The Price of all this

There has been a great deal of talk in the press lately about transparency in the reporting of medical fees.  I am very fortunate to have great insurance coverage that has covered all my expenses for this procedure and all its related testing.  However, many people are not so lucky.  Indeed, once I met my deductible (which is a union negotiated amount), everything has been covered completely.  That is not to say that the fees that have been charged are paid in full.  There is the fee that is charged and then there is the amount the insurance company has agreed to pay.  Because my doctor and the facility are "in network" and have an agreement with my insurance company, they take what the company pays and write off the difference.

I asked my doctor's secretary what his charges were for being the surgeon, and she gave me a price quote which matches what is shown in my Explanation of Benefits as being submitted by him.  She didn't even have to look it up - she knew it right off.  I then called the hospital to ask about their fees, and I got a very different answer.  Evidently, they anticipate this question from many patients because they had a section of their phone system set up just for the question of price.    I left a message on the automated line, and got a call back the next day.  The person who called informed me that they could not give an exact amount because the procedure could vary greatly from 1 patient to the next.  Couldn't she give me a ball park figure or a range, I asked?  No, she was not authorized to do that.  I suppose I could have pushed it and asked to speak to someone higher up, or I could have written a letter to someone, but I chose not to press the issue.

Well, in the past few weeks, the claims to my insurance company have been listed in my claims section on the website.  My doctor's fee is listed, as is a fee to the GP at the hospital.  Then comes the anesthesiology fee, and another fee for the hospital itself.  I don't know how inclusive the hospital fee is - whether it includes pharmacy or not.  I have not looked into each claim specifically yet.

Those of you who know me, know that I am not shy about discussing money.  I've given some thought to listing all the fees here - transparency, and all....  but I've decided not to post the amounts here in my blog due to the very public nature of the internet.  However, I will be happy to share the specifics with individuals who know me and are curious.  So, if you are a friend or relative and would like to know what all of this has cost and what my insurance company paid, just send me an email, or leave a comment, and I will email the information to you.

Happy 4th of July to everyone!!!

:)Amy