Charged $227 to sign some papers

[u/todobirdo]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if this seems kind of extreme. I had to have a medical practitioner sign some paperwork to confirm that I've had my vaccinations and a TB test. So I called to make an appointment at the hospital I get my annual checks at to have them signed, assuming that it would just be something quick (maybe this is where I messed up). At the appointment, a nurse took my weight and blood pressure and left, and then the doctor came and I told him I just needed some papers signed. He took them and went back to his office and came back to tell me I needed to get a different type of TB test. He then sent me to get the test downstairs in the labwork area, and said he would sign the papers in the new few days and I could come back to pick them up.

That was a few weeks ago, and I just got a bill saying I was charged $252 for the TB test and $227 for the appointment (code 99213). Can I argue this, and who would I bring it up to?

[u/Woodman629]

Visits aren't free. This took the practitioners time to review your records, confirm them, review the paperwork they were signing, etc. Then they had to note that was all done.

A practitioner alone is not what you are paying for; you saw an MA, the team that checked you in and out, the EHR, turning the room, the billing team, the AR team, the people you called to schedule the appt with. All of those things cost money and time.

What do you want to argue? If the test was required for him to sign the forms, there was no choice.

Did you call them about picking up the signed paperwork?

[u/Woodman629 → u/[deleted]]

fixed. TY

[u/todobirdo → u/Woodman629]

Ok, that makes sense. I guess I am wondering if I has to do this again in the future and faxed the forms to them instead, if it would cost the same amount of money

[u/Woodman629 → u/todobirdo]

A lot of offices will not complete the forms without seeing you. If they did, it would still be considered a billable visit, much like a video visit.

[u/Old_Draft_5288 → u/todobirdo]

It depends.

If you have recently been in to see the provider and they are your regular provider, they may do it, but in the event that you need to get an additional test, they absolutely would not have.

If you get the stuff done during an annual exam, though it tends to be covered

Things like providing a copy of your current vaccination list is something you could definitely do over the phone like they would just send it to you as a medical record with a minimal to no fee, but to physically sign the documents and administer a new type of test you would never be able to do that without a visit

[u/voodoobunny999 → u/Old_Draft_5288]

I was reading one of the physician subs the other day and a newly minted Family Practice doc said that his office received a call from a person who requested a prescription. This was not a patient of the doc's. The caller just didn't want to pay for an appointment and was hoping that he'd write a prescription because it only takes a few seconds.

[u/Future-Ad4599]

This sounds like a legit visit to bill a 99213.

[u/Old_Draft_5288]

You probably can’t do anything

Needing to have paperwork done is unfortunately not generally covered by medical insurance. Parents have the same issue when your kid needs to get a physical exam for school, if it’s part of their annual exam it’s 100% covered but if you set up a separate appointment just for the paperwork, it is 0% covered.

Needing to get a TB test for something personal if there’s no medical need for it is also going to be a personal expense.

[u/Different-Impress654]

I'm developing an app for this exact issue

[u/Wide_Nefariousness_9]

Most women have to pay for the form the doctor signs stating they're released to go back to work after having a baby. It's literally just for the paperwork too. No appointment involved. It's Ridiculous.