[schmatz]

I was stupid enough to sign up for their SmartGut program. They never clearly disclose how much the test costs if you opt to use your insurance. They’re $2700. Not only that, they make it seem like you purchased 6 tests, but the $2700 charge is per test. Their billing practices are questionable, at least from the perspective of the consumer. On the BBB page for uBiome tons of people are complaining. While I can afford the surprise charge, I feel bad for the many that surely cannot.

[homero]

They promised to only take what your insurance paid and not bill you any remainder. My insurance refused one and paid another. They ate the first one. But it's a ridiculous amount to bill my insurance so i didn't do anymore. They got shady when they started sending emails where just by clicking they would "resequence" your sample.

[tschwimmer]

>They promised to only take what your insurance paid and not bill you any remainder.

This sounds like insurance fraud. [0]

[0] https://www.ajmc.com/contributor/andria-jacobs-rn-ms-cen-cph...

[breck]

Interesting. That make sense but is very counterintuitive.

I've always wondered why a lab has been hounding me to pay a $5 bill when insurance paid them like 99% of the bill. (I refuse to pay them because they only take check via mail--I've offered credit card, PayPal, venmo, et cetera...hoping to make things better for the next person). This explains why they care about getting paid the $5--so they can't be accused of insurance fraud. Anyway, this is just more evidence of how our whole health insurance industry needs a big refactor/replace.

[refurb]

I assume you still pay your copay/coinsurance, they just discount the remainder.

[homero]

What about all the $5 drug copay promotions? A drug company just refunded my copay.

[refurb]

It’s ok with private insurance, but not public insurance. The federal govt considers it an inducement.

[leelew]

It’s not Ok with commercial insurance either.

[refurb]

If by "ok" you mean legal, yes, it is legal for drug companies to offer co-pay assistance.