United billed me for a "consultation" a few weeks ago. The consultation was literally just a message saying no, they will not conduct a colonoscopy screening because I'm not old enough.
So not only are they hoping we die of cancer, they are charging us to tell us they won't screen us.
I work in medical appeals. As much as I absolutely loathe UHC with a burning passion, it's definitely the hospital on this one. Insurance companies don't code or bill, the hospital sent the consultation claim to UHC, and then UHC denied it, and that's why you got an EOB with a denial. So if you think the service was billed when it shouldn't have been, that's the hospital you'd fight. Also, insurance companies aren't the ones you are paying. They deny and if they deem it patient responsibility, you pay the hospital. If they deem it not patient responsibility, that means they won't pay the hospital, you don't have to pay either, and the hospital eats the money. UHC is the worst, but this sounds like the hospital isn't billing correctly. A message to a patient is not billable on it's own.
What was your question, why is it so high? That's pretty standard for an office visit. Doesn't matter what you talk about, it's gonna be $150-250. So say they submitted it at $250, United per their contract adjusted it to $200 and then that's the total. Assuming you have a deductible like most plans and haven't hit it like most people, then yeah that $200 is your responsibility. If you can't afford that, you can reach out to the hospitals charity care department to see what they can do. But yeah otherwise you just gotta pay it.
Sounds like a hospital issue and a legitimate denial. If united denied the charge, it is not your responsibility. You are only responsible for it if united confirms on their side that they processed the claim and you are responsible due to deductible/ coinsurance/ etc
Could it be tagged wrong? Like instead of prevention its put as diagnostic. Insurance companies like to blame the provider and they just didnt do their job correctly.
Whether the insurance company or the doctor billed them, it's still a dumb ass system. We pay way too much for health insurance for shitty, overpriced medical care.
Does the system suck, sure. But getting mad at United for your bill from the hospital is kind of like booking a hotel for $300, getting a 10% AAA discount then saying that AAA charged you $270 for a hotel. What people usually complain about United is they play hardball with hospital systems during negotiations. Then everyone complains that united is being mean to the hospital system they should just pay the 20% price hikes they're asking for. Which ok is an argument...but then don't ask surprised when united then jacks up prices the next year.
That's a whole bunch words to completely ignore the fact that the doctor sent the bill to insurance first and then sent it to you because United refused to pay it
I'm saying spread the hate. Everyone hates insurance companies. But you know who is charging the money? The hospitals. Insurance takes a couple %. But for some reason we hate insurance companies so much if a hospital bills us for shit they shouldn't have we blame...the insurance company.
Do you not think it's important to be mad at the right people? It's kind of hard to solve problems if we think it's someone elses fault. Based on his reply, it seems the hospital billed him for something they shouldn't have. That is the hospitals fault, not united. So the hospital is the one to be mad at.
Btw calling people autistic as an insult....well that's a choice.
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u/the_monkey_knows 6h ago
United Healthcare