Unjust gyn test bill is stressing my ms!

[celloyogi]

I recall a doctor once telling me they did pap tests on women who'd had it all removed up till just the past several years!!! No cervix to pap (and what they pretended to do it)? Im really rethinking this yearly exam thing, this isnt good for getting me to go every year!

Having worked in a family practice for a number of years, I can tell you that most insurance plans and medical associations DO recommend gyn exams annually or every 2-3 years for all women - even those who have had complete hysterectomies (including removal of the cervix). A Pap smear wouldn't be done, but the internal exam is still an important health assessment measure.

Most likely the doctor who said they did Pap tests on everyone was probably just using the Pap-means-gyn-exam equivalency that most doctor's offices use.

And your lab bills - at my office we ALWAYS had patients sign a form (before tests were done but after discussion with the provider) approving/denying any tests and if approving, acknowledging responsibility for any charges not covered by their insurance. The bills you are receiving are probably from a lab, not your doctor's office, unless your doctor has an on-site lab. If I were you, I would call the lab first regarding the charges. Calling medical boards, etc, won't get you the result you want any faster than calling the lab and then the office manager.

At the end of the day, it is still your responsibility as a patient to know 1) what your insurance does/does not cover, and 2) what will be/what was done at your doctor's appointment. If you see specimens on the counter as you leave, ask what they are for and when you should expect results. Go in to each appointment telling the doctor that you are on a budget and do not want any excessive tests. The front desk and the doctor do not always have perfect communication and you cannot rely on the doctor knowing your financial situation, or assume he/she knows from your discussion whether you do/do not want something done unless you specifically ask. They are not mind readers.

I've had plenty of shoddy experiences at doctor offices, and seen plenty more from behind the scenes. The best way to avoid them is to ask questions and demand answers to them ahead of time instead of trying to clean up the (seemingly unending) mess later.

[sloth]

they are paying for the extraneous tests in question

Just said that the crnp was filling in for someone else they dont know exactly why she ran them.

Im so relieved!! thanks for your support much appreciated

Im to send a copy of the bill and she will send me a copy of the check they send the lab, hope they do it.

[sloth]

Jessiesmom: thank you, I will google it up.

I was wondering if there was somewhere to report such things. I mean if someone ripped me off in anyother way Id report it! Its seems there must be someway to do it.

I feel like I was robbed and in a gross and discusting way.

If this was a 60 some buck test Id be mad but prob pay it but nearly 300 is just rediculous.

I plan ahead for those types of tests extensivily.

Gyn's is one place its very easy to do this to folks since we have no clue whats going on down there when they are doing the exam. It never occurred to me this would happen or id of asked them specifically.

I recall a doctor once telling me they did pap tests on women who'd had it all removed up till just the past several years!!! No cervix to pap (and what they pretended to do it)? Im really rethinking this yearly exam thing, this isnt good for getting me to go every year!

[jessiesmom]

Unwanted lab tests

I would just like to tell you that I agree with the advice Alicious gave to you and add onto that advice. In addition to complaining to your doctor and his office manager, you might want to contact the Medical Licensing Board in your state and file a complaint. It is called something slightly different in every state. It is another way to let your doctor know how seriously you take this matter. When the Board contacts the doctor for his response I imagine he will be most unpleasantly surprised. Good luck.

[sloth]

I appreciate your support everyone I will update next week, I'm just so ticked about this I could scream or cry.
Yeah leaving the test lay unlabeled gave me the creeps it was a harbinger apparantly to what was to come.

I really won;t trust its results anyway now.

hunterd you made me smile thank you .

[chalknpens]

My husband went in for chest pain and rising blood pressure. He went by ambulance. The admitted him for telemetry observation overnight. He came home the next day with a prescription for baby aspirin. The following day we got a note from the insurance bill, saying charges for the acute hospitalization for five days was not authorized and would not be covered.

Way to go, insurance company! How to take care of a man with chest pain, sent home with aspirin.

It, of course, came on a Saturday. If we were just a bit older and just a bit more frail, we might have had a bona-fide heart attack ... or perhaps a two-fer!

I chose not to stress over that ( I can do that, because I have don't stress medications) I called them on Monday, spoke to three people, heard them say that they had to refuse coverage because the hospital never returned their questionnaire for acute care vs observation. the hospital assured me that they would 'find' the doctor and have him complete the questionnaire.

Left hand and right hand operating independantly unaware of what the other is doing.

I made the right choice ... not to stress ... thank heaven for the meds.

