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Anytime you involve a third party (lab or someone not staffed by the doctors office) you will get a bill for the lab work. So while the office may draw blood, a lot of times they send it out. Thats when you get a bill. You have to be very specific when speaking with them about what they cover in office. And things have changed recently too so now in some cases, even if they draw blood and read the results in the office, when they submit the claim to the insurance company, the insurance company will still look at it as a diagnostic test and you will get a bill. This is not true if your visit is preventive care (annual visit)
I don't know if this question needs answering (or if it was even asked), but, while there's more and more blood tests that can be completed (i.e. results in hand) during the same visit to a PCP clinic every year, usually the case is that it has to be sent out. Yes, the clinic might have a phlebotomist on site to do venipuncture draws, but I suspect that even common blood panels like CBC, CMP and BMP have to be completed off site.
If I remember correctly, the only clinic I've been to where they could get some of the panel results (within the same visit) is the main Duke clinic complex, although what can be resolved in within the same clinic visit is changing / improving all of the time.
Usually, as others do, in order for blood test results to be ready / available for a clinic visit, I "pre-draw" about a week in advance (again, via a standing order), during the weekend. This way, I can discuss any medication or other changes / obtain prescription updates all at one time, in person.
In my case the medications are critical, and I can't mess around.
P.S. I'm no expert on blood work, just a frequent pincusion / recipient.
Perhaps it depends on what result / level / condition is being tested, and if it can be tested via finger-prick.
It's specifically for hypothyroidism. Not life and death situation, but his prescription changes frequently enough that it seems he's always going for bloodwork to check the current level is doing ok.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ncbeckster
The bigger practices seem to have someone on staff or from LabCorp to perform blood work in the office.
But I found it works better for me for the routine testing, is to get the blood work done the week before my appointment. The doctor orders the test through LabCorp and then I just go before the appointment so the results can be discussed at the appointment.
That would be fine, he's just tired of the 3 appointment situation. The visits for blood drawing are very quick and he usually schedules it for first thing in the morning so he can eat right after.
Quote:
Originally Posted by don6170
They do blood draws in house, but send it out to LabCorp for processing. They have a web portal where you can see the results, but it is not as impressive (in terms of displaying past results) as the MyChart system used at Duke and UNC hospitals.
Thank you! I wasn't expecting specific information on this doctor so that's a nice surprise. Maybe they will forego another visit for the results and just order the prescription from our pharmacy, saving another trip and another copay.
It's specifically for hypothyroidism. Not life and death situation, but his prescription changes frequently enough that it seems he's always going for bloodwork to check the current level is doing ok.
That would be fine, he's just tired of the 3 appointment situation. The visits for blood drawing are very quick and he usually schedules it for first thing in the morning so he can eat right after.
Thank you! I wasn't expecting specific information on this doctor so that's a nice surprise. Maybe they will forego another visit for the results and just order the prescription from our pharmacy, saving another trip and another copay.
My family practice guy thru Duke does exactly what you describe in your third paragraph for hhypothyroidism! I see him once a year for my annual exam (paid for by insurance), and the blood tests are ordered and drawn a week or so in advance. On my first visit with him, I explained that if I saw him more frequently, the cost was coming out of my pocket (high deductible plan), and I suggested he could run a TSH every six months to adjust the meds as necessary. He didn't even do that for the first 3 years, but then the dosage became somewhat unstable, so the TSH gets done twice a year.
I gotta tell you, my favorite thing about Duke doctors has been their understanding about costs coming our of my pocket. I explain about my $5,000 annual deductible, and they work to avoid unnecessary visits, have changed meds so that I can get a generic, passed on doing tests that I fondly call the "cover your legal ass" type, etc.
DH is on Medicare and his meds were putting us into the dreaded donut hole. His Duke internist agreed to write prescriptions for the two high priced meds so that we could get them from Canada. And he agreed to all of that thru email on dukemychart with no office visit required.
The place we go allows it. We pay our co-pay for a doc visit and then go next door to get the blood drawn which we never get a bill for. They also allow you to get blood drawn prior to your appt that way you can discuss actual numbers with the doc. No difference in cost. I thought this was the norm.
The Duke health physicians that I have seen (including primary care and two specialists) have all been able to take a blood panel in the office. This is a full panel rather than just a finger prick.
CAUTION for this.
Duke uses different billing codes than most labs, so if you have insurance that gives benefit for labwork (mine is free for most labs), you want to make sure you understand how it works with Duke.
Here's an example from a family member:
It used to be all labs were free, they changed their billing system years ago, and each lab had a $50 co-pay, PLUS whatever special charges or deductables, or whatever else. Simple blood draw was well over $300. I asked them to do write the orders, took family member to LabCorp, and I still got a bill, but it was for $16. The rest was covered.
This may not apply to everyone, but it's fairly common with Duke, and I assume with all of the larger hospital systems with complex billing systems. Check it out in advance.
As others have said, most of the major Dr. Groups have in-house LabCorp. I go to Imperial Family Medicine, and they have it there. Never costs me a penny, and the results are always at my doctor ready for discussion at my appt. (He writes labs to be drawn a week or two before the appointment.)
And yes, they do full labs except for possibly some really rare stuff. (but multiple viles of blood from a vein, and urine samples, fairly complex lipid workups, CBC, blah blah blah....
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