how much is an office call at your local clinic?

[grasswire]

I just opened a bill for my recent visit to see a nurse practitioner (NOT an MD) because I had strained my ball of the foot joint -- I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a stress fracture.

The charge for the visit -- 10 min MAX with the nurse: $402!!!!

What the hey is going on?

Also charged $93 for dTap vaccine, and $53 for the aide (not the NP) to jab me with it. Her time to jab less than a minute.

I haven't paid much attention lately, and haven't been to the doc much.

How much is a visit where you are?

Oh, and did you know that if the patient raises a second concern during the visit, or if you need a prescription refill written, the code is upgraded to way more $$$$ -- even if the amount of time is the same.

[HopeHoops]

1. $20 co-pay.

[grasswire]

3. yeah, but how much are they charging your ins. company?

If we want to keep a lid on health care costs, we need to pay attention to the fees that are being charged, not just what we pay in a co-pay.

That's exactly why they get away with upcoding -- many people don't see the real bill.

[HopeHoops]

4. Too damn much. At least the co-pay is only $20. The premium isn't cheap.

[HappyMe]

2. The clinic's fee

is on a sliding scale. I have been fortunate enough to not have to pay them a visit.

[cbayer]

5. The amount on your bill is probably not even close to what they will get from your insurance.

Doctor's offices and hospitals routinely have billing tables that are 3 or more times what they actually expect to get paid. The reasons for doing this are complex but have to do with being underpaid and ratcheted down every time you have to negotiate with an insurance company.

You should get an EOB after the insurance actually pays that will tell you how much money actually changed hands.

And I would bet the farm that it won't be $402.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Last time I took my grandchild to a walk-in clinic for ear ache, it was $80.

[Kali]

7. just took my niece in for a visit - no insurance

I think they charged her ~ $60 for the office visit, I took care of one prescription ($140 - ouch, and a lab test for another $100 - waste of time/$, doc called it right but I wanted to be sure)

[ohiosmith]

8. $20.00 copay. My Dr. Gave up his private practice after UHG reduced his fee for office visits to

$68.00.