posted on August 3, 2010 06:07:10 PM new
I am still baffled and would like to hear your comments,
I have been travelling overseas and feel kind of rundown.
From the time I was a teenager,family members ,neighbors and busybodies all pointed at my neck and said I have goiter and I should eat more seafood,esp seaweeds!
But all these years when I go to a medical doctor,they never find any proof that I have a thyroid problem.Altho at one time my gyne did prescribe some synthroid .
Anyway,I decided money would be wisely spent if I go to see an endocrinologist due to my fatique and my age.
So I went to see an endocrinologist in the city and I know it is not going to be cheap if he prescribes blood test(my insurance plan only covers hospital,not doctor visit).
Well,this doctor asked me a lot of questions,1/3 thru the conversation I sensed he agreed with his colleagues I dont have a thyroid problem,here comes another one who wants to blame her weight gain and malaise on her thyroid gland!
Then he started to conduct a series of tests like running a metal stick down my legs and ask if I feel any different as it travels down my leg,then he hit my front lower leg bone and asked if it hurts.
he asked me to drink water as he felt my thyroid glands.
Then he left the room and come back and asked me non medical questions like where I live,single or married,children or no children and what do I do for a living?
Then he told me he will order a blood work on me and since I told him my leg bone hurts when he hit them,this could be a vitamin D deficiency and should be tested for such.
When I argued with him anyone would feel the pain if someone hits her ,he said not me and he started hitting his leg and then rolled up the trouser and said here ,I have wooden leg?I dont feel any pain!
He then sent me to a room where several technicians were there staring at monitor and one of them drew blood and asked me to give them urine sample.
Then he asked me to schedule an ultra sound at any clinic as he feels there seems to be a nodule growing close to my thyroid.
Then when all are done ,I should come back for another visit and he will discuss the findings with me.
When I finally walked up to the cashier ,I watched her adding up all the tests requried for the blood work and the total for blood work and office visit comes to $1755.25/
I almost past out,I know it wont be cheap but 1500 for bloodwork for someone who may not have thyroid and I dont even think he thinks I have thyroid problem or any nodule growing in me.
So I came home and studied the receipt showing all the tests I was supposed to have,it looks like the doc thinks I am on my death bed!
I called his answering service and asked to speak with him,I made some excuses that I need to leave the country and could not meet with him in the next appt so could we please cancel the blood tests,forget the ultra sound until my return/
At first he is not willing to cancel the blood test or urine test,but as the conversation goes on ,he was pissed and he said I will eat the loss and dont you come back,go see someone else!
So today I went to his office and picked up a check for 1755 even though I used my credit card to pay for the bill,as the office explain they cannot reverse the charge as it wil throw their books out of balance for that day??
Now I have use of his money until my credit card statement comes?
Do most doctors behave like him,hit his wooden leg and claim no pain,order bloodwork from A TO Z and then give the patient a check for $1755?
What do you think is going on?
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
[ edited by hwahwa on Aug 3, 2010 06:11 PM ]
posted on August 3, 2010 08:27:04 PM new
Was this visit here in the U.S.?
It sounds fishy to me--but I'm not surprised at the true cost of tests done. Those of us who have medical insurance never see those true costs; we just are told what our copay or share of the final bill will be.
However, I must ask: Is the area a bit swollen where your thyroid gland is? If so, I'll bet you could find someone who could order just a thyroid test for you.
Bear in mind, though, that the standard T4 T5 test isn't always best for women who are beyond menopause (not sure how old you are), and since most drs. are taught that that's the gold standard in thyroid testing, you may be stuck with that.
_____________________
"Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who ***dared to dissent*** from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, ***may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion."*** --Eisenhower
posted on August 3, 2010 11:19:40 PM new
That sounds like a weird Dctor to me and I would have done the same as you did and cancelled any future appointments.
Do you have a website for US Doctors like we have in Canada called 'Rate your MD'? We can go in and look at patients comments about Doctors and post comments too.
I was just referred to a Specialist and here in Canada that means a wait of 3-4 months sometimes but I checked him out and feel comfortable with seeing him....not that we have much choice over who we see.
Could you maybe be feeling rundown after handling the illnesses of your parents? That was a very emotionally draining situation which can make a person feel exhausted physically.
posted on August 4, 2010 06:00:19 AM new
This doctor is in Houston Tx,not overseas.
Thanks for your comments,we do not have a rating system on doctors in this country,not that I know,I wish we do so we can read them before making an appointment.
I spoke to a friend of mine who was married to a doctor and ran his office for many years,she explained to me the labs regularly send runners to pick up blood samples and mine is picked up by the lab already and it would not be easy to find the sample and cancel the testing,as for urine testing,it could have been done in his office already .
She thinks he will have to eat the loss to the tune of a few hundred dollars,and I should have gone along with everything he ordered,but showing the patient his wooden leg is not called for ,she does not see the sense of humor in his behavior.
I learn a lesson,when I made appointment I asked about his fee ,I should have asked how much is blood work when I was in his office.
Well,we live and we learn,never be afraid to ask how much anything cost?
Most of us do not have any clue how much medical procedures cost until we need them.
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on August 4, 2010 07:24:35 AM new
Here's a link to the Rating site.
Based on your info, I chose an Endocronologist, Male, in Houston. Maybe you can find that Doctor there.
posted on August 4, 2010 07:57:25 AM new
Otterpop.
Thanks so much for the link,I found him and all the comments left by his patients.
From the comments.he is big on Vitamin D deficiency,he is rude and arrogant,he cares about money ,he is caring and highly intelligent,his staff is rude.his staff is attentive,he is a great doctor,do not go there,etc etc.
But one patient said he ordered blood work for him,paid Labcorp out of his own pocket and then turned around and bill him more.
Labcorp billed him 400 and he turned around and bill the patient 1300 dollars.
So my friend could be right,he is out of 400 dollars in my case.
Thank you again for finding this site,I wish I have read it before I went.
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on August 4, 2010 11:29:33 AM new
Great, I am glad the site worked for you. Maybe now you can find another Dr. who knows what he/she is doing and also cares about their patients!
posted on August 4, 2010 01:14:41 PM new
I wonder if this is ethical or legal to mark up the lab tests?
if it is indeed true,billing your patient 1300 for work done by the lab costing 400 dollars?
I looked at some of tests online from some sites which offer discount rate,25 HYDROXY VIT-D is quoted at 59.99 at one site and this doctor is charging 253.
*
There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
[ edited by hwahwa on Aug 4, 2010 05:24 PM ]
posted on August 22, 2010 03:49:51 PM new
The charges for your visit seem excesive. I recently had lab test that included a vit D panel. The cost was $232, 5 other panels were run, my total cost $466 for the lab test and $63 for the ov. They were order by my family physician billed to LabCorp. These were actual charges not including any adjustments to my network.
