ack! I owe the derm. $$$$$$$$$ UPDATE

Ok poopie news. I have very bad back acne (bacne if you will) and i have been going to a dermatologist since March and every time I go he gives me this cold stuff for my back and antibiotics . . . this has been something that bothered me for over ten years and finally my back looks GOOD and I am so excited for the wedding. SO today i get a bill from my insurance company telling me that I owe the doctor $100!!! The date of service was my very first appt in MARCH. Well, turns out that my copay was $30 but this 'treatment' was $100 EVERY SINGLE TIME! so that is about 20 visits x $100 = $2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I had known that I wouldnt have gone, I mean it is finally working but it is no miracle cure!!!! I am so upset - I don't know what to do bc I feel like its not my fault. Every visit I would ask how much I owed and they would tell me $30 and that would be it.

I am VERY responsible when it comes to stuff like this but it is not like they list every single treatment in the insurance books so I feel like the office should have at least warned me that it may not be covered! Does anyone have any idea?


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okay girls i talked to the derm today. I love him. He bribed me! He said that if I continue to be a regular patient ( weekly or biweekly) he will waive the past due fee of about $2000 AND each visit will be $50 instead of $130 like the insurance says it is supposed to be. i am so excited bc the treatment for my back is DEFINITELY working. . . so i will hopefully have a clear back for the wedding!

THANK YOU for all your responses.

I don't know Tilde but that SUUUUCKS!

It seems to me that your derm thought it was covered too! IMO, it's their fault... They should eat it...

I can find out more for you tomorrow if you want - I'll call my insurance broker - they're so helpful!

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Posted by LuvMyAlfonse

I don't know Tilde but that SUUUUCKS!

It seems to me that your derm thought it was covered too! IMO, it's their fault... They should eat it...

I can find out more for you tomorrow if you want - I'll call my insurance broker - they're so helpful!

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hmm i was going to call Blue Cross but I am not sure if this is something they can 'waive' or if I am just going to have to take this up with the dermatologist's office

naaa...the dermo is expensive...esp if u have issues...i used to pay $35 every week...its nuts right? ROBBERY!!!

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Posted by ant n tilde
hmm i was going to call Blue Cross but I am not sure if this is something they can 'waive' or if I am just going to have to take this up with the dermatologist's office

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I have Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and they don't cover diddly. I highly doubt the ins company will waive it...

If you're just getting a bill now, in July, for procedures in March - it's definitely the derm's fault... Call them first... Just what you need to deal with right?

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Posted by LuvMyAlfonse

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Posted by ant n tilde
hmm i was going to call Blue Cross but I am not sure if this is something they can 'waive' or if I am just going to have to take this up with the dermatologist's office

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I have Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and they don't cover diddly. I highly doubt the ins company will waive it...

If you're just getting a bill now, in July, for procedures in March - it's definitely the derm's fault... Call them first... Just what you need to deal with right?

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seriously! i already called them and they said they have to call the ins company and they will get back to me!!

When i used to go to the derm it was all covered...and today when i called up about the shot they said it was covered too.

You might want to call up your insurance company yourself

I think you can refute this. I had a problem with my dentist where they told me I owed them a lot of money but it was because I had something done that they didn't tell me wasn't covered and I got ALL of my money back. Put on your fight face and call up those biotches

that realllllly blows. i hope you work everything out!!! i just had a fight with the dr about insurance and coverage. its sooo annoying.

maybe they can recommend a different treatment or like someone else said...use a different code on your bill.

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Posted by ant n tilde



Ok poopie news. I have very bad back acne (bacne if you will) and i have been going to a dermatologist since March and every time I go he gives me this cold stuff for my back and antibiotics . . . this has been something that bothered me for over ten years and finally my back looks GOOD and I am so excited for the wedding. SO today i get a bill from my insurance company telling me that I owe the doctor $100!!! The date of service was my very first appt in MARCH. Well, turns out that my copay was $30 but this 'treatment' was $100 EVERY SINGLE TIME! so that is about 20 visits x $100 = $2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I had known that I wouldnt have gone, I mean it is finally working but it is no miracle cure!!!! I am so upset - I don't know what to do bc I feel like its not my fault. Every visit I would ask how much I owed and they would tell me $30 and that would be it.

I am VERY responsible when it comes to stuff like this but it is not like they list every single treatment in the insurance books so I feel like the office should have at least warned me that it may not be covered! Does anyone have any idea?

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I have an idea!
Ok, that happened to me a couple of years ago.
Talk to doc. privately, see if they can submit it to the insurance company as 'Acne Surgery'....that procedure seems to get completely covered. Ask your derm about it. Believe me, he'd rather get it covered and continue to have you as a patient than you be frusturated by the cost and stop seeing him. The idea is more 'profitable' for him to keep you as a long term patient.

thanks everyone for the suggestions!! i am going tomorrow after work - i would like to deal with them first instead of the insurance company bc i really do like going there . . . if all else fails i will call up the ins company myself

thanks everyone

Is it possiblethat the insurance co just didn't pay the dr.? Usualy they send the bills to the ins co and sometimes ins cos are so screwed up that they dont pay claims. Then the Dr sends a bill to the patient.This happend to me with a dr visit, but it was only $180 and the ins co eventually paid.

If not, it is totally bs on the drs part. How can they give someone treatmnt then all of a sudden say- oh BTW- you owe us $2000. BS I tell you. I hope everything works out!

wow matilde, that is SOOOOOO nice of him

is he in howard beach??

i need a good dermo

What a nice doc! Glad everything worked out!