Colonoscopy Cost - Buyer Experiences and Price Information

Posted by: Big Chuck in Chicago, IL. Posted: November 16th, 2010 12:11PM
To those of you who state that the total billed was $20,000 and the insurance only paid $1000 this is NOT the reason healtcare costs are so high.
The providers are contracted with the insurance companies. These are the negotiated rates that the providers have agreed to. The providers charge so much for those of us who DO NOT have insurance. The providers are the reason that health care costs are so high, not the insurance companies. Please people, get a clue
Big Chuck
If what you said is true!!!!! Then what we the people of the USA need is to have the government negotiate all medical fees for medical services.
Then create a web site to list these prices. making them available to everyone in the country (USA) Example Colonoscopy $269.00 Total cost all fees included. Once this is created then the insurance companies can create a product to protect the people from the real cost not the fictitious retailprices

Yes, that's right, $20,950. The facility fee was $14,250, the doctor fee $2200 and biopsy for polyps $4500. Albeit mine included an endoscopy. Facility was a outpatient surgical center. Not sure how much insurance will pay, under review.

Lumenos Plan is is the only one in the state of CA that will cover cost of a preventative colonoscopy 100%. However, what I found out later is the cost of the Propfil (anthesia) used during the procedure is NOT covered. But after reading the entries here, my $250.00 cost for the meds was a deal. And I would recomend this plan to all.

I had a Colonoscopy and a tube stuck down my throat ( I forget what that is called) I got it from both ends!!!
Everything turned out ok....no polyups.

I am a physician. Most physicians make half of what the hopsital bill shows as the physician cost. The rest goes to "overhead". If you all read all the comments in this thread, you will see a few trends. The lowest costs go to the uninsured, those under universal care, and those going to the VA and city hospitals. The third party, private insurance creates an overhead-heavy machinery that all of us pay for. Let's go the way of the VA and city hospitals and push for universal health care managed via the government, not private parties.

Called my insurance before the proceedure to verify coverage. As a preventative proceedure, yes at 100%. However once they find something it is no longer considered preventative and becomes a new bill code. My bills are still coming in from the insurance being adjusted for cost. The proceedure at this point is up to $7,000 with my cost being close to $4,000 out of pocket. When you consider how much you pay in premiums and the cost after adjusted it almost makes you want to just take your chances. If I had known it would cost that much I would have opted not to get it done.

I'm on medicare and so far I'm happy with my coverage. The colonoscopy was covered as a preventablbe procedure and cost me 0.00. If you have polyps removed you will receive a pathology report.

Three claims, one for biopsy 394, facilities, 4700, doctor 3800. My portion came to about 1100. Insurance paid their approved amount.
Not bad for less than 2 hours work from all involved.

The procedure was done under sedation and at the endoscopy center. This was fully covered under my insurance as long as it was only a screening.
If any polyps were detected or biopsies, then the screening becomes a diagnostic test, and you would incure charges for 25% of negotiated rates betweent the inurance co. and facility. Since nothing was detected, this was 100% paid for.
Re-test in 10 years. Would highly reccomend this
office, group of doctors and facility, no problems from start to finish. 53yr old female.

$5.00 was my co-pay for the Colyte solution.
After reading other comments I feel fortunate for myself but absolutely shocked at the state of our patchwork healthcare system.

At 63 I was overdue for my first colonoscopy. Dr. suggested a screening. I called insurance to find out what this will cost. Covered 100%! If, however, for example I had to be rushed to surgery if something went awry, then ER copay & 5% hospital coinsurance would apply. Otherwise fully covered at 100%! Found/removed one benign polyp. Explanation of Benefits just came & shows a charge of $263 expected from hospital. I asked insurance company why? One said "facility charge". Uh, how do you get a colonoscopy without a facility, at your house? Another said, "a diagnosis" was submitted. Isn't that the point of a screening? Reading these comments, it must have been the lone polyp that triggered a charge. Aren't polyps typical? How many screenings are done with no polyps at all? Could they have said when I asked, up front, what will this really cost? No, all they said is Covered 100%. Pretty sleezey, bait & switch insurance company. I don't fault the hospital.

