[suddenseizure]

My wife went for routine blood tests yesterday and they didn't even bother to tell her that the insurance her employer switched to in 2017 treats this lab as out of network (it was in network with the previous insurance just a week ago). She could have gone to an in network lab a few blocks away if they'd told her. Now we're worried about a huge unnecessary out of network bill in addition to the in network deductible / max out of pocket we were expecting to hit with her cancer treatment.

[tehlike]

That's quite absurd. Especially since it was a routine place you were going. You might try calling your insurance (if you havent) and talk them into reducing the bill: you just didn't know and your wife sticked with where she has been going to in the past. If you can, if your healthcare is through your employer, try writing to your benefits team as well.

PS: My prayers are goes for your wife. I hope she beats the cancer.

[gscott]

Go back and ask for the cash price if you pay it right there. It should cost about 1/3 of the normal price. The cost of billing insurance companies and all drives the price way up.

[cylinder]

I throw those bills in the trash, nothing ever happens. Admin staff at medical practices are horribly incompetent generally. You can push them before the fact aggressively to figure out your eligibility under insurance, and then you'll still get an incorrect bill afterwards for an amount you don't actually owe.