I keep hearing about how these doctors don't take insurance. Why is that? Its absurd. I have never heard of such a thing. It sounds like a racket to me. Can someone please explain this?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
If you take insurance you have to do what the insurance companies say. You are constantly under attack by them since you are going against what the insurance and medical establishment say about Lyme.
It (chronic lyme) officially doesn't exist.
Posted by marlap (Member # 14943) on :
OK so do these people charge reasonable rates? Because my soon-to-be-ex primary care guy bills my insurance $400 and spends about 5 minutes with me. By the way, I tried to send you a pm but your box is full.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
marla,
with OUR LLMDS, they spend QUALITY TIME with us not heading for the door in the 5 minutes like your present PCP?
also, if they accept insurance paying PART and reducing their charges, they lose money. so they chose NOT to deal w/insurances and get FULL PAYMENT FOR THEIR QUALITY TIME SPENT WITH US!
i personally believe we should be able to submit our bills to medicare and/or health insurance or supplemental co.
LYME IS EXPENSIVE DISEASE to have and can/will/MAY go broke treating your illnesses and with many family members possibly having it to.
Marla, go to medical and read one of the top posts about DR. JONES, kids llmd from conn, who has been in conn. health dept. hearings for TWO YEARS, OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, since his pd. insurance won't cover things like that.
read it all there and then go to activism to read much more!
this is critical to our continued being treated by LLMDS vs. all the BAD IDSA ducks with the exception of a dozen or more. *******************************
Posted by lou4656 (Member # 10300) on :
sent you a private message
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by marlap: OK so do these people charge reasonable rates? Because my soon-to-be-ex primary care guy bills my insurance $400 and spends about 5 minutes with me. By the way, I tried to send you a pm but your box is full.
OOPS...sorry!
My LLMD charges around $400 first visit and that's approximately 1 1/2 hrs or more.
Posted by marlap (Member # 14943) on :
It sounds like greed to me.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
1 1/2 hrs for $400 is greedy?? Not when my GP [who knows very little about Lyme] charges $65 for 10 min.
That would equal to $585 for the same amount of time and I would be no better off than when the discussion started!
Posted by carly (Member # 14810) on :
marla-
I just had my first llmd appt. The dr. sat with me for over an hour. We discussed my history in great detail. Then, there was the exam.
After my experience so far, all I have to say is that you get what you pay for!
carly
Posted by Parisa (Member # 10526) on :
Marla,
One thing you can try to do is get a better PCP. Someone who will "let" you use the Lyme doctor as a specialist. That's what we have done.
We do have to pay for the LLMD's visit out of pocket but it is worth it. He definitely spends quality time with us and actually I believe his rates are below market.
After we see the LLMD, we follow up with the primary to keep him in the loop and so he can order whatever labs the LLMD wants so insurance will pay.
If the LLMD has a good staff they can also get the antibiotics preauthorized by insurance saving you alot of money.
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
no, the non-acceptance of insurance upfront is not due to greed.
man oh man, how i wish all we faced was pure old fashioned greed by our good docs.
ps- what you are reimbursed for your llmd expenses depends on what your greedy insurance company agrees to pay. Give credit where credit is due.
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