Doctor Follow Up Visits... Free?

I just want to check with people here. I've been both insured and uninsured in my life and every time I've seen a doctor the follow up was always free. Two weeks ago I went to the eye doctor and I was prescribed eye drops. I paid my fee for the visit and the doctor schedule a follow up. Today when I went in for the follow up as I was leaving they said I had to pay them again full price for the follow up.

Is this normal or are they pulling a scam here? In the end they waived the fee.

You're lucky they waived the fee. Doctor follow up visits are generally not free unless they have already billed your insurance company for the follow ups. Sometimes an in office surgical procedure (like laser eye surgery - Lasik) will include a follow up for free. The follow up is probably included in the initial fee anyway.

chscag said:

You're lucky they waived the fee. Doctor follow up visits are generally not free unless they have already billed your insurance company for the follow ups. Sometimes an in office surgical procedure (like laser eye surgery - Lasik) will include a follow up for free. The follow up is probably included in the initial fee anyway.

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I suspect that they were trying to pull something because they waived the fee pretty quick. Basically as soon as I challenged it. My original visit was $75 and I was prescribed eye drops. The doctor scheduled the follow up to check the results of the drops. I was there 5 minutes. At the front desk before leaving they told me I owed another $75.

I've never paid for a follow up in my life being both insured and uninsured. I actually saw a different eye doctor for a second opinion and she did not charge for the follow up. Her original fee was cheaper also.

I believe my eye doctors office was attempting to "upcode" me which is a typical insurance scam. It happens when doctors bill insurance for comprehensive services when it was only a brief visit. Of course this only works if the patient has insurance because both parties(patient, insurance) are unaware of the scam.

Or possibly the front desk person was mistaken and thought you hadn't been billed the $75 for the first visit. It could be an honest mistake on their part. I'm just saying...

Whatever the reason, I commend you for being aware. Most folks who do have insurance (especially those on Medicare) almost never question the fees that are charged.

chscag said:

Whatever the reason, I commend you for being aware. Most folks who do have insurance (especially those on Medicare) almost never question the fees that are charged.

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The only reason I was aware of it was because I am uninsured and they tried to get the money from me. Had I been insured I'm positive they would have told me I owed nothing and just billed my insurance. I thought it was very odd that they tried to charge me the same amount for the follow up as the original and more in depth visit. A 5 minute follow up being billed the same as a longer more advanced examination? I don't think so.

The only time I've ever gotten a subsequent visit waived is when they did surgery and were checking how I healed. In a case like you had today, I would have expected to pay for the visit

I can only comment on my personal experiences. Based on them, I've found that the more expensive the procedures ie: surgery, root canal, colonoscopy, etc... have not had a follow up billed separately. My assumption is that they charge the whole thing at once and don't need to add to the bill incrementally. Those are procedures with a general fixed cost barring complications. Less expensive stuff like foot problems, allergies, infections, etc... where you just get a prescription or something, seem to charge for a follow up. Those are episodic or incremental (open ended) situations where subsequent visits are not necessarily guaranteed and could either never happen or go on indefinitely. The charges compound as differentials and treatments run their course. Anyhow, who knows. Guess it's always a good idea to ask questions first if there are concerns, and to read all the stuff you fill out and sign in the waiting room.

Follow up's are usually not free unless you don't want it, and the insurance demands that you be seen(such as post surgery checkups)(someone pays for it, like your insurance, but it does nothing to your premium). We pay $15 for any kind of visit we have, as well as $15 for any kind of medication. I've seen some other people who pay much more into their insurance, and still pay a lot more...I know, they might be a higher risk to the insurance...blah blah blahhhh.

Meh. Just move to Canada

idrinorbarsaku said:

Follow up's are usually not free unless you don't want it, and the insurance demands that you be seen(such as post surgery checkups)(someone pays for it, like your insurance, but it does nothing to your premium). We pay $15 for any kind of visit we have, as well as $15 for any kind of medication. I've seen some other people who pay much more into their insurance, and still pay a lot more...I know, they might be a higher risk to the insurance...blah blah blahhhh.

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Well in my case the doctor prescribed eye drops and he scheduled the follow up not me.

Printerman said:

Meh. Just move to Canada

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Yeah, where you have to wait 2 years like me just to see an eye specialist!

JRV said:

Well in my case the doctor prescribed eye drops and he scheduled the follow up not me.

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Unfortunately, "follow ups" aren't billed for how much work a doctor does on you. A person gets stuck for a "follow up" charge when he takes up a time slot on a doctors schedule, regardless of how long that slot takes to complete.

idrinorbarsaku said:

Unfortunately, "follow ups" aren't billed for how much work a doctor does on you. A person gets stuck for a "follow up" charge when he takes up a time slot on a doctors schedule, regardless of how long that slot takes to complete.

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That is simply not true but I'm sure it is what they want you to think. I have been to other eye doctors and they never bill for a follow up they schedule. In fact this very office has been making adjustments to my contact lenses. I had to have my contacts adjusted 4 times now since getting them. Funny how they never billed me for all the follow up visits which easily go sometimes 20-30 minutes.

JRV said:

That is simply not true but I'm sure it is what they want you to think. I have been to other eye doctors and they never bill for a follow up they schedule. In fact this very office has been making adjustments to my contact lenses. I had to have my contacts adjusted 4 times now since getting them. Funny how they never billed me for all the follow up visits which easily go sometimes 20-30 minutes.

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That's your doctor's own way of doing things. Each eye doctor can be different. I've never had 1 eye doctor that handles things the same as the past. Usually though, from my experience, the more you pay, the better the results. There are exceptions to everything! And most eye doctors are hired in to work for a hospital/location and work on their own, which is why they don't have to take a specified fee from customers, and can also change the rates if they so chose.

idrinorbarsaku said:

That's your doctor's own way of doing things. Each eye doctor can be different. I've never had 1 eye doctor that handles things the same as the past. Usually though, from my experience, the more you pay, the better the results. There are exceptions to everything! And most eye doctors are hired in to work for a hospital/location and work on their own, which is why they don't have to take a specified fee from customers, and can also change the rates if they so chose.

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And on what planet is it legit for doctors to change their fees without notice? Or to randomly decide when they will bill a follow up and when they won't?

JRV said:

And on what planet is it legit for doctors to change their fees without notice? Or to randomly decide when they will bill a follow up and when they won't?

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When did I say without notice? A doctor who is hired in/contracted in, and works for himself, like a lot of opthamologists, can set their own patient fees. Thats all I said.

JRV said:

And on what planet is it legit for doctors to change their fees without notice? Or to randomly decide when they will bill a follow up and when they won't?

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Unless you signed a contract that specified you get unlimited free follow ups for buying lenses from the guy, I'd imagine the small business can choose who and what to bill as they see fit. And you received 4 adjustments and no additional bills? You are fortunate you received one for free, let alone 4. How many times do you expect to see a professional for $75? Why do you feel entitled to multiple free follow up visits from this business, and why do you feel the Doctor is mandated to give you his time on an ongoing and open-ended basis for free? I'll never get this mentality. Vote with your wallet and don't go back. They'll be happy to lose you as a time drain, and you'll feel all vindicated and empowered. Problem solved.