In March of this year, I told my doctor about some joint pain I was having and due to my long family history of rheumatoid arthritis, he ordered some blood work. It was a single vial and it was one test. Several months later I get a text message bill from the lab they use for $753 and some change. (Mind you I never got the results of this test and this is the first I've heard about it since I had it done.)
I called the lab and asked her to explain. She said I was responsible for the $753. I looked at the itemized bill and the one test I had done for rheumatoid arthritis totaled $53. They did several other tests like a $225 Lyme disease test and lots of other stuff I've never even heard of. Insurance covered nothing because, as I've expressed to my doctor in the past, my insurance does not cover this particular lab company. The only reason I consented to have the lab done is because I thought they would be doing it in the office lab, not the third party lab.
She recommended I call my primary practice, so I did. I was put through to the office manager and explained the situation and she said that "well those tests are done as a panel so it is correct that it's like 5 or 6 tests from one vial of blood." I was never made aware of this and I am not a healthcare professional, so how am I supposed to know this information? My doctor told me it was 1 test so I expected 1 test, not 6. If he had disclosed to me that this was going to cost so much, I wouldn't have said a word.
Now, the office manager has requested an invoice of the bill, so I sent it to her and she's asking me some insurance questions and says she will talk to my doctor who ordered the tests tomorrow. What should I be prepared for? Am I seriously going to have to pay $753 for what I was told would be one, simple test?? My doctor told me it would be just 1 test and said nothing about this expensive panel stuff, so I feel like something is wrong here. What can I do? All and any advice is greatly appreciated.
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