Financial frustration

[paintrider89]

So, I will start this with a little background info.
I don't have health insurance. Live in America, and was denied for state assistance. So I am basically cash pay for everything. I have been accepted for financial assistance at at the hospital and was approved, but this will not count for ultrasounds or labs.
At my intake appointment with my nee OB I told the nurse I didn't want any other tests than absolutely necessary.
She talked about iron and something else being necessary, and I said ok.
Well guess who go the lab bill yesterday? $450.
10 different lab tests. Including RH, HIV, blood typing and several others that I don't feel were necessary. This is baby #3 in 5 years. I have had these tests RECENTLY! All it would have taken was for me to ask for my medical records from my old OB office.
This info is even available to them at the hospital I gave birth too my 2 children in. They are a clinic at said hospital.
I absolutely do not want to pay this bill, I feel like the nurse did not listen to me when I told her I would have to pay and was worried about the cost of to much testing. I feel fing ignored to be perfectly honest. I don't think those costly tests are necessary. $98 to see what my blood type is? There is a record of that. Hell, I know off the top of my head what my blood type is. DH and both kids are the same blood type. There wasn't any need for them to charge me 28$ for an RH factor test. I am RH + with and + blood type. And my husband is + as well. That info is in medical records that I could have gotten to them for FREE!
Now I have the anatomy scan comming up next month that they will want me to schedule. But they have a different company do that, and my price quote on it is looking to be about $400. I already have a bill for a dating scan for over $100 that I will have to make payments on. I will not be able to pay for the 20 week ultrasound.
This lab test bill will take us months to pay off, and I know they will be wanting more done. GD and GBS later on. But I am not certain I will want to have those. Because they will just add onto this bill, that I can't pay.
I have an appointment on November 1st, and plan on speaking to the office manager before hand as well because I am so upset with the nurse not listening to me or caring that I had to pay for these tests I stated I didn't want or need. I feel forced into this lab bill and really want to fight it.
Also considering asking for a price list for all tests and procedures they want to do now, and only choosing certain things.
Normally I am not like this, and just let the professionals do their thing, but I don't want to trust this office anymore, after only one appointment they lost my trust.
I could try to find a different place, but then I will loose financial assistance for the OB care, AND still owe for the lab tests and ultrasound I have already recieved.
Not sure what I am looking for here, or if I just needed to rant it out.

 

[ttc126]

Oh my gosh! How incredibly frustrating!!!!!

I think you’re doing the right thing by speaking to the manager and getting a price list. You’re showing that you do want to pay and you are making the effort.

I can’t give much advice, just sending a hug.

 

[busytulip]

We didn't have insurance during our 2nd pregnancy. I was able to find an OB clinic that charged based on your income, is something like that available near you? I know you expressed concern over losing OB care assistance, I'm guessing you mean in regards to the hospital bill? If so it shouldn't matter who your OB is as to whether or not you would qualify for assistance, it may just be a matter of extra paperwork on your end and you've still got time to look into it.
I can imagine the stress your under, I hope that you're able to get things sorted out in a manner you're comfortable with.

 

[Scout]

I'd be ticked too. I had something similar happen a while back. I called and fussed so much that they ended up writing most of the bill off. Sometimes you can call and tell them you are cash paying and would like to know what kind of discount they can offer. And I'd do just as you said. Ask the office for a list of what they want to do and the price and then choose what you think is absolutely necessary. Doctors do a lot of stuff that isn't necessary. I'm sorry you are faced with a bill for a bunch of stuff that wasn't needed. Plus the cost of everything in the US is so astronomical compared to elsewhere.

 

[MissMarpleFan]

You can’t expect them to get your records from the other doctor without you taking action. It’s not even possible because of privacy laws. You have to fill out a patient release with the old doctor’s office and sometimes you have to call both offices a couple of times to make sure the records are sent over! I’d also keep a folder of the records, if I were you, which you can bring to each appointment. Be more proactive: when they send you to the lab ask what is on the test slip.

