Another Sleazy, and Sneaky, Practice of HMOs

[Kat45]

My HMO states that it pays 100% of diagnostic procedures; no copayment required. So, when the bill for my ultrasound included a $15.00 copay, I called the HMO to question it. You won't believe what I was told. When I had the ultrasound, I got an injection of a contrast agent, which makes the image easier to see. The man on the phone told me that this was the reason for the copay. He explained that anything invasive--and an injection counts as invasive--can be called surgery, and of course, surgery requires a copay. Since I had the ultrasound, with injection, in what was considered an office (an ultrasound facility), I had to pay the $15.00 office visit copay. But--and this gets worse--if this had been done in a hospital or day surgery center, I would have been subject to the $250.00 surgery copay. Unbelievable the lengths these "health insurance" entities go to squeeze more money out of the patient. I can't say I'm surprised, but I am appalled.