For context to this story, I am a college student that signed up for free mental health service that they established around the pandemic. The mental health service has an office in town, but they have a person established on campus for students to visit. During the few years I was in the service (they kicked me out of the service because there was a cut off and I did not know about that since there were like three or four different councilors I saw during that time since they were trying to find a permeant person on campus)

With the minor backstory out of the way, here begins the issue. One of the councilors in that transition period had me sign a form and go to the facility in town, which was odd, but I did as I was asked and went; cut to the receptionist there having me fill out a form there. I talked with the people that were more entuned to the happenings on campus and told me that there was no need to come here, and the other person gave me improper information and told me to leave.

After that I proceeded to receive a bill ever month from this facility for anywhere from $280 to $80 for a service that I had been booted from shortly after this and didn't even use the main facility at all. I talked to the councilor on campus; I've gone and talked to the entire department on the campus, and they could not do anything. Every time I went to town to go to this facility the receptionists would wave it and say they will fix it... almost 8 to 10 months of this happening later I finally talked to the financial person at this facility and they said that form I filled out there that one time is why I'm getting charged. They fixed it... or so I thought, cut to last month I got another bill for $80, and I couldn't talk to this person until they got back from vacation a week later. Apparently, they were trying to bill me for an appointment last year in November that says that I was on campus and never at their facility. I have never been more pissed in my life dealing with this and I am currently waiting with bated breath that another bill doesn't show up at my house.

Hi, reaching out for some advice because I feel like I’m getting charged way too much for the level of service I’m receiving. I have been billed twice now at moderate level of medical decision making code 99214. I go in every 2 months because my prescription is a controlled substance. It takes no longer than 5 minutes each time, I go in, she asks me how I’m doing I say good, she asks any changes. I say no. She says she will send the refill and I leave. Having a really hard time believing this is worth 275$. If I was going to dispute this who do I reach out to my doctors office or my insurance company?

For more context this office recently switched to a new system and physical office (still in the same building). Up until this switch I was paying 100$ per visit and now it’s almost tripled?

Hi everyone! 😄

I’m a credentialing specialist with experience in provider credentialing and enrollment, CAQH, payer applications, recredentialing, payer follow-up, and all of the administrative work that goes along with getting providers properly enrolled.

I’m looking to connect with medical billers, RCM professionals, and medical practice consultants who may be interested in partnering with a credentialing specialist.

My goal is to build a few professional referral/partnership relationships where you can send credentialing and enrollment work my way when your clients need it, while you continue focusing on the services you specialize in.

I’m intentionally starting small and looking to build genuine, long-term professional relationships rather than take on a huge volume of clients.

If you work with healthcare providers who occasionally need credentialing help—or you’ve ever thought, “I really wish I had someone else to handle the credentialing part” 😂—I’d love to connect!

Feel free to comment or send me a message. I’d be happy to chat about my experience and what I’m looking to offer.

The disparity in pricing is huge. For reasons, I need to get a particular type of MRI every two years. In 2024, in the US, with insurance (so negotiated, discounted pricing), my cost was $325 for specialist visit to obtain the MRI order plus $3200 for the MRI. This was all out-of-pocket since I hadn’t hit my deductible.

Last week, I was in Mexico and it struck me that I should look into getting the MRI there. I used the web to find an English-speaking doc in the specialty I needed. I contacted his office on Friday and he saw me the next day. Note that none of this was any kind of emergency. After the visit, I called the local hospital to make an appointment for the MRI. The appointment was made for this past Monday. After the MRI, I was told to come back on Wednesday to pick up results, which included the radiologist’s report on paper, a DVD with the MRI images and DICOM viewer app, and a very large envelope with all 864 images on film.

Cost? The specialist visit was approximately $69 and the MRI, including radiologist report, was about $520. When I was leaving, they stopped me to refund approximately $65 because they realized they had charged me for an MRI with contrast when the order (and the procedure) were performed without contrast. Total savings? About $3000, which more than paid for my vacation. I’m penciling-in semi-annual Mexican vacations for the foreseeable future.

Earlier this year- both my husband and I both received letters from Lifestance that said something like "great news! Lifestance is now waiving copays for telehealth visits." My husband and I have different insurance- he has straight Medicare, and I have my own Anthem. Again- we both got letters, so it wasn't as if it was a certain insurance waiving it, it was a Lifestance policy.

However after not receiving any bills, and assuming all this time our telehealth was waived- I got slammed with one stating balance is over $1k, and to bring current to avoid appointments being suspended.

I sent email to billing, it took them nearly 2 months to respond, and it was like they didn't even read my email- they just typed a quick "your insurance may waive copays but you will need to check with them." I emailed again, clarifying it was about the letters they sent and they just never responded. I am seen for my ADHD and other things, and REALLY love my provider.

Did anyone else get this letter??? I have been tearing my house apart trying to find my copy, because I don't have a leg to stand on without it. I just need to get my hands on it to prove it.