Your doctors office is not going to pay that lab bill. You may be able to work out something with the lab for financial assistance.

They sure love testing for HIV. I have been tested every pregnancy and I think it’s on the schedule to test me twice in this one! I also told them my blood type and they tested anyway (but I have insurance.) I think from the doctor’s point of view this enables them to give you the best possible treatment because patients do make mistakes in the things they tell doctors. Having your folder of vital records will help you to convince them.

You’re going to have to fight to get them to do things differently than their regular autopilot mode, I’m afraid.

 

[paintrider89]

We didn't have insurance during our 2nd pregnancy. I was able to find an OB clinic that charged based on your income, is something like that available near you? I know you expressed concern over losing OB care assistance, I'm guessing you mean in regards to the hospital bill? If so it shouldn't matter who your OB is as to whether or not you would qualify for assistance, it may just be a matter of extra paperwork on your end and you've still got time to look into it.
I can imagine the stress your under, I hope that you're able to get things sorted out in a manner you're comfortable with.

Sorry that's probably a hard read.
I qualified for 100% off my OB care and hospital bill when baby comes, through the hospital. That's is why I have moved to this OB office.
However they (OB and hospital) contract outside companies for labs and ultrasounds.
I will have to apply for financial assistance for these bills thorough these companies.
Really what has me upset is the cost of testing I didn't need, and the nurse at the OB office didn't listen to me when I told her about my money concerns.
She could have easily skipped several of these tests. There is no reason I should be charged $100 for a test to see what my blood type is, because that is in medical records I could have easily gotten from my old OB. Not to mention the hospital.

 

[paintrider89]

You can’t expect them to get your records from the other doctor without you taking action. It’s not even possible because of privacy laws. You have to fill out a patient release with the old doctor’s office and sometimes you have to call both offices a couple of times to make sure the records are sent over! I’d also keep a folder of the records, if I were you, which you can bring to each appointment. Be more proactive: when they send you to the lab ask what is on the test slip.

Your doctors office is not going to pay that lab bill. You may be able to work out something with the lab for financial assistance.

They sure love testing for HIV. I have been tested every pregnancy and I think it’s on the schedule to test me twice in this one! I also told them my blood type and they tested anyway (but I have insurance.) I think from the doctor’s point of view this enables them to give you the best possible treatment because patients do make mistakes in the things they tell doctors. Having your folder of vital records will help you to convince them.

You’re going to have to fight to get them to do things differently than their regular autopilot mode, I’m afraid.

Well. I understand that my post is hard to understand, as I am do flustered.
I ONLY gave permission to the nurse to take my blood iron levels, and whooping cough immunity.
I specifically told her I could get my records for my old OB office.
This is the entire point of this post. We do not go to the lab for anything. The nurse who is an employee of my OB office took my blood. I said these things to her BEFORE said blood draw. They then send it to a lab.
There are some items on the bill like my urine culture, my pap, the iron test and whopping cough immunity that I did ok. But the things I didn't want or need. Specifically naming the RH factor and HIV testing.
This woman didn't listen to my concerns, and now I do not want her part of my treatment routine. If I have concerns they should be listened to and considered. If this office is just going to do whatever with my blood samples and expect me to pay, I don't want to let them do anymore tests. It's like consent for a cervix check and having them break your water even when you have asked it be left intact. If I say I don't want something, then do NOT do it anyway and charge think it will be fine that I live with the consequences.
This is supposed to be my body, and my decisions, and I don't feel like my decisions were honored.
As for paying, I spoke to financial at the lab yesterday. I am supposed to fax my acceptance for Aid from the hospital to them Monday. Both the lab and hospital FA told me they normally base the pay scale the same. In my case it will likely be 100% coverage.
But what if that wasn't the case? This nurse can ignore me and take food out of my childrens mouths for tests I said no too?

