Life Doctors WTF?

**007** · 11-12-2010, 11:22 PM

My son broke his foot last month playing football. We just started seeing some of the bills for this. One of them in particular was the bill for the orthopedic surgeon who DID NOT perform a surgery. This bill lists $58.75 for the office visit and $1695 for a surgery that was never done. They never invaded his skin. Not even for shot. All he did was look at his foot take an xray and put a walking boot on. WTF!!!???

**007** · 11-12-2010, 11:22 PM

And this is on top of an ER bill that was only $851. The ER did more than this doctor did and charged less.

DanT · 11-14-2010, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

And this is on top of an ER bill that was only $851. The ER did more than this doctor did and charged less.

My colleagues and I just published a study on the wide variation in compensation among various physician specialties. The orthopedic surgeons are among the most lucratively paid, while primary care doctors and many other specialists make quite a bit less on average.

Here's a link with more details on our article:
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome...ician_pay.html

Part of the differences in pay have to do with decisions made by a little-known group that advises Medicare on how much they should pay for various procedures and services. An interesting story on that group can be found here:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/2571/

**007** · 11-14-2010, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanT

My colleagues and I just published a study on the wide variation in compensation among various physician specialties. The orthopedic surgeons are among the most lucratively paid, while primary care doctors and many other specialists make quite a bit less on average.

Here's a link with more details on our article:
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome...ician_pay.html

Part of the differences in pay have to do with decisions made by a little-known group that advises Medicare on how much they should pay for various procedures and services. An interesting story on that group can be found here:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/2571/

I can understand a specialist getting more pay than a family practice physician but $1700 for 10 minutes of time? We have been to two followups with this specialist and each one of them was exactly like the first visit and the cost was only $150 each. How do you go from $1700 to $150 and do the same thing in both visits?

DanT · 11-14-2010, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

I can understand a specialist getting more pay than a family practice physician but $1700 for 10 minutes of time? We have been to two followups with this specialist and each one of them was exactly like the first visit and the cost was only $150 each. How do you go from $1700 to $150 and do the same thing in both visits?

That's a great question. I would definitely pose it to the doctor. If you challenge it, they'll either recognize it's a mistake or they'll provide some sort of explanation as to why it isn't. Either way, you'd be in a better position to correct it through further challenges.

**Bane** · 11-12-2010, 11:29 PM

Ridiculous!

WhitiE · 11-13-2010, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bane

Ridiculous!

very insightful

**007** · 11-12-2010, 11:32 PM

Oh just can't wait to give them a call Monday morning and hear their explanation now. I really wish I hadn't looked this up online now because it will have me boiling all weekend. These medical professionals may be needed but these types of things should get them put in jail. It's robbery.

Hootie · 11-12-2010, 11:34 PM

now I don't feel so bad for spending $2000 in Cali last week...

**007** · 11-12-2010, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Meat Dragon

now I don't feel so bad for spending $2000 in Cali last week...

just feel lucky you weren't hurt. You could have been raped at the collesium and then raped again by the doctor.

Hootie · 11-12-2010, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

just feel lucky you weren't hurt. You could have been raped at the collesium and then raped again by the doctor.

that sucks dude...

kids are expensive and it doesn't help when medical bills are outrageous like that...

you think it will get overturned? You know..since there was no surgery? Maybe it was just a 'lets see if he doesn't notice' kind of thing?

**Bugeater** · 11-12-2010, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Meat Dragon

that sucks dude...

kids are expensive and it doesn't help when medical bills are outrageous like that...

you think it will get overturned? You know..since there was no surgery? Maybe it was just a 'lets see if he doesn't notice' kind of thing?

That wouldn't surprise me, most people probably wouldn't think twice about something like that if their insurance is paying for it. The whole system is borderline criminal.

**Bugeater** · 11-12-2010, 11:42 PM

I have no idea how they can expect you to pay for something they didn't do.

**007** · 11-12-2010, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I have no idea how they can expect you to pay for something they didn't do.

I'm assuming it is a coding error of some sort but my insurance wouldn't have listed it as a surgery on the EOB if it wasn't billed that way. Either way, this doctor submitted a $1700 bill for taking an xray, looking at his foot and putting a walking boot on that was secured with ****ing velcro.

The ER bill was half that amount and they took xrays as well as put a temporary cast on it. They did more work than this doctor did.

God of Thunder · 11-13-2010, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

I'm assuming it is a coding error of some sort but my insurance wouldn't have listed it as a surgery on the EOB if it wasn't billed that way. Either way, this doctor submitted a $1700 bill for taking an xray, looking at his foot and putting a walking boot on that was secured with ****ing velcro.

The ER bill was half that amount and they took xrays as well as put a temporary cast on it. They did more work than this doctor did.

I don't think its an error.....I had my thumb shattered playing football, and went to an ortho, all I got was an xray and a cast and my bill was over 2k.

11-12-2010, 11:22 PM	Topic Starter
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $14060126 VARSITY	Doctors WTF? My son broke his foot last month playing football. We just started seeing some of the bills for this. One of them in particular was the bill for the orthopedic surgeon who DID NOT perform a surgery. This bill lists $58.75 for the office visit and $1695 for a surgery that was never done. They never invaded his skin. Not even for shot. All he did was look at his foot take an xray and put a walking boot on. WTF!!!???
Posts: 65,554

11-12-2010, 11:22 PM	#2
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $14060126 VARSITY	And this is on top of an ER bill that was only $851. The ER did more than this doctor did and charged less. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,554

11-12-2010, 11:29 PM	#6
Bane C.H.I.E.F.S Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: **** your face Casino cash: $10005055	Ridiculous!
Posts: 12,621

11-12-2010, 11:32 PM	#8
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $14060126 VARSITY	Oh just can't wait to give them a call Monday morning and hear their explanation now. I really wish I hadn't looked this up online now because it will have me boiling all weekend. These medical professionals may be needed but these types of things should get them put in jail. It's robbery. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,554

11-12-2010, 11:34 PM	#9
Hootie Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Casino cash: $10004900	now I don't feel so bad for spending $2000 in Cali last week...
Posts: 56,356

11-12-2010, 11:42 PM	#13
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $6252680	I have no idea how they can expect you to pay for something they didn't do.
Posts: 70,443