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First of all, that is probably rack rates, and your insurance company will only pay a portion of that cost. At the most extreme, I've seen the amount that insurance companies pay to be 5% to 10% of the rack rate of the cost. It's not worth getting all hung up over.
Also, the $467 wasn't the cost to admister two shots. That cost was about $110 based on your information above. The remainder was for other tests plus the exam cost.
Finally, your child's health is very important and you should be proud to spend $467 to ensure that he has good vision, good hearing, and the correct shots. If he had vision or hearing issues and you didn't know, his learning would suffer. Kids don't admit they can't see, they usually need a test to prove they can't see.
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He did tell me that he was told she had a have a complete physical before they could administer an shots and he figured hearing and vision were part of that physical.
You probably could have gotten the immunizations done at Wal-greens or other in and out type places, or the county health nurse.
I'm impressed they gave you an itemized bill. Ours never said anything more than "yearly physical, age 11". My kids are old enough to go the the doctor and dentist on their own now, but I always tell them to refuse unnecessary procedures, such as fluoride treatments. They've never had a cavity, all their molars have sealants, and yet the dentist still pushes the fluoride. This past year they offered to do an oral cancer check, for $60.00. Isn't that part of a regular dental exam? It used to be. I refused, and he did it anyway, but I wasn't charged.
Regarding the shots, our doctor didn't stock the meningitis vaccine, so I got a prescription for it, took it to CVS, and they administered it for the cost of the shot.
First of all, that is probably rack rates, and your insurance company will only pay a portion of that cost. At the most extreme, I've seen the amount that insurance companies pay to be 5% to 10% of the rack rate of the cost. It's not worth getting all hung up over.
Agreed. Rack rates are generally guesstimated somewhere around 5 x higher than actual cost. It's a despicable practice IMO.
Also, the $467 wasn't the cost to admister two shots. That cost was about $110 based on your information above. The remainder was for other tests plus the exam cost.
Finally, your child's health is very important and you should be proud to spend $467 to ensure that he has good vision, good hearing, and the correct shots. If he had vision or hearing issues and you didn't know, his learning would suffer. Kids don't admit they can't see, they usually need a test to prove they can't see.
You probably could have gotten the immunizations done at Wal-greens or other in and out type places, or the county health nurse.
Of course I know it didn't cost that much for 2 shots. If you read the linked thread you would know I was told she had to have a physical and they would not give her shots without it. I take the child to the doctor if she needs it. She goes to the dentist and orthodontist, yearly eye exam, flu shots every year. She does extremely well in school and has no hearing problems.
You also missed the part about $150 for one shot plus $26 to administer it. And $60 for the pertussis shot plus $26 to give it.
In what other profession is anybody paid per item of work. Secretary gets say $30,000 plus $12 to collate contract, $10 to arrange conference call. ,etc. I just think it is weird.
Reminds me of a visit to the vet. I called to get costs before I went. Bill came back $25 for test and then $10 tissue disposal fee. Of course they didn't mention the tissue disposal fee when I called.
Today I got the bill from the Pediatrician because the insurance company is being slow to pay the bill.
$130 exam
40 audio test
35 vision test
150 meningitis shot
26 to give the shot
60 pertussis shot
26 to give the shot
---------------------------
$467.00 for less than an hour in the doctor's office
I was blown away. Her father went with her which was a big mistake but I had a very important dr appointment myself at the same time. She had eye test only 2 weeks prior and he knew it but I guess he was just not paying attention. He did tell me that he was told she had to have a complete physical before they could administer shots and he figured hearing and vision were part of that physical.
When I asked the receptionist on the phone if those tests are optional she said "Yes they are but we don't tell you". Can you believe that??? She further said while they are optional we will not be told that and we have to formally opt out and this will happen every year if we want physicals. So now I know why I haven't taken my kids for annual physicals. Our insurance will probably pay in full but it galls me for them and me to be ripped off like this. No wonder our medical costs in this country are so ridiculous. It should be criminal.
No pee analysis, no blood work, no procedures. $467 for a physical and 2 shots.
Okay these look like pretty standard costs for these drugs, well with markup etc. I'm sure when the insurance company pays the cost will be 1/2 of that to them. You will get 100% paid, since preventative care is normally covered by insurance.
