The outstanding cost of a sleep study...

[MichelleFL]

I cannot believe this and have anxiously been awaiting my BCBS to mail me my Processed Claim Report.. Fortunately I do not have to pay a dime of this but it goes to show how they rip off everyone.

Date of service 10/06/08 Submitted charges $3,075.00 Eligible charges $670.86 Benefits paid $670.86

Can you believe how much they charge?? What if a person does not have insurance and has to pay the whole thing themselves?? Ridiculous!

[ractar28]

You should have seen my kidney stone -- outpatient pain meds ONLY. 4k, insurance paid almost $400 total, and they wonder why no one pays their medical bills.

[graygables]

Oh yeah. Welcome to my world. It gets even better when we have to listen to people tell us how horrible we are and even unfit to be alive in America b/c we have no insurance. They seem to not be able to understand English when we tell them it's not only that we cannot afford it, it's that NO ONE WILL INSURE my daughters or myself at any price b/c of "pre-existing conditions". I've gone back to school to try to get a "real" job that has insurance benefits. Self-employment in America is for the birds.

[jules]

Did that charge include the cost for the doctor to read it? or just one night in the lab?

[looking4zzzz]

You're right...it is incredibly expensive. Near as I can tell, so far mine has billed as follows from August to now

1st visit (with neurologist) when we decided I needed a PSG - $285 pd $141.82
1st PSG - $1500 pd $883.05
Titration PSG - $1700 pd $955.61
CPAP machine, hose & mask - $2631 pd $2133.53
Follow-up visit with neurologist - $136 still being processed

I am SOOOOOOOO thankful I have insurance. I could never have afforded diagnosis and treatment without it. Honestly, though, the only cost I think is really jacked up is the cost of the equipment. To have to pay the cost of the building and utilities, certified staff to run the tests, the test equipment, cleaning service, laundry service, etc. I doubt they're making a killing on the PSG's. The doctor appointments aren't out of line with other doctor appointments I've had. It's just hard to swallow the cost of the Cpap equipment charges when we know how much it can be purchased for online, and we know the online DME's have to be making some profit or they couldn't stay in business.

[MichelleFL]

Did that charge include the cost for the doctor to read it? or just one night in the lab?

I am not sure yet as this is my first processed claim from them. But I am sure this sleep doctor who I never met is going to wiggle out some sort of payment from me. They always charge a "separate fee"

[MichelleFL]

You should have seen my kidney stone -- outpatient pain meds ONLY. 4k, insurance paid almost $400 total, and they wonder why no one pays their medical bills.

I hear you on that one! When I had my gallbladder out in Jan of 2007 the hospital bill was over 64 thousand dollars!! BCBS only paid less than a thousand. And then for my thyroid surgery in December of 2007 that bill came to over 85 thousand and here again BCBS paid less than a thousand. You know darn well if I did not have insurance I would of been billed the whole amount from the hospital.. How these insurances pay so little is beyond me.

[jules]

Several hundred for each night reading isn't unusual.

[MichelleFL]

That would figure Jules.. Those doctors get there hands into everything.. And you would think for several hundred dollars I could of at least met the man!

[jules]

about 600 bucks back in 2001 for one night and couldn't get any answers on any of it - and that was the doc's fee - not the PSG fee - and it wasn't "in network" as no one was back then

initial new sleep doc appt in 2005 was over 400 - in network so he didn't get that much but still - this wasn't for anything but time - oh you had a sleep study before - bingo -

[OldLincoln]

What insurance actually pays is a clue to their actual cost as they still make money off it. What is so remarkable is they get a huge tax write off on the balance. Like many others, it took a while before I caught on that it's just part of the game and not get excited about it all.

I have an Auto M and F&P 150 humidifier and the total insurance is going to pay out before I own it is $1,026. The CPAP.com cost net price for those is $589 and they still make money. DME's probably pay close to what CPAP.com does so they somehow manage to "squeak by".

[mazsdps]

I'm thankful we have insurance. My husband has leukemia and when he had to have chemo they hooked 3 bags up to him and the price of the chemo is unreal. One bag was $13,000, one was 10,000 and the littlest bag was a mere 9,000! And he had to have chemo every month for 5 days straight so add those bags of chemo up and you can pay for a house with it around here! And some doctors have to ask patients why they didn't come back for chemo after they had surgery for cancer! I have gripped about the price of the chemo some, but I am very thankful he had it because he's in remission today. I just had an MRI and I just got my claim papers and the price said $1995 and insurance paid $645. I went 13 years without insurance when I was with my ex husband so I know what it's like to have to pay medical bills, it sucks. My niece didn't have insurance last year and I went to the doctor with her and it's the same doctor I see, they gave her a discount and she only had to pay $60 but the charge to see the doctor if you have insurance is $117 because it's on my insurance statements all the time. I didn't think they could do that.

[Wonderingwoman]

Now you know why people like "Joe the Plumber" and me the banker and other working folks are angry.

[betsy946]

Each sleep study was $3175.00 for me - also giving thanks for insurance. Best wishes to everyone.

[Guest]

I cannot believe this and have anxiously been awaiting my BCBS to mail me my Processed Claim Report.. Fortunately I do not have to pay a dime of this but it goes to show how they rip off everyone.

Date of service 10/06/08 Submitted charges $3,075.00 Eligible charges $670.86 Benefits paid $670.86

Can you believe how much they charge?? What if a person does not have insurance and has to pay the whole thing themselves?? Ridiculous!

Yes, it is a complete racket. It's a huge cash cow for the hospital here. They charge $2600 per person per night and there are 8 rooms. Every night I was there each room was full. You do the math. . . In Thailand you can get the same sleep study for $400, which is more reasonable. And that $2600 does NOT cover what the doctor charges to "interpret" the study. Another $400 for that. Plus the cost of the machine and mask? It's insane.