Medical Center: Pacific Medical Center
Region: Snohomish County, WA
Insurance Provider: Anthem (Blue Cross Blue Shield) CA
I had visited an ENT at this center in December 2023, for a nasal congestion that was ongoing for months. While doing the checkup, the doctor (Otolaryngologist) brought in an endoscope machine and carried out nasal endoscopy to check for pollyps n such inside the nose. I thought it is standard part of the ENT office visit. (The doctor did NOT mention this will be billed separately and is costly.) He didn't find anything in this check-up and suggested I should get a CT Scan done. He did say that will need to be approved by the insurance provider (and thus I understood that's a separate process, and will be billed separately.) I later declined the CT Scan as I learnt that was going to cost me $300-400.
I received the bill today for the ENT visit. The hospital had sent a $1045 claim to Anthem, who reduced it to $810.58.
Even after the Insurance "discount", a simple ENT visit is $376!! And Nasal Endoscopy is $434!!! This is so so so much more than what I had expected. I had visited a different specialist in Evergreenhealth in the same building back in May 2023 for cough issues. And that visit had cost me ~$210! So I was expecting similar bill this time too. Instead I got 4 times the due amount.
I'm not broke or living paycheck to paycheck. Thus, I won't qualify for financial assistance or charity etc of course. But this bill still too much for me. Is there any way to negotiate with the hospital billing department to reduce the bill? I'll obviously call them tomorrow and ask for some reduction which they'll probably refuse at first. Any way to make them reconsider and reduce the due amount?
This is causing me so much stress and heartburn. Eight Hundred Dollars...!! For a visit that didn't even help cure my issue at all. 😭 Please advise.
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