they die. We lost our Miss Kitty to cancer and our Skunkie to kidney failure a few years back :cry:

[dkf]

43. Oh I hope Bubby is ok!

If he does have diabetes though, giving insulin isn't as hard or bad as you may think. Its really do-able.

Giving pills is waaaaay worse.

[Cronus Protagonist]

29. I'd euthenise if that were true

I need to eat.

[pipi_k]

40. Oh, here's another one...

a friend had a yellow lab with cancer.

She took the dog once a month to Boston for chemo for 14 months.

total bill.... over $22,000


She said she never told her husband how much the bill was and he never asked.

[Are_grits_groceries]

12. Go to Mymedlab.com!!

They offer many tests for very low prices.

This is what a basic female thyroid test costs:
Requires an 8 HOUR FAST BEFORE testing.

Includes the following tests. Click the test name for more information.

General Health Screen (CMP, Lipid Profile)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Urinalysis (UA)
Thyroid (TSH)
Free T4 (FT4)

This profile includes our General Health Screen (30 Tests) as well as 4 other individual tests evaluating other common health concerns like Anemia and Infection (CBC), Abnormal Protein and Glucose levels (UA), two indicators of Thyroid Health (TSH, Free T4).

We have designed this profile to include a comprehensive evaluation of the common health concerns of Women with a family history of Thyroid Problems. This specific profile provides a detailed look at health issues for women in this group. In addition to the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), this profile includes a Free T4 (FT4). The Free T4 is a test used by doctors to get a more accurate picture one of the amount of the Thyroid Hormone (T4) available in the blood stream.

These tests, if purchased individually from MyMedLab, would cost $245. Purchasing them together, as a Profile, provides an additional $90 saving off the regular price. This group of tests from your local doctor or hospital lab would typically cost between $400 - $500.

You have the work done at a local provider lab. I signed up online for a group of tests. There is a discount if you sign up on line. You pay and then print out your order. I took mine to a local Labcorp. They do a lot of tests anyway.
In 24 hours I had the resultssent by email.

[RebelOne]

18. I checked out locations. There is one practically around the corner

from my house. Fortunately, I have insurance, But if I do lose my job, it's good to know.

[tiptoe]

19. Or see DirectLabs.com (similar panel, even less expensive): Comprehensive Wellness Profile= $97

Comprehensive Wellness Profile

Includes:
Complete Blood Count (CBC) - 12 measures
Thyroid Profile w/TSH - 4 measures
    Total T-4 (Thyroxine)
    T-3 uptake
    Free—Thyroxine Index (FTI) T-7
    TSH
Lipid Profile - 5 measures
Liver Profile - 10 measures

Kidney Panel - 4 measures
Minerals and Bone - 4 measures
Fluids and Electrolytes - 4 measures
Diabetes - 1 measure

No Doctor's Orders Necessary
Simple Procedure
Inexpensive—up to 80% off retail
Confidential
Results Available Online

Labcorp patient centers

[Mari333]

33. closest one to me is in Indiana

maybe I will start shopping around next time I need a test

[madmom]

13. Last week my SO and I both went for yearly eye exam. I being diabetic must

have this done yearly. We both wear glasses, we both needed new scripts. We paid $300 for new lenses, NOT frames, and this is WITH insurance. WTF?

[dkf]

15. It would be nice if all labs posted their prices.

Then we could shop around.

Maybe lack of disclosure for medical services is half the problem.

[3waygeek]

21. I get quarterly blood tests for thyroid levels

as my doc is still trying to get the dosage right. Each time, the lab bills my insurance somewhere around $310; they pay from $30 to $40 (never the same payment twice, even though the tests are identical each time), which the lab accepts as payment in full.

[Lorien]

22. Mine was about $100 more than that two weeks ago

I have similar insurance with a similar deducible. I had an HIV test and scans for other viruses done as well, so that added to the cost. My doctor knows that I'm unemployed so she didn't even charge me for the office visit. Even she says that the country is crumbling in large part because of our fucked up health care system (and she's from Brazil, so she has an outsider's perspective).

[LaurenG]

23. Mari, call the lab and let them know that you are only carrying major medical

and ask for a discount. Most labs will work with you.

[Mari333]

30. I will next time

I dipped into my funds and paid it already. Its a lab at the hospital here. thats the only lab in town.

[gmoney]

24. But don't you get insurance repricing?

My insurance has never paid a dime in claims, except when I got my gallbladder out a couple years ago...

However, when I submit stuff to them, a blood test like that magically gets repriced from $268 to about $30. Plus, the $30 counts towards my deductible, if something serious were to happen. And if nothing else, and they won't reprice it, the $268 should count towards deductible.

BTW, they repriced the gallbladder stuff from the standard charges of around $14,000 down to about $2200!

Make sure you're submitting everything, you may be leaving money on the table.