 

[paintrider89]

I'd be ticked too. I had something similar happen a while back. I called and fussed so much that they ended up writing most of the bill off. Sometimes you can call and tell them you are cash paying and would like to know what kind of discount they can offer. And I'd do just as you said. Ask the office for a list of what they want to do and the price and then choose what you think is absolutely necessary. Doctors do a lot of stuff that isn't necessary. I'm sorry you are faced with a bill for a bunch of stuff that wasn't needed. Plus the cost of everything in the US is so astronomical compared to elsewhere.

TBH I should qualify for 100% discount after I send them the letter from the hospital, because they are contracted through them.
The more I think about it, the more I am just mad the nurse didn't bother to care about my wishes. I don't want to have this lady on my care team, if my openions and concerns are so boldly ignored.
I also don't want to trust them with taking anymore samples or blood if they can just do whatever they please, especially when I specifically said no to HIV and RH factor (as I KNOW, and can get medical records to show) and both still ended up being run.
I gave permission for iron levels, and whopping cough immunity. And my pap and urine were on the bill. All I approved. But when things I said no to, before she even started the blood draw?

 

[babyvaughan]

In my husband case getting 100 percent hospital assistance. She told me to call the lab and tell them you received a bill and wondered if they would honor the assistance letter. It worked for us! If they do a cash discount. Our hospital does 50% off if you pay cash. Also at that point explain you authorized the iron test not all the others included!

 

[ttc126]

I just wanted to say...with the blood type test it’s actually a “type and screen”... sometimes you can develop blood antibodies that can put the baby in grave danger during pregnancy. With my first baby i was a positive nothing else came up. With my second it came back as a positive but I had developed anti-kell antibodies. If my baby had carried the “kell” antigen, my antibodies would have killed him. And there are tons of antibodies. You can develop these antibodies during delivery of another baby or even during pregnancy. So that’s why they always do the test at the beginning of a new pregnancy. Blood type doesn’t change but blood antibodies can and do.

 

[paintrider89]

I just wanted to say...with the blood type test it’s actually a “type and screen”... sometimes you can develop blood antibodies that can put the baby in grave danger during pregnancy. With my first baby i was a positive nothing else came up. With my second it came back as a positive but I had developed anti-kell antibodies. If my baby had carried the “kell” antigen, my antibodies would have killed him. And there are tons of antibodies. You can develop these antibodies during delivery of another baby or even during pregnancy. So that’s why they always do the test at the beginning of a new pregnancy. Blood type doesn’t change but blood antibodies can and do.

Then that should have been explained to me and WHY it was necessary. Much like the iron level check and whopping cough. I want explanations, and I certainly don't want tested that I refused. And if you do give them to me and I get a bill for them, don't expect me to trust you to listen to me.
And I would imagine what happened with you is a pretty rare thing? I don't think I have ever heard of that on any birth bord I have ever been in?

 

[paintrider89]

In my husband case getting 100 percent hospital assistance. She told me to call the lab and tell them you received a bill and wondered if they would honor the assistance letter. It worked for us! If they do a cash discount. Our hospital does 50% off if you pay cash. Also at that point explain you authorized the iron test not all the others included!

I think I should have put the title as 'Trust issues'. As I strongly believe I will be able to get a discount to bring this bill down. But the nurse still didn't listen to my worrys about needing to keep to a minimum amount of tests. I consented to two tests, and specifically refused others that I was still given and potentially have to pay for. I EXPRESSED my concerns. And not subtle either.
Would you wanted to be treated by someone who did this again?

 

[crownest]

Then that should have been explained to me and WHY it was necessary. Much like the iron level check and whopping cough. I want explanations, and I certainly don't want tested that I refused. And if you do give them to me and I get a bill for them, don't expect me to trust you to listen to me.
And I would imagine what happened with you is a pretty rare thing? I don't think I have ever heard of that on any birth bord I have ever been in?

Hi I totally agree that she should have explained why tests where needed. I have heard of the antigen thing it happened to my SIL and she had a late miscarriage.

 

[ttc126]

I agree it should have been fully explained. It’s not that rare but there’s a lot they can do to treat it so that’s why they always test. Still, it’s not right it wasn’t explained.