I was going to see a medical office for a consultation and x-rays, but they told me I wouldn’t have to pay anything even though they’re out of network. They seemed really eager to book me. I called my insurance and they said for out of network I’d need to pay a few hundred for the deductible and 30% coinsurance. How does this work where they say I won’t pay anything? Are they charging way more than my deductible but not billing me for it? Is this normal or should I be worried? I ended up canceling because I didn’t want a surprise bill later.
Is this by any chance a chiropractor?
Noor said:
Is this by any chance a chiropractor?
I thought the same thing when I saw x-rays mentioned.
Noor said:
Is this by any chance a chiropractor?
I thought the same thing when I saw x-rays mentioned.
First visit and x-rays free, then they try to sign you up for some expensive treatment plan. Classic move.
That sounds off unless they literally said they’re treating you for free and you signed something. You’d still owe the deductible. Also, 30% out of network cost sounds low – usually, they can bill you for way more. My out of network max is $18k, while in-network it’s $9k.
Did they explain why they said that? I work at a doctor’s office and while we can’t just pay for patients’ visits, we have a sliding scale based on income. The lowest fee is $10 if someone qualifies. Maybe it’s something like that, but definitely be careful. Sometimes doctors say one thing and insurance says another. In the end, insurance decides if they pay or not. It’s not the best system.
@Lian
Ask to speak with their billing department to confirm. If they’re being upfront, they should have no problem putting it in writing.
That sounds sketchy to me. Could be one of those ‘medical mills’ that just try to churn patients through.
Chiropractors, man. Always some kind of trick.
Wouldn’t trust it.
Sometimes this is legit but always double-check. Some providers waive fees if there’s no one else offering the service nearby. Sometimes they’re just good people who don’t bill extra if insurance doesn’t cover it. My spouse’s doctor did that once – still counted toward our deductible but didn’t cost us anything out of pocket. Rare but it happens.
@Luca
That can be insurance fraud. Doctors aren’t supposed to discount patients without offering the same deal to insurers.
Ellery said:
@Luca
That can be insurance fraud. Doctors aren’t supposed to discount patients without offering the same deal to insurers.
It’s not fraud if the doctor isn’t under contract with the insurance.
@Vail
The post said the doctor was in network though.
Could be the doctor is trying to build a patient base if they had issues with the medical board. Worth checking their license.
If their title says D.C., it’s chiropractic. They bill differently from MDs. First visit and x-rays are usually free, but the treatment plan won’t be. Insurance usually covers some visits, but x-rays are mostly for their use. I’ve had chiropractic care for migraines and it helped short-term, but I stopped when I realized it wouldn’t fix the issue. It’s not a scam, just a different approach. Only you can decide if it’s worth it.