A small victory (billing battle)

GuppyAmy · January 2011

I won a small victory with the billing office at my RE's office. I have insurance coverage for my IF treatments. However, for whatever reason the catheters that they use for IUI's aren't covered. So I get the explanation of benefits from my insurance company and it says that I'm responsible 35 for each IUI, however, it says nothing about me having to pay a copay for each IUI. So if you subtract my copay it would be 20 dollars each. I got a bill on Saturday saying I owed them 70 dollars for the back to back IUI's in September. I call the billing office, explain to a girl about the EOB and copay, she starts to argue with me. Then she starts looking, puts me on hold, when she comes back she says "Ok so now your account will be adjusted and you owe us 40 dollars. Thank you for your patience and understanding" HA HA. I know 30 dollars is not going to make or break me but it makes me happy to have saved it.

Also I feel this important to note my RE's office only gets 200 dollars per IUI from the insurance company- how is that fair for what they charge people with no insurance coverage?!?

KristysRedBarn · January 2011

Good for you! I'm glad you called and made them change it. And wow, that just doesn't seem fair. If we did IUI, it would be $1,000 each time, plus all the meds.

ColindaP · January 2011

Insurance are a-holes, and it's so unfair that they get to pay less. When DH had to go to the ER for suspected appendicitis last year, the bill was $6k. Insurance paid, like, $800 or something insane. Yet if we hadn't had insurance, we'd have been on the hook for the entire $6k. It's so fcked up. And that is absolutely ridiculous that your insurance covers IUI but not the catheters used. Makes no sense at all. Do they also cover dentist visits but not the little scrapy things the hygienist uses?

But I'm glad you got your $30 back. Hey man, $30 is $30.

GuppyAmy · January 2011

ColindaP:
Insurance are a-holes, and it's so unfair that they get to pay less. When DH had to go to the ER for suspected appendicitis last year, the bill was $6k. Insurance paid, like, $800 or something insane. Yet if we hadn't had insurance, we'd have been on the hook for the entire $6k. It's so fcked up. And that is absolutely ridiculous that your insurance covers IUI but not the catheters used. Makes no sense at all. Do they also cover dentist visits but not the little scrapy things the hygienist uses?
But I'm glad you got your $30 back. Hey man, $30 is $30.

I know the reason they do it, it's because they have to bill everyone the same and they jack up the prices so those insurance companies that pay 80% they get more or to help eat when people aren't able to pay but I think this is what is wrong with health care. And you're right 30 bucks is 2 monitoring appointments with the IVF stuff.... Thursday and probably next Monday.

ColleenS629 · January 2011

I'm glad you didn't let it go! I think insurance companies just try to get everything they can out of you whether it's fair or not. When I had to go to the ER for pneumonia, I went to a covered hospital but the doctor on rotation was not covered so they tried to not pay for the visit. I had to fight for months to get them to pay for it, but they finally did.

DoingItRight · January 2011

Yea, anytime that we can save money on medical expenses it is a good thing. I wish that my insurance covered infertility.

Fififa21 · January 2011

Good for you! I?m glad you got some money back

mdm2137 · January 2011

Yay for small victories! Good job.

cutebride73 · January 2011

I'm glad that you were able to get the $30 taken off of what you owe. I have some IF insurance coverage, but it is totally ridiculous what they will accept from insurance, as opposed to what OOP must pay. I just hope that someday that everyone will have IF coverage.

butterfly843 · January 2011

Glad you got some money back from them.

LilMaggs · January 2011

I'm glad you got some money back, but that is insanity. OOP prices for infertility suck. I mean, really? Shouldn't insurance be charged MORE than OOP?

csquared426 · January 2011

Yes

I love billing victories!

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