alt Hacker NewsLast year I needed to get blood work done, some of which may or may not be covered.
It took me two weeks, dozens of phone calls, and multiple "escalations" to learn what would be covered and what the price would be if it wasn't
Totally insane. The kicker is that after all that, the price I was billed wasn't even the price I was given (thankfully it was less though).
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That’s what is insane. I called my insurance to ask if some tests were covered since preventative care is 100% covered.
They couldn’t answer if cholesterol test would count. How is that not automatically classified as preventative? It’s one of the most basic metrics.
So they want me to get the doctor to give me the ICD code and the diagnosis code. Or something. Two different codes. They’ve added so much bureaucracy and crap into the system because they can. Nobody’s stopping them and there’s too many fingers in the pie.
In practice, the whole system is set up in a way that discourages asking questions. Waste of time. It's truly the opposite of the transparent ideal market.
I just had some bloodwork done, myself. My provider accidentally billed insurance, which had lapsed due to being laid off. I got my "Explanation of benefits" and it was $1000 billed to them, but I was given a $500 "discount." So I only owed $500... Cash cost was $50. Makes no goddamn sense.
Also I went in for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. Insurance was billed for $14000. I got statements from 4 different doctors, and the facility where it was performed. None of the statements matched the explanation of benefits from the insurance company. And when I called each doctor, to pay them, they all told me that I didn't actually have to pay them what it said I owed. So I just ended up paying $2500 to the insurance company. It again, makes zero sense.