Jump to content

The colonoscopy scam


Ralphie

Recommended Posts

Preventive colonoscopies are covered 100%, right, just like an annual physical?  Wrong!  Not when they are "diagnostic" as opposed to "preventive", ie if you had polyps removed the last time.  So $400 for the testing center and $60 for the doctor.  This "coding" stuff sucks!  That is definitely how they get you!

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Preventive colonoscopies are covered 100%, right, just like an annual physical?  Wrong!  Not when they are "diagnostic" as opposed to "preventive", ie if you had polyps removed the last time.  So $400 for the testing center and $60 for the doctor.  This "coding" stuff sucks!  That is definitely how they get you!

If a person is healthy, most people I know in CAnada only get a colonoscopy every 10 years.  We don't get billed at all for this stuff...regardless of age.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Preventive colonoscopies are covered 100%, right, just like an annual physical?  Wrong!  Not when they are "diagnostic" as opposed to "preventive", ie if you had polyps removed the last time.  So $400 for the testing center and $60 for the doctor.  This "coding" stuff sucks!  That is definitely how they get you!

Call where you had it done and tell them if they want paid they need to resubmit it the right way. We have had to do this with several hospitals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My wife's colonoscopy story. She's been harping on me to go get one. So last summer she went and got her colonoscopy first to show me how simple and painless it was. All went well. But a week later when she went for her scheduled breast exam, they found an abnormality, so they sent her for more tests. They concluded she had a large dark lump near her armpit. With her history, they quickly shuffled her in for a biopsy. At first they didn't say it was cancer, but they never said it wasn't either. For weeks it was touch and go. After all was said and done, and after they rang up over $100,000 in bills to her insurance, they figured out the IV they used during the colonoscopy caused one of her lymph nodes to enlarge and turn dark. Nothing had to be done, it later fixed itself. Anyway, that's my story of why I'm a fraidy cat to get a colonoscopy. :o

  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Preventive colonoscopies are covered 100%, right, just like an annual physical?  Wrong!  Not when they are "diagnostic" as opposed to "preventive", ie if you had polyps removed the last time.  So $400 for the testing center and $60 for the doctor.  This "coding" stuff sucks!  That is definitely how they get you!

I guess it depends on the insurance.  The Carefirst-BCBS insurance that was my primary insurance throughout my teaching career and is my supplementary to Medicare since age 65 covers all tests 100%.  So I've had a colonoscopy, three days of heart tests (checkups, not for a problem) before taking up cycling for exercise, electrocardiogram and special blood sugar and other tests before my 2017 shoulder surgery, every-three-month blood tests for diabetes, etc. and haven't paid a cent for any of them.  My guess is that BCBS figures teachers tend to follow doctors orders and take better care of their health than average and so the tests result in less hospitalization costs, etc. for BCBS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

My guess is that BCBS figures teachers tend to follow doctors orders and take better care of their health than average and so the tests result in less hospitalization costs, etc. for BCBS.

Or that teachers unions demand quality insurance. I never had to pay for any testing when I was working but my Medicare advantage sucks. It’s only an advantage for the insurance companies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Here we go - looks like it is a thing.  I guess I can see that since I had to go back in 3 vs 5 years that costs a lot more.

https://www.stopcoloncancernow.com/spread-awareness/news/what-is-the-difference-between-screening-and-diagnostic-colonoscopy

early am out here & I read that as screaming and not screening

ouchie....I flinched a little

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Here we go - looks like it is a thing.  I guess I can see that since I had to go back in 3 vs 5 years that costs a lot more.

https://www.stopcoloncancernow.com/spread-awareness/news/what-is-the-difference-between-screening-and-diagnostic-colonoscopy

Sounds like bullshit to me. Medicare supliment covers everything, no co-pays or deductible, Medicare advantage rapes you for every doctor visit and procedure. I should pay my broker a visit and tell her what I think of her.?

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

Sounds like bullshit to me. Medicare supliment covers everything, no co-pays or deductible, Medicare advantage rapes you for every doctor visit and procedure. I should pay my broker a visit and tell her what I think of her.?

Sounds just like taxes - obfuscation by complication. :blink:

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...