This board is so Useless

[Anonymous]

The problem that I have with LabCorp is their business practice. So let's start from the beginning. I've been going to my doctor for annual checkup since year 2000. And this lab had always been the designated lab for the routine blood tests since they used to be within the 'network'. But last August when I get to my doctor for the physical exam, they told me to go to this one lab to get my lab work done and forgot to mention that it's no longer the same one as before. (Apparently, LabCorp has dropped outta the network for whatever reason.) The location of the new lab is very close to LabCorp. So naturally I assumed that it was the same lab and went to get my blood drawn. Now I'm getting a big bill from LabCorp since my insurance doesnt cover 100%. I'm pissed because the nurse that took my order knew that I came to the wrong lab yet he proceeded to 'steal' the business from this other lab which clearly had its name and address on the referral paperwork. Illegal or not I dont know. But it's definitely not very ethical. I also found out later (from the doctor's office) that this incident wasnt the first case. Apparently, LabCorp had been taking advantage of many other patients from the same office before. Speaking of blood sucking evil lab

So I called my healthcare provider again. This time I found out that LabCorp had made an agreement to charge only a certain fees (even though they are no longer within the network) and the insurance should have covered that amount. However, in my case, the lab charged me for over 270% of the quoted price. Outrageous!!

That's why I support Obama Care, it will clean up this mess.

Quest troll!

 

[Anonymous]

The problem that I have with LabCorp is their business practice. So let's start from the beginning. I've been going to my doctor for annual checkup since year 2000. And this lab had always been the designated lab for the routine blood tests since they used to be within the 'network'. But last August when I get to my doctor for the physical exam, they told me to go to this one lab to get my lab work done and forgot to mention that it's no longer the same one as before. (Apparently, LabCorp has dropped outta the network for whatever reason.) The location of the new lab is very close to LabCorp. So naturally I assumed that it was the same lab and went to get my blood drawn. Now I'm getting a big bill from LabCorp since my insurance doesnt cover 100%. I'm pissed because the nurse that took my order knew that I came to the wrong lab yet he proceeded to 'steal' the business from this other lab which clearly had its name and address on the referral paperwork. Illegal or not I dont know. But it's definitely not very ethical. I also found out later (from the doctor's office) that this incident wasnt the first case. Apparently, LabCorp had been taking advantage of many other patients from the same office before. Speaking of blood sucking evil lab

So I called my healthcare provider again. This time I found out that LabCorp had made an agreement to charge only a certain fees (even though they are no longer within the network) and the insurance should have covered that amount. However, in my case, the lab charged me for over 270% of the quoted price. Outrageous!!

That's why I support Obama Care, it will clean up this mess.

LabCorp sucks, there's no question about it... however, you are sadly mistaken regarding your assertions about ObamaCare. Believe me, if you think things are screwed up now, just wait till that kicks in.

 

[Anonymous]

The problem that I have with LabCorp is their business practice. So let's start from the beginning. I've been going to my doctor for annual checkup since year 2000. And this lab had always been the designated lab for the routine blood tests since they used to be within the 'network'. But last August when I get to my doctor for the physical exam, they told me to go to this one lab to get my lab work done and forgot to mention that it's no longer the same one as before. (Apparently, LabCorp has dropped outta the network for whatever reason.) The location of the new lab is very close to LabCorp. So naturally I assumed that it was the same lab and went to get my blood drawn. Now I'm getting a big bill from LabCorp since my insurance doesnt cover 100%. I'm pissed because the nurse that took my order knew that I came to the wrong lab yet he proceeded to 'steal' the business from this other lab which clearly had its name and address on the referral paperwork. Illegal or not I dont know. But it's definitely not very ethical. I also found out later (from the doctor's office) that this incident wasnt the first case. Apparently, LabCorp had been taking advantage of many other patients from the same office before. Speaking of blood sucking evil lab

So I called my healthcare provider again. This time I found out that LabCorp had made an agreement to charge only a certain fees (even though they are no longer within the network) and the insurance should have covered that amount. However, in my case, the lab charged me for over 270% of the quoted price. Outrageous!!

That's why I support Obama Care, it will clean up this mess.

Let me get this straight......