[hope32]

I would take it up with the billing department and tell them you specifically denied any testing beyond pap and yeast, and that the tests were done without your consent and you will not pay. Many times the office will back those charges right off. I would darn well call and speak to the gyno's office manager as well and let them know what happened from the additional testing to the not labeling of the sample. Chances are, heads will roll.

xoxo

I agree. Good luck!

[Alicious]

I would take it up with the billing department and tell them you specifically denied any testing beyond pap and yeast, and that the tests were done without your consent and you will not pay. Many times the office will back those charges right off. I would darn well call and speak to the gyno's office manager as well and let them know what happened from the additional testing to the not labeling of the sample. Chances are, heads will roll.

xoxo

[hunterd]

sloth, i never had the gyn do that (maybe `cause i`m a guy?), but i did have my pcp do that once, and it i "fired" him for it. i`ve also been billed for things i never had done. really makes you mad!!!!! luckily, i know the appropriate ways to deal with such things (40 years of diabetes have taught me a few tricks). good luck with all that.

[Shiela]

Being billed for unknown/unwanted tests has happened to me too. I know how aggravating it can be.

After that happened to me I told the doc I needed to know what tests were being done and what the costs were going to be before they ran them due to funds.

It's not fair. If a contractor pulled something like that, most people would refuse to pay him unless there were appropriate Change Orders. If the doctor is unwilling to let you know what tests are going to be run or the labs are unwilling to give you the costs, they should be willing to take their chances on getting paid.

If the doc really thought you needed the tests, at least you would have the opportunity to discuss the necessity and payment options before they were run. Perhaps some of the tests were just precautionary and not maybe not an impending need.

As far as labeling samples after you leave the room--I AM HORRIFIED. That should NEVER happen. Sounds like something gave you a 'covering their butt' answer for forgetting to do it right. I would refuse to leave until they labeled it. As my neuro put it, "Your presence has power". Besides, they want you to leave so they can get the next patient in. If you refuse, they have to comply.

[sloth]

This post affects my ms from stress:

My new gyn (only had a yearly first time last year, this didnt happen then) ran cultures or labs seperate from my pap that I did not approve nor was I made aware of.

Im so stressed, we are financially tight in a big way (only hubby works and we live in small apt).

Im careful what tests I get and I pre check whats covered, I did not pay my deductable this year (jan to dec year) and now this bill comes I had no idea was done in first place!

This gyn had a new crnp sub for my regular one, and billed under the orig ones name by the way.

I told this crnp I was on cipro for past ten days with four days left to go for bronchitis which we laughed about cause she was coughing too so I know she heard me.

Cipro is a broad spectrum antibiotic which covers many things inc stds by the way.

I had answered the check in girls question if I had discharge I said just yeast from the cipro Ive been on.

Apparantly the clerk who takes you back (runs front desk too) asks that then lays out cultures and pap test and leaves.

The crnp lady must not of evaluated what she was doing because she must of ran all the tests the kid laid out , not just the pap and yeast one.

I now get a bill for almost 300 bucks for labs they only cov'd the pap the other stuff is 300 bucks!!!

Only thing I can think of is its for std's? Which is no reason to run on me, I discussed with the crnp how I dont have sex at all for years now due to severe cramping and pain with sex. She seemed to hear me.

Between that and cipro why would she run cultures for other stuff? especially without telling me?

My old gyn would inform and make you sign for anything you had sent out inc pap.

Im going to contact them and find out exactly what they were (tests) but I bet Im stuck with this bill from the hospital lab. As the docs office got paid for office visit its no skin off thier noses.

Also after the pap, she left it lay there unlabeled and we left the room, I told the desk clerk and she said oh we label it when we take next patient in!??? Im like ummmm that doesnt sound right wont things get mixed up as I saw the next patient going in w/ the girl!

So yes I will go back to my old gyn next time (inconvenient locale, hours and sees ob patients so busy but oh well).

Anyone ever have this happen when it clearly did not need ran? When they didnt inform you ?

They have you blankly sign stuff saying youre responsible for fees ins doesnt pay, they do it everywhere not just there.

In retrospect thats not right, it should itemized whats sent out at that visit and what was billed.

Thing is last year I had pretty much same identical visit w/ other np and this didnt happen, right down to the yeast. And I wasnt even on antibiotics then!

I just dont get it given the facts it seems all wrong. Thier error.

(I knew what the desk clerk had done when she told me because she called to say I had yeast, I said oh didnt knwo you ran for that since I knew I had it, she said oh I laid tests out for her when you said that to me. I didnt know the big bill was comging at this point.)

My ms is mini flaring cause Im really ticked off and upset.