VERY High Lab Charges

[barbvh]

Hi All,

My husband had some lab work done recently by an oncologist. He was being seen for a mass on his spleen. The doc told us that the mass had been there and unchanged in almost 2 years and he did not think it was malignant. He wanted the CT's my husband had reviewed by another radiologist and did some lab work. He said he would repeat the CT in 6 months, just to be sure, and if nothing changed it never needed to be looked at again.

Today we received the EOB from our insurance company. The lab work totalled $11,480. We were and still are SHOCKED!!! I know this is not related to lc, but have any of you had labs that were SO expensive?

Thanks,

BarbVh

[Patti B]

Barb-

Gee, what the heck did they do to him??? Every test ever invented???

I have been having blood work for almost three years and I think my pre-chemo blood work comes to around $300.00, including a coumadin level. I agree that you should find out item by item what you are being charged for.

Good luck!!!

Hugs - Patti B.

[barbvh]

Thanks Katie & Patti,

I will be calling the oncologist tomorrow to get the results to see exactly what was done. I guess I thought a doc may let you know if lab work was going to be SO expensive. Especially when his intial statement to us was "why are you here?" The CT reports basically indicated there was no problem. Unfortunately, Gary was sent to a few different docs and the oncologist was the first one to look at how far back this mass was seen on CT.

Yes Katie, we do have insurance. Gary had a job change in June when part of the company he worked for was sold. We are VERY grateful that he still has a job with good benefits. We are just frustrated because I had already met my out of pocket max for the year and now we need to meet the out of pocket max again with the new ins co.

Barbvh

[Bud Baker]

Wow, that does sound outrageous. I have a pile of unopened bills from diagnostic stuff for my wife's cancer. I'm trying to wait until I close on my new house (downsizing) and get all that handled before I open the medical bills and start sending checks for them. I hope none of them look like yours.

[ts]

My surgery was less than $8,000, not including the hospital stay. The hospital stay - 5 days, did include misc charges of about that number. Plus room and board, and labs, etc...We should have just gone to Tahiti!

I think they owe you an accounting.

I dread having to start a new insurance policy late this year and starting the deductible again. Been there. But if you pay it in the last 3 months of a year, some companies will carry it over to the following calendar year.

[Connie B]

I'm not shocked. This is gotten so OUT OF HAND and all of us are paying a huge price and our care in the mean time is going down the tubes. It's all about greed. Tests, Tests, Tests, Money, Money, Money.......

I did a urine test, (peed in a bottle) and they charged me $180.00 just to do that. They also told me they would do what they called the short version check on my sample, and it costs $180.00 for a short version? What in God's name would it cost otherwise?

Wow, I have to say I am in shock with you over your $11,000.00+ bill. Holy Cows!

Oh, I have to say, I have had a lot of blood work done for my heart issues and now for cancer issues again, and I haven't had a bill near that large. My heart stuff has been costing me around $1,100.00. Haven't got the bill yet for the cancer blood work. I'll let you know.

We ALL have to start checking this stuff when we get it. Or ask up front what these things will cost. Oh boy, what a mess this has all become.

Good luck Barb.