YOU are responsible for your own health -
YOU are almost an adult -
YOU "assumed" something and acted on that assumption -
YOU went to the wrong lab -
YOU made the mistake -
YOU are wrong -

Now, YOU want to blame someone else for YOUR mistake -

Yeah, I can see how YOU think Obamacrapcare is good......

YOU = Moron

 

[Anonymous]

Lab Corp is one of the worst labs... correction, THE worst medical lab service provider. They know how to take appointments, but do not know how to keep appointments. With me, I had an appointment at 11:30, they did not get to me until 12:15. They drew blood sample and since they could not find the test code for the perscribed test, they simply did not run the test but still charged me and the insurance company.

The front desk people either have communication issue as English is not their first language, or have an attitude.

They are just terrible. Would not recommend LabCorp to anyone. Bunch of incompetitent people run this company and they've hired bunch of unprofessional people to work at their locations.

 

[Anonymous]

Let me get this straight......

YOU are responsible for your own health -
YOU are almost an adult -
YOU "assumed" something and acted on that assumption -
YOU went to the wrong lab -
YOU made the mistake -
YOU are wrong -

Now, YOU want to blame someone else for YOUR mistake -

Yeah, I can see how YOU think Obamacrapcare is good......

YOU = Moron

Not the original poster, but you seem like you have to ask the same question 5 times in order to explicate your point. Your point? Who the hell knows. The problem with the "pass through billing" policy of the managed care companies, coupled with the "client bill" market this original poster could have been in must be completely foreign to you. As is those entities that take risk for managed care and/or managed care themselves.

Whatever the case may be, let me make an illustration; the physician price for a TSH is $7.00, a managed care will charge $70 and if it is billed to the patient directly ...$90.00. Many tests are billed the same way. LabCorp and Quest will negotiate a price directly via providers - those which will be 100s of % below what both Medicaid and Medicare will be reimburse.

Do you even know what Obama’s healthcare reform entails? Do you even know how it will affect this industry? If so, let's start a robust debate about this, because I think you're clueless and only get your news fro the Fox network. Go ahead. Start with tying in - what you call Obama care into this scenario and I will refute your position.

 

[Anonymous]

Not the original poster, but you seem like you have to ask the same question 5 times in order to explicate your point. Your point? Who the hell knows. The problem with the "pass through billing" policy of the managed care companies, coupled with the "client bill" market this original poster could have been in must be completely foreign to you. As is those entities that take risk for managed care and/or managed care themselves.

Whatever the case may be, let me make an illustration; the physician price for a TSH is $7.00, a managed care will charge $70 and if it is billed to the patient directly ...$90.00. Many tests are billed the same way. LabCorp and Quest will negotiate a price directly via providers - those which will be 100s of % below what both Medicaid and Medicare will be reimburse.

Do you even know what Obama’s healthcare reform entails? Do you even know how it will affect this industry? If so, let's start a robust debate about this, because I think you're clueless and only get your news fro the Fox network. Go ahead. Start with tying in - what you call Obama care into this scenario and I will refute your position.

Why would I or anyone else argue any point on the worst pice of shit legislation that has ever been rammed down Americans throat ?


Very simply....you are also an idiot that knows nothing.
Hell, you can't even count.

 

[Anonymous]

how true things were perfect they way they were double digit increases and increased co-pays every year for a decade. what a nerve going after reform that the HC lobby spent nearly a billion to stop. just chalk it up a "out of control liberals" and u dont have to think any further
oooooooohhhhh the feds are going to come in you home with death squads, probably 1/2 your family is on wlefare

 

[Anonymous]

Why would I or anyone else argue any point on the worst pice of shit legislation that has ever been rammed down Americans throat ?


Very simply....you are also an idiot that knows nothing.
Hell, you can't even count.

Translation: You don't know shit about thei piece of legislation aside from the Fox News talking points.

 

[Anonymous]

Translation: You don't know shit about thei piece of legislation aside from the Fox News talking points.

I do know that with Obama Care all laboratory, radiology and other outpatient services cannot be billed above what medicare would reimburse for that test or procedure.

That includes any balance bill. Basically everything will be billed at Medicare rates.

 

[Anonymous]

I do know that with Obama Care all laboratory, radiology and other outpatient services cannot be billed above what medicare would reimburse for that test or procedure.

That includes any balance bill. Basically everything will be billed at Medicare rates.

