Second time this has been experienced in our family. You go to the doctor for a check-up and get billed for a well check visit but if you discuss anything else you get billed for a second visit. My daughter took her baby for one week checkup and asked about the cord and was charged for well baby visit and for a problem visit. Of course insurance only pays for one visit so the patient pays not only an additional co-pay but the physician charge. I went for my yearly and was charged for a physical and for a medication check because my prescriptions were renewed. Just wondering how common this is and how to avoid it in the future.

boy, that doesn't sound right to me. i'd discuss it with the insurance company to make sure the doctor is billing properly. the insurance company knows how to break down the different codes for different types of payments. the doctor does not have to try to manipulate that. and it would seem that the doctor should look at the cord in a well baby visit anyway.

I'm not sure if that is right, I would call my insurance company and the BBB to find out if this is the new rules.

I'd get with your insurance if your doctor has a contract with them. I do believe that that is wrong....... In our office we can only charge the insurance for one MD code, one injection code at a time (I am in allergy). Each of the codes are set up for complexity of appointment and they should just be going the next step up in complexity, not adding on another code.

What is a well check up if not to ask question? Also, if you had a 'problem' are they then going to tack on a 'wellness' check up if there wasn't a true problem?

This just sounds plain wrong to me!

I would find a new doctor!!! That is not right!!
Just a thought, maybe the billing clerk is new and didn't know any better.

Time for a new doctor!

That's just not right. Check with the attorney general's office.

That is so wrong. I work for a doctor and we would NEVER charge the patient for 2 visits in the same day. Is that even legal?

I believe this happend to me with gynocologist a few yrs. back. The next time I went for my yearly pap test & he asked me how I'm doing, I told him I could not tell him without them billing me extra. Gyno doc was the one originally discovered my thyroid problem. He still checks my thyroid, but I don't get a double billing. I don't think all the dr.'s actually know what happens with the billing & you have to be challenge the bills at times.

I actually switched GP doc as you could only talk about 1 issue per visit. I had been complaining about my neck for 4-5 yrs. & he never did any testing for thyroid.