Daughter had bandage applied to her finger

[Alan]

There is no 'perfect' answer, but increasing transparency in the medical field would certainly help, IMO. I don't see how it could hurt.

-ERD50

Definitely agree there. For years I've suggested via e-mail and face to face with BCBS company rep that their EOB's should list the procedures and treatments so that I could confirm that this is correct and help stop fraud. The only times I really push the issue is if I have a large bill to pay and on a few occasions I have been rewarded with a reduced bill because of a "coding error".

Today for example I get the first of the EOB's for DW's annual physical last month. We don't have a penny to pay so why bother, but it bugs me that I can see 7 line items, all with the same claim number but I have no idea if BCBS is paying for things / tests that weren't done or were not necessary.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cleaning the wound and applying the bandage cost $19.95

The rest goes into the help-the-poor fund.


Thanks for doing your "Fair Share"

 

[tapper]

tapper, how is your daughter doing?

(aside from that $441 hit to her allowance...)

She is doing fine and her finger is fully functional although it now has a large scar.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Leonidas]

Today for example I get the first of the EOB's for DW's annual physical last month. We don't have a penny to pay so why bother, but it bugs me that I can see 7 line items, all with the same claim numbe,r but I have no idea if BCBS is paying for things / tests that weren't done or were not necessary.

I just finally (I hope) labeled "done" to a medical bill that has been a comedy of errors. It was for anesthesia services from my son's operation in June, and they have billed half the insurance companies in town except mine. Then they would send me the bill when that company refuses to pay. The numbers are always different, explanations are different, etc.

I've got BCBS as well, and the bill I received for a surgery and multi-day hospital stay had 8 line items. No detailed billing at all. I hope they got more detailed info other than: "Medical/Surgical Supplies and Services" $3,466.00.

 

[Nanita8140]

My 6 year old son fell here in our home late into the night a few months ago. My husband took him to the emergency room where the attending physician didn't believe he needed stiches but instead used a special type of glue and put a bandage on it. The cut was small, under the chin. The bil was for $1262.....our health insurance pays for the first 1200 per year and we are responsible for the next $3000 per year, so there you have it....a small chin cut used almost all our insurance allowance. I did give my husband a piece of my mind...lol...I was of the opinion not to take him and to wait to the next morning to go to the peditricians office to see if stiches were needed.....live and learn.

 

[eridanus]

I've got BCBS as well, and the bill I received for a surgery and multi-day hospital stay had 8 line items. No detailed billing at all. I hope they got more detailed info other than: "Medical/Surgical Supplies and Services" $3,466.00.

I've called BCBS to report potential provider fraud and they couldn't have cared less.