[Mari333]

32. my Health Insurance doesnt cover doc visits or tests

is only for catastrophic care. thats all I can afford.

[walldude]

25. Health care in this country is a scam.

The only way to stop it is to have a not for profit health care system. When CEO's of health care companies are making 8 and 9 figures there is no way to fix the health care industry. My family hasn't had health insurance for almost 10 years. Pre-existing conditions. Can't make any money off of us so we don't deserve health care.

I heard Maxine Waters on Stephanie Miller today say what I have been saying for years. You let Congress, who has the best health care money can by all paid for by the government, and insurance companies who are getting rich off of denying needed care, set up the health care system and we are fucked. Why would they care that I can afford it but no one will give it to me? They got theirs.

[Blue Diadem]

26. My daughter had to have a special blood test done for cholesterol and her hormones.

$1300. I just about fell over when I saw the cost. She has insurance so it was covered but for the life of me, why would it cost so much?

The Dr. told her they had to send it to a special lab down south somewhere and it would be more expensive than normal but he didn't say why.

Thing is Marie, if your insurance covered the cost of your blood work, they'd probably pay only 1/3 of that $268 and it would be paid in full. I recently received some insurance payout notices and for $298 for blood work, they paid $94.79, on $103 lab charge, they paid $32.76. It's just not right, that people who don't have insurance or their insurance doesn't cover it end up paying so much more for the same thing.

[this_side_up]

27. My local Labcorp no longer takes

outside patients. They draw & test only for patients of the doctors in the office.

I wonder if this is true of all Labcorp offices?

[this_side_up]

28. Answer seems to be No.

I checked both of the lab sites referenced in above posts. Both of them
show Labcorp offices 50-60 miles away that will do the tests. But the local
office is not listed.

Hmmmm

Concierge doctors office? Concierge lab?

[Kansas Wyatt]

34. I get the same test, but...

I have union insurance, which doesn't mean it covers everything like it used to, and I still end up paying a lot for co-pays. But, my insurance requires my preferred health professional to discount the bill, which helps with the co-pay.

The Democrats are screwing the pooch on health care, since they are just fine with letting Death Merchants (insurance industry) dictate how to manage health care. In a few years, the Democrats will be wondering why people vote against their alleged 'best interests' again. At the rate they are going, Jeb Bush will be solid contender for 2012. Everyone can laugh if they dare, but Democrats DO NOT get elected without average Working People. All of their Chic Special Interests and target voters mean NOTHING, when average Working People just stay home.

[LWolf]

35. That's right.

I still haven't paid for last summer's blood test, about the same amount. I'm going to be required to get another before my prescription will be renewed this summer.

I have insurance, but the deductible for things like blood tests? It's high. I always have to pay out of pocket.

[LuckyLib]

36. Every couple of years? I have the same, and my doctor requests testing every 6 mos., as

thyroid levels can fluctuate unexpectedly and adjustments have to be made. So once again, the insurance companies are practicing medicine. By charging outrageous rates for simple and necessary tests, they are requiring people to have less optimal diagnosis and treatment.
:mad:

[cognoscere]

37. I had blood work done last July

as part of a yearly physical. You know, thyroid, complete cholesterol, PSA, and a few other ones. The hospital charge was $1100.00. Fortunately, I have health insurance, so I only had to pay $750.00 out of pocket.

[moondust]

38. Have you checked online?

Examples:

http://gads.prepaidlab.com/?gclid=CKSjsfKn2poCFQEhDQodcxLn2Q

http://www.privatemdlabs.com/?gclid=CPHR0YDD3ZkCFRIeDQodHFDVWA

http://www.pomlabtest.com/index.php

[pipi_k]

39. How about...

$1700 for a couple of x-rays and two cortisone shots, one in each knee.

That's what the bill was for Mr Pip this past March.

If we didn't have coverage, I seriously don't know what we would do. I have nothing but sympathy for anyone who doesn't have health insurance coverage.

[snappyturtle]

41. I was in your same situation 5 years ago. I finally quit the insurance.

Anything I had done, very little, I too paid out of pocket. After the ten thousand deductible was met I would still be stuck with 30% of the bill. I couldn't afford it. With what I was paying it would take five years for me to have ten thousand in premiums while the insurance company took my money and made money! Plus, we really were in a fix helping my now deceased BIL pay for cancer treatment. Too much and I am very grateful I have remained healthy.

[handmade34]

44. stay healthy

Me too - quit my insurance after 3 years of paying upwards of 15,000/year (plus employer kicking in approx $3600.) and then having to fight denied claims - still owe $1200. for migraine headache clinic BCBS would not pay for...

[nilram]

45. others have posted about private labs

http://www.privatemdlabs.com/ will check your TSH and free T4 for 49.99. I'm away from home or I'd check to see what my insurance company paid for my last TSH test...