High charge at urgent care

[u/PromotionAgile]

I was charged $900 for a 15 minute visit to urgent care. Insurance doesn't cover any of it because I have a high deductible plan. I called the medical practice saying the charge was ridiculous. They checked the billing codes and found no error.

They said the insurance company sets the price and I can file a grievance with insurance. That seems like a wild goose chase.

Why is it so expensive? Is there anything I can do to reduce the cost?

[u/Initial_Freedom7981]

You owe all your costs until you meet your deductible. That’s how insurance works. You can ask to do self pay, not insurance, and it may be less.

[u/PopularPrompt2892 → u/Initial_Freedom7981]

This. I didn't have an HDHP at the time, but I had Medicaid, and the urgent care was not an enrolled provider. I looked up the average amount received for the service I was billed for (in my case it was a CT scan), which was $400. They had billed me $800, so.I went through this will a billing specialist supervisor there and basically reasoned that this is all they would have gotten from me had I been insured through one they accept, couldn't afford the $800, and could they settle it for $400. She agreed, happy to receive a payment, I got it in writing, and that was it. I probably got lucky, but it's always worth a shot, if you're willing to exhaust the energy.