Can someone explain how a stress test can cost?

[SCREAMINREELS]

I haven't worked in that field in a while but the isotopes we're $250ish if I remember right for the nuc test and have a short half life so that have to be ordered for each person. If they no showed they had to pay that anyway because they are no longer good the next day. so 250 of it is just the medicine if you run. Increase the cost of medicine if it's induced. Total was a couple Grand to pay meds,nurse, tech, machine and reading by MD

If your just doing a normal stress I believe it was around $300ish. And usually lasts 5-20 minutes depending how good of shape your in/how long it takes to get your heart rate up

[ZZ Pops]

.

[TXHUNT3R]

I haven't worked in that field in a while but the isotopes we're $250ish if I remember right for the nuc test and have a short half life so that have to be ordered for each person. If they no showed they had to pay that anyway because they are no longer good the next day. so 250 of it is just the medicine if you run. Increase the cost of medicine if it's induced. Total was a couple Grand to pay meds,nurse, tech, machine and reading by MD

If your just doing a normal stress I believe it was around $300ish. And usually lasts 5-20 minutes depending how good of shape your in/how long it takes to get your heart rate up

Yep, I was at a full run before I hit my HR target. Took almost the full 20mins. I have worked out my entire adult life though.

[OleTomTalker]

Day before the hurricane, my wife got hit with one of her Migraines that leave her where she can't even walk. All Dr's offices had closed for the coming storm. Carried her into one of the little walkin ER's. Couple IV's with some kinda medicine and we're headed back home so I could get her and my boys on the road. Few weeks later we get bill for $3,900. They said our insurance would only pay $1,000 and this was left over balance. $3,000 of it was just for the visit. Called them up and said NO! We got new bill for $250....

Still scratching my head on that one.

[texansfan]

Troll alert

I'm not trolling.
He's a medical professional that administers/bills for these type of things so he can give us ad first hand account into what goes into this $2700 bill.

Just like DocMay can explain/itemize why it costs $7k for a "normal" child delivery procedure.

We have o&g folks here that can break down how much of that $3 gallon of gas you buy goes to each sector of the industry

[texansfan]

So the insurance company will pay them a decent amount for what they do, they will get under 1K most times for that charge after the insurance company adjusts down. I pay under $200 out of pocket for my stress test and the insurance company pays my doc around $500.

Most times there are already pre negotiated rates for services when a physician or group of physicians agree to accept a particular insurance plan so all that piecemeal pricing goes away.

You don't haggle over each procedure.

It's all based on icd-10 or DRG codes anyway.

[texansfan]

Insurance covered mine completely other than co-pays (BCBS)

Blood Tests
Urine Test
EKG
Heart imaging
Treadmill Test

b

I'd be inserted to see what each of these items cost
A simple CBC blood test cost how much?
EKG how much?

I don't look at the big number but I want to see the itemized bill.

Did they give you an EOB?

[Mike Javi Cooper]

You should see the bill for 3 days in the stroke ward... just saying

[Charles]

Yes. I guess they are so standard now and run 1 person through every 10 minutes. It was cheaper than I thought it would be.

So laying in a 1 million dollar machine for 5-10 minutes is $75 but walking/running on a treadmill for 10 minutes they want $2,780. I told them heck no. I even asked the lady how it could possibly cost so much but she didn't know being the receptionist.

So much for trying to find issues before I have problems.

If you ask nicely, the fine folks around here will be glad to point out all your problems!

[SCREAMINREELS]

Yes. I guess they are so standard now and run 1 person through every 10 minutes. It was cheaper than I thought it would be.

So laying in a 1 million dollar machine for 5-10 minutes is $75 but walking/running on a treadmill for 10 minutes they want $2,780. I told them heck no. I even asked the lady how it could possibly cost so much but she didn't know being the receptionist.


So much for trying to find issues before I have problems.

I'd make sure they didn't give you the cost of the nuclear test. She may think it's the same thing. Ask for the cost of each of them

[gingib]

Preventative...so should be covered by insurance

[ZZ Pops]

I'm not trolling.
He's a medical professional that administers/bills for these type of things so he can give us ad first hand account into what goes into this $2700 bill.

Just like DocMay can explain/itemize why it costs $7k for a "normal" child delivery procedure.

We have o&g folks here that can break down how much of that $3 gallon of gas you buy goes to each sector of the industry

With a little work and access to the appropriate resources, it is possible to determine how much a given medical procedure costs, not unlike the $3 gallon of gas example. However, knowing the cost and understanding the charge are two very different things. As a respected healthcare Chief Financial Officer who was recently asked by a reporter to explain healthcare pricing responded, "It's complicated."

There are many factors that go into determining what a charge will be for a given procedure in a given facility, not the least of which is negotiations between hospitals and insurance payors. Even within the same insurance company and same employer-based policies, there are multiple plans, and each plan may (likely will) pay different amounts for a given procedure due to the patient's deductible level. To further complicate the issue, procedures might be bundled in such a way that the charge for a walking stress test, for example, might be $350 for an in-patient who also has a surgical procedure while in the hospital, yet be $1250 for an out-patient who has the one test.

The point is, healthcare pricing in the USA isn't easy to explain and even harder to understand. As consumers, we want healthcare pricing to be straight forward, just like the $3 gallon of gas, but, unfortunately, it just isn't that simple.

[thebowhunters]

Come on Tim retirement should have fixed all that for free. Hope your all good, call me sometime.

[TimH]

FWIW, If you still need the test, maybe check with Dr. Vincent's office there in Cedar Park and see if they will work with you on the 'cash out of pocket' cost of the stress test.

[TXHUNT3R]

I'd be inserted to see what each of these items cost
A simple CBC blood test cost how much?
EKG how much?

I don't look at the big number but I want to see the itemized bill.

Did they give you an EOB?

Let me see if I can dig that up. Wife handles the medical stuff.