Dr. making me come for pregnancy confirmation

ashbosity · August 2013

I have read over and over that most doctor won't even see you til you're 8-9 weeks. I called today assuming I'd set up this appointment for a month from now and they told me to come in tomorrow for a pregnancy confirmation. This wouldn't be a big deal except that I have a $2000 deductible on my insurance, so I will have to pay out of pocket. I asked if this was standard procedure and the nurse told me I had to come in before first prenatal. Is this normal?

ashbosity · August 2013

Hubby says I should just cancel and call back in 3 weeks. If they make me come out there and pay for a urine test, I will be pissed (no pun intended). I have had 5 positive HPTs and my period is a week late. I know that I'm pregnant and I've been going to the same office for 8 years, so they have my history. This is my first pregnancy, so I have no history in that manner. @GhostMonkey, I will probably fall into that category as I will be due in April, so I will probably have to pay $4000 in deductibles. Fantastic.

memali26 · August 2013

If you haven't had a pap recently they may include that in this exam. I was seen at 5w with my second so they could do a pap, establish patient history, etc.

Memc2001 · August 2013

Call your insurance co. and ask them first. They should be able to lay it out. Wouldn't worry about calling your OB office for a couple more weeks anyhow unless you have a medical problem.

ashbosity · August 2013

Thanks, ladies. I called early because it always takes me a month to get in for an annual. I am due for an annual (and PAP), which my insurance will pay for completely. Don't know if they will bill this as an annual.

Babi2comingSoon2014 · August 2013

i went in for an intake apt and was scheduled a week later to meet with my ob. initially going by my menstural cycle i was 8 weeks but when i met with ob he did an internal ultrasound and found i was only about 5 1/2 weeks and we scheduled another ultrasound four weeks later to really verify the age of baby since first time was so young there was no visible fetus to measure.
I also had this done with my first pregnancy to verify the age of the baby.

Babi2comingSoon2014 · August 2013

i went in for an intake apt and was scheduled a week later to meet with my ob. initially going by my menstural cycle i was 8 weeks but when i met with ob he did an internal ultrasound and found i was only about 5 1/2 weeks and we scheduled another ultrasound four weeks later to really verify the age of baby since first time was so young there was no visible fetus to measure.
I also had this done with my first pregnancy to verify the age of the baby.

kstar83 · August 2013

i have read before that this is so that they can count your first prenatal appointment as just that. If they haven't "confirmed" the pregnancy yet by their standards (as in your HPTs wouldn't count) than it would just be a regular appointment.

My doctor does not do this, but I have heard that in some cases it is better so that your first U/S or prenatal is covered under prenatal, and not out of pocket? I am not an expert just that I read this probably on these boards by another poster.

Calla123 · August 2013

I would say that if you are having a baby you should be able to afford the medical bills that come along with it. It was standard with me.

oceanangel0502 · August 2013

This is my first pregnancy and I went it at 5 weeks for my first appt. they did a pelvic exam and blood work...I go back tomorrow (2weeks later) for my first u/s

EJChapman123 · August 2013

Calla123 said:
I would say that if you are having a baby you should be able to afford the medical bills that come along with it. It was standard with me.

Seriously? She didn't say anything about not affording it, just didn't want to pay some outrageous amount for a urine test just like the one she took at home.

There's a difference between medical costs and unnecessary costs. You can be a billionaire and not want to pay the latter.

Calla123 · August 2013

GhostMonkey said:

Calla123 said:

I would say that if you are having a baby you should be able to afford the medical bills that come along with it. It was standard with me.

Oh good. Glad to see you are a condescending assbag here too.

At least you're consistent I guess.

When in Rome. I just thought that's how this board was. Say whatever the hell is on your mind and don't care how rude it is or who you hurt in the process.

MMason12 · August 2013

EJChapman123 said:

I would say that if you are having a baby you should be able to afford the medical bills that come along with it. It was standard with me.
Seriously? She didn't say anything about not affording it, just didn't want to pay some outrageous amount for a urine test just like the one she took at home. There's a difference between medical costs and unnecessary costs. You can be a billionaire and not want to pay the latter.

I would agree! No where did she say that she cannot afford to pay the out of pocket expenses, and even admits that they will probably have to pay both the 2013 & 2014 deductibles. However, I agree that it would be insane to be required to go in and pay out of pocket for a urine test to confirm pregnancy if that's what they are making her do. I don't think it has anything to do with her being able to afford it and everything to do with the fact that she shouldn't have to be spending that money. Glad you just have money to pi$$ around on tests and wouldn't care if your doctor was asking you to take unnecessary tests.

AryaJane · August 2013

At my "confirmation appointment" they also drew blood (to test immunities, etc). I'd go ahead and do it. You are going to meet your deductible this year anyway, no question. So you might as well start.

ASmallWonder · August 2013

If you have to pay the deductible at some point does it much matter to you which appointments fall into the category?

codec · August 2013

I am always so confused about the whole insurance deductible thing, I think it boils down to how your doctor is going to bill for your appointment. I know with my new insurance I was the one that requested a blood test along with blood work I was already having and they just charged me the $20 that was not covered because no medical necessity.

With my last OB he did confirmation and I was never billed for the urine pregnancy test. I would call the doctor and see if they are billing as a regular appointment and charging you additionally for the urine test.

RondackHiker · August 2013

Elbug said:

GhostMonkey said:

Elbug said:

Getting a blood draw to confirm is not standard unless you have history of early loss. Most places have you in for an "intake" appt with a nurse around 7-8 weeks and you don't see your OB/MW until closer to 11/12 weeks. The intake appt is just verbal discussion about your OB history etc and they usually send you for maternal labs which doesn't include HCG levels.

No one said anything about blood. Often times it is just a urine test.

Either way, I've still never heard of an OB office needing to confirm a pregnancy. Blood or urine. I don't understand why that would be standard. You can POAS at home or PAOS in the office. Unless they just want to confirm you're still pregnant but they can just listen to the heartbeat which I believe is standard at 12 weeks

Have you seen the twice weekly "am I pregnant" posts? Apparently knowing you're KU is more difficult than it should be so I don't blame an office for doing confirmations.

ashbosity · August 2013

Wow, didn't mean to start such a controversy! Thanks to all of you who defended me. We can afford the medical costs of having a baby and meeting the deductible is in our financial plan. I will most likely have to pay the deductible for both years, which really sucks. However, if there's a possibility that I don't have to shell out the full $2000 for this year and then turn right around and start on next year, that would be great. In addition, I will have the option to switch insurance for 2014 and my other option (while more expensive monthly) only has a $500 deductible. That being said, I think I'm going to keep the appointment and hope it's not too expensive because I have the opportunity to meet the new (and only) female OB in the practice. I saw a new nurse practitioner last year and only saw her once. Also, since it's so early in the pregnancy, if I don't like her, I have plenty of time to look for a new OB before I get too far along. I do still think it's BS though. Thanks, ladies!

Dr. making me come for pregnancy confirmation

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