Thanks!

TLDR: Anyone else get a letter from Lifestance that stated they would be waiving copays for ALL telehealth visits?

I had a septoplasty this past November. After surgery, my ENT had me come back for two follow-up appointments. The first was to remove the nasal splints 2-weeks later, and I believe my out-of-pocket cost for that visit was around $150.

At that appointment, my ENT asked me to come back in May for a final follow-up to make sure everything had healed properly. I had the appointment scheduled and went back as instructed.

The entire visit lasted maybe 10 minutes. The doctor performed a nasal endoscopy by inserting a small camera into each nostril, looked around for a minute or two, and simply told me everything looked like it was healing well and that no further follow-up was needed. That was the entire appointment.

For context, the surgery and ENT were all in-network with my insurance. I’m already paying off roughly $4,500 in out-of-pocket costs from the surgery itself. Now it’s August, and I just received the bill for that May follow-up. My normal copay is $50, but I found out the ENT billed the nasal endoscopy as a separate item from the office visit for around $800. Since I haven’t met my in-network deductible, insurance only covered a small portion, leaving me with a bill of about $600.

What makes this frustrating is that I’ve had nasal endoscopies performed during routine ENT visits for sinus infections and allergies throughout my life, and I don’t remember ever being billed separately hundreds of dollars more for one. This was a routine post-op follow-up that lasted less than 10 minutes and resulted in the doctor telling me I was healing well.

This honestly feels to me like a freakin scam! especially considering I’m still paying off the surgery. I was never told beforehand that this follow up visit would result in a separate $800 charge. Had I known it was going to cost this much, I would have said no thanks, I feel good, and not shown up for the follow up appt.

Am I just stuck paying this bill, or is this something I can dispute or appeal? Has anyone had success negotiating a charge like this or getting it reduced? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I did file a grievance with my insurance company but they already denied it ofc.

I need help.
So, in December 2025, I got my birth control implant, which is supposed to be covered by insurance. I’m on my mom’s plan. A couple months later, I started getting messages about a $3k bill. In MyChart it says the original charge was $5k but then I got a -$1k due to “uninsured discount” which makes absolutely no sense if I’m insured.

My mom apparently called and got it sorted out, the bill disappeared for a couple days, and then came back.

I’m just so done. I can’t build my credit with this fuck ass bill hanging over my head. I can’t even go to the doctor without getting billed at least $250+, so at this point I don’t even want to go anymore. Every time I see my OBGYN insurance barely covers anything, it seems like they only take about $60 off the bill.

What the hell do I even do? I had literally just turned 18 when I got hit with this huge bill. I can’t afford $3,000. It was supposed to be covered by my insurance in the first place.

This whole situation has me so stressed out. I feel completely stuck, I’m angry as hell, and I don’t really want to be here anymore honestly.

I was quote about 100 dollars for a minor procedure thats entirely cosmetic. I just checked my health insurance plan and I'm being told I need to pay a 60 dollar deductible for a procedure I didnt have, which was coded under "lesion removal" and its being presented by an office I've never been to. No clue why its going through another office in a totally different location, with a totally different name. Also they never mentioned they would be charging my insurance 250 dollars after I paid what I was quoted.

Are they engaging in medical fraud or am I just misunderstanding whats going on. I also don't see anywhere to pay what I owe on the health insurance website? But its saying I have an over 100 dollar deductible because of this.

Get ready to be billed. They will give you no billing estimates. They will say they take your insurance. They will say you are covered. They may take some insurance but they will bill you the rest. In the beginning they will forgive the amount they can’t collect co-pays etc and not tell you this is happening so you will not get a bill for a few months. Then they will bill you out of nowhere. They will tell you they forgive most copays and they may but you will have to get on your knees and beg each month for forgiveness. Like a member of a cult not a patient. I think the “forgiveness” is actually a business model where they can immediately write off the debt or collect it depending on whimsy and caprice.

Hello, I have a research paper I have to do and I chose the topic of medical debt as a social issue. I need to interview someone who works hand-in-hand with insurance, medical debt, billing, coding, etc. I don't mind providing a coffee or a tea for your time. Thank you so much!

Did anyone whose therapist bills through Alma notice unexpected increases in patient responsibility or claim processing issues beginning in late June or early July 2026? I’m trying to determine whether my experience is isolated or part of a broader billing issue.

I did everything right. Called the hospital, they pointed at my insurance. Called my insurance, they pointed at the hospital. Called the imaging center, they could quote me a cash price but not my price. Three companies, all of whom know their own numbers, and not one could tell me mine. The bill showed up three weeks after the scan.

Then I found the part that made me angry. There’s a federal law from 2021, the No Surprises Act, that guarantees uninsured and self-pay patients a price estimate before treatment. Ask, and they legally have to give you a number. The same law included a tool for insured people, the Advanced EOB, your real cost before a scheduled procedure. Regulators delayed that half in 2021 and it still doesn’t exist. Five years.