GOOD!! Now maybe we will get away from ridiculous client pricing! Medicare does not set rates for all tests. Those that are deemed investigational or more esoteric may still carry a higher price tag. But as long as docs are allowed to pass thru bill, pricing will remain a nightmare. It will cut into our bottom line a little, but in many areas, it will surely help. I am not for Obamacare, but if this is the case, then it will be better for the companies bottom line.

 

[Anonymous]

I do know that with Obama Care all laboratory, radiology and other outpatient services cannot be billed above what medicare would reimburse for that test or procedure.

That includes any balance bill. Basically everything will be billed at Medicare rates.

Doesn't 15-20% of all labcorp's revenue's come via medicare payments? It would seem to me that they should have Most Favorable Terms, but I know this isn't true.

 

[Anonymous]

Doesn't 15-20% of all labcorp's revenue's come via medicare payments? It would seem to me that they should have Most Favorable Terms, but I know this isn't true.

Think about it, with Obamacare there would be no need to send balance bills, no patient bad debt. The savings would be tremendous even if the prices are brought to Medicare rates.

 

[Anonymous]

true-that

 

[Anonymous]

The problem is that many assays are break even at best under medicare rates (molecular etc..)..the medicare rates are illogical. (typical gov't run program)..some reimburse very well for simple, waived assays and some have horrible reimbursement(non profitable so why do it) for mod. or high complex. assays----my fear is if you as a business are left with only medicare rates..why would u stay in this business with increasing costs of running it (anyone running a small biz knows what I am talking about).....i'm afraid we might end up with a United States LAb like the US post office--imagine that!??..gotta wait a week or 2 for result that used to only take 24 hours..run by a bunch of gov't employees...worst case scenario...too many responses here from people who are not in the lab biz or any biz and don't understand the actual costs vs reimbursement for diag. testing.....

 

[Anonymous]

The problem is that many assays are break even at best under medicare rates (molecular etc..)..the medicare rates are illogical. (typical gov't run program)..some reimburse very well for simple, waived assays and some have horrible reimbursement(non profitable so why do it) for mod. or high complex. assays----my fear is if you as a business are left with only medicare rates..why would u stay in this business with increasing costs of running it (anyone running a small biz knows what I am talking about).....i'm afraid we might end up with a United States LAb like the US post office--imagine that!??..gotta wait a week or 2 for result that used to only take 24 hours..run by a bunch of gov't employees...worst case scenario...too many responses here from people who are not in the lab biz or any biz and don't understand the actual costs vs reimbursement for diag. testing.....

Assays are breaking even? According to what? The cost of testing Labcorp uses? Even when you include, in this “cost of testing,” everything from electricity to the flotsam of expenses from operational inefficiencies, Medicare still reimburses far more than a break even point. “Send out” molecular testing might not be profitable under any payor, but in-house molecular testing? Nah! Labcorp, Quest, Sonic and other national niche labs serve too many lives for this to ever happen.

Medicare rates are illogical, typical gov’t run program? Then, you must have to include ALL non-gove’t run programs, since every other payor uses Medicare as their yardstick – plus or minus 10%. The reason for this rate disparity found in all payors is due to the entire reimbursement paradigm – and that is currently being addresses. Soon, as many of you already know, reimbursements will not be “procedural-oriented” but “quality (patient outcome)-oriented.

“some reimburse very well for simple, waived assays and some have horrible reimbursement(non profitable so why do it) for mod. or high complex. Assays”

Sounds like you run a small lab and don’t perform enough in-house molecular testing for it to be profitable. Sounds to me like you’re blaming your shortcomings - the essence of free enterprise – on the government. Find a way to make your lab profitable. Compete in your niche area; try to stay small and lean … quit blaming the government.

“----my fear is if you as a business are left with only medicare rates..why would u stay in this business with increasing costs of running it (anyone running a small biz knows what I am talking about)”

Really? Name one commercial lab selling routine or esoteric testing (minus the small DTC labs) that would NOT have to close up shop if they were excluded from the Medicare program. Don’t blame Medicare. If you compare the reimbursements from UHC, Cigna BC/BC and client bill to those of Medicare, Medicare will always be higher. If you’re worried about being over negotiated, worry about Cigna, Aetna, UHC or other large entities taking risk for these giants.