I don't know what your expecting. It takes you 30 minutes to walk into walmart and pick up a 1,500 tv. You don't gripe at walmart and say "well, it only took me 30 minutes to get the TV so I should pay a lot less".
Just don't pay until the insurer gives you the EOB. They are legally obligated to follow their contract with the insurer, regardless on how they harrass you. if you pay first, you will then have to chase the doctor for a refund.
Then how come I....missed only 2 days in school from being ill -- and I very rarely go to a doctor? Same with my kids, they've almost never been sick, most years had perfect attendance.
How fortunate for you. You must have missed measles, mumps and chicken pox, or been lucky enough to have born after these vaccinations were discovered.
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Putting children on antibiotics when the child doesn't have an infection is a good clue that one should find another doctor.
What? She had an ear infection.
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Why would anyone ever put a healthy kid on antibiotics?
Who said anything about putting a healthy kid on an antibiotic? I have no idea what you're talking about.
Annual checkups and running to doctors everytime a child sneezes isn't preventative medicine. You don't prevent anything by going to doctors, there is either something there that the parent failed to notice and the doctor found or there isn't anything there.
So what happens if the kids break an arm, develop an allergic reaction to something, get an ear infection, develop strep throat, etc, etc? There was "something there that the parent failed to notice"?
How fortunate for you. You must have missed measles, mumps and chicken pox, or been lucky enough to have born after these vaccinations were discovered.
What? She had an ear infection.
Who said anything about putting a healthy kid on an antibiotic? I have no idea what you're talking about.
Actually I had all 3 of those and didn't die (amazing!), my kids did get the vaccines for measles and mumps but got chicken pox and also didn't die.
Putting a chid on antiobiotics isn't what you'd normally expect from a well-child yearly check-up. That was my point. You would hopefully take a child in that is very sick as needed.
A couple of my kids had scarlet fever which is just one form of strep -- antibiotics took care of that but that was the only time they needed antibiotics.
Now the advice is that many ear infections should't be treated with antibiotics because fewer and fewer antibiotics even work anymore. Putting your child on very strong antibiotics can be more harmful than a mild infection -- some of those drugs even suppress the bone marrow.
Sometimes it's better NOT to go running to a doctor for every sniffle and sneeze or to think the doctor can prevent all ailments. I'd avoid the over-the-counter chemicals as well --- there is no cure for the common cold or most minor viral infections. Certainly you shouldn't need a doctor to tell you how to get some bed rest and fluids -- but if you can't figure that out, then having a doctor guide you might do the trick.
Antibiotic resistance—when antibiotics can no longer cure bacterial infections—has been a concern for years and is considered one of the world's most critical public health threats.
CDC efforts have resulted in fewer children receiving unnecessary antibiotics in recent years, but inappropriate use remains a problem.
Taking antibiotics when you or your child has a virus may do more harm than good. In fact, in children, antibiotics are the most common cause of emergency department visits for adverse drug events. Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter products may be your or your child's best treatment option.
Sometimes it's better NOT to go running to a doctor for every sniffle and sneeze or to think the doctor can prevent all ailments. I'd avoid the over-the-counter chemicals as well --- there is no cure for the common cold or most minor viral infections. Certainly you shouldn't need a doctor to tell you how to get some bed rest and fluids -- but if you can't figure that out, then having a doctor guide you might do the trick.
Antibiotic resistance—when antibiotics can no longer cure bacterial infections—has been a concern for years and is considered one of the world's most critical public health threats.
CDC efforts have resulted in fewer children receiving unnecessary antibiotics in recent years, but inappropriate use remains a problem.
No respectable pediatrician will prescribe antibiotics for "every sniffle and sneeze".
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Originally Posted by malamute
Taking antibiotics when you or your child has a virus may do more harm than good. In fact, in children, antibiotics are the most common cause of emergency department visits for adverse drug events. Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter products may be your or your child's best treatment option.
Yes, when speaking about prescribed medications in children, of which antibiotics account for about 99%. It's still a very small percentage of the pediatric population treated for ingestion.
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An estimated 71,000 children (18 years old or younger) are seen in emergency
departments each year because of unintentional medication poisonings (excluding
recreational drug use). Most of these visits (over 80%) were because an
unsupervised child found and consumed the medication without adult supervision.
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