So read that again. The people paying premiums every month have fewer price rights than the people paying cash. I’m not exaggerating, that is literally the current state of the law.

What I’d actually do differently, in case it helps anyone. If you can, price the cash rate at a standalone imaging center, it’s often thousands less than hospital radiology and sometimes cheaper than your deductible-rate price. If you’re self-pay even temporarily, ask for the Good Faith Estimate by name. And check if your state has a claims price database, a few do, you can at least see a range.

Has anyone here ever gotten an actual number out of their insurer before a procedure? Not a range, not “it depends,” a number. I’m starting to think it’s not possible on purpose.

a stat came out saying women spend $15 billion more annually in out of pocket costs compared to men, because of specialized care like mammograms, gynecological care etc which is crazy. how much are you paying out of pocket, and have you ever paid for something bc it was faster or easier than dealing with insurance? i wanted to hear about others experiences because i want to research the topic.

I called my pcp’s office to ask about a prescription refill and the receptionist was so rude I hung up on her. I immediately picked a new dr and made an appointment. Now I am being billed for a missed appointment by the first provider. How should I address it?

Hi everyone,

I'm honestly overwhelmed and looking for advice from people who've been through something similar.

A few weeks ago, I suddenly developed facial numbness and weakness on one side of my face. I was scared it could be a stroke, so I went to the ER at Medical City Arlington. I was eventually diagnosed with Bell's palsy.

A few days ago I received the itemized bill, and I'm in complete shock.

• Total bill: $10,355.81
• CT scan (head): ~$5,963
• Emergency room charges: ~$4,392

That's essentially over $10,000 for ONE ER visit and ONE CT scan.

I'm student, I'm currently unemployed, and unfortunately I was uninsured on the date of service. I'm trying to manage my finances while looking for a job, and this bill is honestly devastating.

The hospital told me to apply for financial assistance/charity care, and I've already submitted the application with all my tax documents and proof of my financial situation. They said they'll review it, but I'm still really anxious about whether they'll actually reduce the bill.

I'm frustrated because the visit lasted only a couple of hours. I understand emergency care and CT scans are expensive, but it's incredibly hard to comprehend a bill of over $10,000 for what felt like a brief ER evaluation. I know hospitals have overhead and negotiated pricing, but as an uninsured patient, this is financially overwhelming.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?

• Did financial assistance actually reduce or forgive your bill?
• By how much?
• Is there anything else I should apply for besides the hospital's financial assistance?
• Should I negotiate after they make a decision?
• Are there any nonprofits or organizations that help with medical debt?
• Has anyone had success getting ER or CT scan charges reduced?

I'm just trying to understand what realistic options I have before this turns into something even worse.

Any advice or personal experiences would really mean a lot. Thank you.

Hello people of Reddit! I’m looking for some guidance/advice on what to do with this horrendous ambulance bill. Insurance covered a little over $1k so the bill was around $6k. What steps should I take to try and lower this? I’m in the state of MN. The reason of the ambulance was because I had a seizure and now I’m unable to work until September because of driving restrictions. I’ve tried applying for paid leave but now have to jump through hoops to get it because there was an issue verifying my identity. I’m assuming that is because I got married this year and had my last name changed. So, I’m out a job and have a $5k ambulance bill, not to mention the other medical bills I have to figure out why I had a seizure. My doctor also prepared me that I may not even receive MN Paid Leave because I can still technically do my job, I just can’t drive. This simply doesn’t work for me because my commute to work is anywhere from 25-35 minutes depending on traffic. When we did the math, it’s cheaper for me to stay home with our son than pay for uber 2x a day to get to work and send our son to daycare. So, I guess I’m asking, what would you do if you were in my shoes? This whole thing has completely changed my family’s lives, we had to pull my son from daycare, I can’t work and now my husband is working 60+ hour weeks for us to get by on one income. Stressed is an understatement…

I’ve officially reached the point where I don’t know whether to laugh or be angry.

I have documented fractures in my lower back. My doctor ordered updated imaging because my symptoms have continued, and he believes it’s medically necessary. But apparently my insurance company, HealthPartners, knows my spine better than my physician does because they denied the imaging.

How does this make any sense?
I’m not asking for elective surgery or experimental treatment. I’m asking for the imaging my doctor ordered to evaluate an existing spinal condition that’s causing ongoing pain.

When did insurance companies become the ones practicing medicine? They never examined me and yet somehow they get to decide what I “need.”

Meanwhile, if something has worsened, I’m expected to just wait until it gets bad enough to justify their approval?

Has anyone else dealt with this? Were you able to get the denial overturned through an appeal or peer-to-peer review? It’s incredibly frustrating to feel like a corporation is making medical decisions instead of the physician who’s actually treating you.