“i'm afraid we might end up with a United States LAb like the US post office--imagine that!??..gotta wait a week or 2 for result that used to only take 24 hours..run by a bunch of gov't employees...worst case scenario”

Mr./Mrs. Doomsday … are you serious? The government, I don’t care how left-wing it could eve be, will never want to take on this responsibility. The lab lobbyists would never let this happen. Healthcare and mail is such bad analogy … this is paranoid rambling at this point. I don’t think you really thought this one through.

“too many responses here from people who are not in the lab biz or any biz and don't understand the actual costs vs reimbursement for diag. testing.”

I’ve been in this business a very long time and your post tells me you have not. But rest assured, the government is NOT going to take over the commercial laboratory industry, nor would they have any reason to do that.

 

[Anonymous]

Assays are breaking even? According to what? The cost of testing Labcorp uses? Even when you include, in this “cost of testing,” everything from electricity to the flotsam of expenses from operational inefficiencies, Medicare still reimburses far more than a break even point. “Send out” molecular testing might not be profitable under any payor, but in-house molecular testing? Nah! Labcorp, Quest, Sonic and other national niche labs serve too many lives for this to ever happen.

Medicare rates are illogical, typical gov’t run program? Then, you must have to include ALL non-gove’t run programs, since every other payor uses Medicare as their yardstick – plus or minus 10%. The reason for this rate disparity found in all payors is due to the entire reimbursement paradigm – and that is currently being addresses. Soon, as many of you already know, reimbursements will not be “procedural-oriented” but “quality (patient outcome)-oriented.

“some reimburse very well for simple, waived assays and some have horrible reimbursement(non profitable so why do it) for mod. or high complex. Assays”

Sounds like you run a small lab and don’t perform enough in-house molecular testing for it to be profitable. Sounds to me like you’re blaming your shortcomings - the essence of free enterprise – on the government. Find a way to make your lab profitable. Compete in your niche area; try to stay small and lean … quit blaming the government.

“----my fear is if you as a business are left with only medicare rates..why would u stay in this business with increasing costs of running it (anyone running a small biz knows what I am talking about)”

Really? Name one commercial lab selling routine or esoteric testing (minus the small DTC labs) that would NOT have to close up shop if they were excluded from the Medicare program. Don’t blame Medicare. If you compare the reimbursements from UHC, Cigna BC/BC and client bill to those of Medicare, Medicare will always be higher. If you’re worried about being over negotiated, worry about Cigna, Aetna, UHC or other large entities taking risk for these giants.

“i'm afraid we might end up with a United States LAb like the US post office--imagine that!??..gotta wait a week or 2 for result that used to only take 24 hours..run by a bunch of gov't employees...worst case scenario”

Mr./Mrs. Doomsday … are you serious? The government, I don’t care how left-wing it could eve be, will never want to take on this responsibility. The lab lobbyists would never let this happen. Healthcare and mail is such bad analogy … this is paranoid rambling at this point. I don’t think you really thought this one through.

“too many responses here from people who are not in the lab biz or any biz and don't understand the actual costs vs reimbursement for diag. testing.”

I’ve been in this business a very long time and your post tells me you have not. But rest assured, the government is NOT going to take over the commercial laboratory industry, nor would they have any reason to do that.

Under ObamaCare the Federal Government will set up 6 non profit laboratorys throughout the country that will be funded by a tax on commercial for profit labs. This laboratory will provide testing for Medicare patients only, there will be no contracts with private insurance carriers (such as blue cross). Indigents and self pays would have to use the for profit labs.

From what I read they are going to get it up and running by 2016.

 

[Anonymous]

Under ObamaCare the Federal Government will set up 6 non profit laboratorys throughout the country that will be funded by a tax on commercial for profit labs. This laboratory will provide testing for Medicare patients only, there will be no contracts with private insurance carriers (such as blue cross). Indigents and self pays would have to use the for profit labs.

From what I read they are going to get it up and running by 2016.

Where did you read this?

 

[Anonymous]

Where did you read this?

A Teabagger website I would imagine. It's not true. It doesn't even make sense.

 

[Anonymous]

How appropriate for this board. Yea it's true it is just a secret from wall street, all lab stocks at all-time highs. Dick