I had a sigmoidoscopy years ago and don't recall anything other than my doctors co-pay. That was in upstate NY.
I am now in Florida and about to have both the colonoscopy and the endoscopy. I know my insurance considers the colonoscopy preventative maintainence and there are no co-pays. As for the endoscopy, I won't know until I go for pre-surgical review. My doctor uses a surgical proceedure day center which I'm assuming is far cheaper than the hospitals. I get stuck for $1000 everytime I have a cardiac cath and I have had many! They are ripping people off in the hospitals to pay the Administrator a ridiculous salary--some over 1 million a year! That's like paying a Walmart clerks $50 an hour! Total BS!
And for all that Administrator salary-90%-95% of the hospitals claim to be in the RED!! They'd probably be better off with the Walmart clerk!
I can certainly sympathize with those who have no insurance- those with good reason-none for the deadbeats!
Federal law stipulates in all 50 states that NO ONE can be turned away-so if you cannot afford the proceedure either ask the hospital what their policies are (and they do have forgiveness policies for those in need) or go through the emergency room so they have to treat you! Use bankruptcy or whatever you need to do-just like the elite do when they don't pay TAXES-they're not paying their way either!! Time to set aside pride!

The procedure and the service were alright. I then received a statement of $219.26. I requested a break down of the bill. It showed
$19.26 as New York State Tax. My insurance company said I am only responsible for the $200 copay, which I did. But I continue to receive bill for that $19.26. Why is there tax on a medical procedure?

To those of you who state that the total billed was $20,000 and the insurance only paid $1000 this is NOT the reason healtcare costs are so high.
The providers are contracted with the insurance companies. These are the negotiated rates that the providers have agreed to. The providers charge so much for those of us who DO NOT have insurance. The providers are the reason that health care costs are so high, not the insurance companies. Please people, get a clue.

Two years ago I had a colonoscopy which found a carcinoid tumer. I was in the hospital four more times in an effort to get it removed over the next year. It cost over one hundred thousand dollars and cost me over ten thousand dollars. I am having another colonosopy next week and they have quoted me a cost of fifty five hundred dollars. I will pay seventeen hundred. Hospitals are legalized thieves.

Can't complain. This is my second colonoscopy this year; flat polyps last time. It was $150 last time, too. I'm pretty sure Kaiser isn't ripping off itself, so $150 plus what Medicare pays seems to be enough for them. Their electronic recordkeeping is a gem, too. No more filling out tons of forms each time I see a new doctor....

I used to pay $250, this is my 3rd colonscopy, and all of a sudden now I had no co-pay at all. The 10.00 was for the prep drink

Would like to add the price of insurance is so high my husband and I can't afford it. I have epilepsy and have to take meds to control seizures, we both have high blood-pressure, my husband also has high cholestrol. What do you do? I just found out this morning I need a colonoscopy that will cost 3-4 thousand and they want $500 before they do it. My doctor is very good about no unnecessary tests b/c he knows our situation. I feel so trapped.

I have learned that even though a cancer was removed from my colon, after discovery via colonoscopy, I can't have another colonoscopy in a year as a follow due to potential regrowth of a new one because Medicare will not pay for another one!! They will pay if you have symptoms such as diverticulosis, but not after having cancer removed until about two full years or more! This isn't fair or right! If I have a cancer removed this should still be inline with continued follow up procedures due to a condition which "has not" been fully cured or completed in terms of "cancer free" for certain. I understand just wanting a colonoscopy more frequent than allowed should not be paid, but if you have a problem it should be paid as many times as you may need it to prevent recrurrance and death! Something wrong with OBAMACARE! This is outragoues!!!I can't affordd to pay for one now. I thought Mr. Big Shot and Big Shot Democrats said we would not be discriminated against with prior diseases????????

