Comments on: I Got the Bill

By: sciquest

sciquest — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:38:27 +0000

Even though you are paying out of pocket, aren’t you entitled to Humana’s negotiated rates?

By: Colorado Health Insurance Insider » The Real Risk of an HSA

Colorado Health Insurance Insider » The Real Risk of an HSA — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:46:12 +0000

[...] a high deductible health plan with a tax-favored savings account. Assuming there is transparency, as the Colorado Health Insurance Insider recently tested for, HSAs would encourage people to shop for health care just as they would for a new television or [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:21:26 +0000

Maybe it’s hard for them to give reliable estimates over the phone, but this was waaaaaaay off! She might as well have just quoted you $5. Free market my a**!!!

By: Dan R.

Dan R. — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:07:09 +0000

Looks like they billed you for two complex repairs on the same day. A few thoughts:

1) Most likely you should have only been billed for 1 complex repair.
2) Your insurance company would have reduced the complex repair allowable by 50% due to same procedure / same day.
3) The ins co would probably request the op notes since a complex repair usually shouldn’t be charged the same day / same site as a benign removal

By: Dr. Wes

Dr. Wes — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:44:04 +0000

…Colorado Health Insurance Insider’s approach to taping conversations with office staff when shopping for surgical procedure prices… I wonder what my office staff would say to these questions? Would their answers have been different if they knew they were recorded?

Empowerment of the health care consumer takes on new meaning, eh?

By: over my med body

over my med body — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 22:11:14 +0000

I’m in the wrong business if removing a lipoma nets you 1,800 bucks. An initial estimate of $200-$300? I heart our health care non-system!

By: Tim Gerry

Tim Gerry — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:48:11 +0000

I had a lipoma of about the same size removed from my shoulder blade in November. Mine was covered by insurance, but the cost billed to them was $800. That was for everything, included the initial diagnosis visit, biopsy, and follow up visit. Yours is probably just so much more expensive because your insurance didn’t cover it. If you just ask them to give you the insurance rate you’ll probably only end up paying less than half.

By: stephen

stephen — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:20:08 +0000

this whole situation is ridiculous. would you have gone through with the surgery if all the places you called gave you a quote of $1,800? after listening to the recording, I think this doctors office has a moral obligation to bring the invoice more in-line with the price you were given over the phone. good work thinking ahead and recording your calls.

By: Still No Transparency : Colorado Health Insurance Insider

Still No Transparency : Colorado Health Insurance Insider — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:29:50 +0000

[...] I Got the Bill [...]