I am scheduled for a Colonoscopy in a week, I have assurant health with phcs discounts. After reading alot of reviews I am torn between going forward or cancelling. I would appreciate email from anyone in Phoenix area to email me with any suggestions. [email protected]

This is insane. The clinic charged a facility fee of $2,200.00. Plus the cost of the procedure. They charged $150.00 for a pulse oximetry which measures the saturation of oxygen you are receiving, this should be included in the cost of the oxygen not an additional charge. Vegas had the problem with the one clinic re-using needles during the procedure, now instead of killing people with dirty needles, they will just do legized robbery. I do not like insurance companies or doctors, they should be required by law to disclose the cost of procedures.

I am 64 years old, divorced, work part time and on social security. Go week to week with expenses and can not afford insurance. Had polyps removed twice. It is ten years since last colonoscopy. My mother died from colon cancer. Can't get help anywhere and feel sick all the time. My doctor suggested I try and get financial help through local hospital. I was turned away twice because I make too much money. Anything over $1,000. a month is too much. I just wait until this disease takes over.

Facility and procedure cost $2272.00
Doctor's Bill $585.00
Because my mother paid her deductible of $500.00, she ended up spending only over $500.00 for the colonoscopy. If she were uninsured, she'd have to pay over $3000.00. She had the procedure done because she has pain and discomfort in her abdomen area and doctors couldn't figure it out and she 55 years old. Everything was normal.

I was told my colonoscopy was 100% covered. Being recently laid off and my health insurance lapsing 3 days after the scheduled procedure, I called my doctor's office the day before and confirmed 100% coverage. The morning of the proecedure at the outpatient clinic in Plantation, FL, I told them I would not go through with the procedure if I was not 100% covered. The inpatient clerk verified 100% coverage. I went through with colonoscopy and a polyp was removed. Shortly thereafter, I received invoices in mail seeking deductibles totaling approximately $1,000. Nobody told me that if a polyp was found I would have to pay a deductible. I would never have proceeded with the procedure had I known this. I explained this to the insurance company and they pretty much said too bad, it is written in my insurance policy. I don't read fine print. I relied on doctor's whom I trusted telling me I was 100% covered. They claim the insurance company told them I was 100% covered. I should be able to rely on what the insurance company told my doctor. It is not as if they would tell them something different than what they would have told me directly. I have now joined the millions of others who detest insurance companies and doctors. I hope I get on a jury where I can ream them good, like they reamed me (no pun intended). I worked hard through the years to maintain my good credit score, but now that will go down the tube because I have no means to pay this deductible.

got my done today, it was a long wait coz it's a city hospital, but given the cost, can't complain..i was shocked upon reading what people are paying out of pocket even with insurance coverage. i guess being uninsured isn't always a bad thing. god bless..

I need a colonoscopy and an upper GI desparately!! I have Barrett's Esophagus (some call it the stage before Cancer) and I had TWO Precancerous Polyps removed. I am past due by 6 months already. I have to be careful w/ anesthesia as I stopped breathing time before last. My deductible is 5,000 and I have met less than 500.00. I still owe past medical bills, I can't work, trying to get disability. I had it scheduled and surgery center was already asking 1,300.00. Then there is Dr. Fee(s), patholigist, Lab, and anything else I forgot to mention. Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

I work at this hospital and was surprised to find out how much my hospital charged for a colonoscopy with two ployps remove. My out of pocket expense was 1100.00 with the total bill being over 11,000. No wonder our health care system is in such bad shape. By the way, our CEO makes over 600,000 a year!

Center costs $2973 for facility fee, doctor $950, Pathology 407 (small, benign). Good service at the center, but had no idea of the cost before the bills arrived -- I suspect they figured out if they told patients how much it cost many would question the need for the procedure. These are needed procedures, but the expense is deadly. (So's the prep). Insurance paid $2000.

Eight year ago my husband had 2 polpys removed. Because 2 polpys were removed the gastrointestional physcian coded my husband so that our insurance wouldn't pay one dime!!! We pay 7,000 a year for insurance with 10,000 deductible. My question is: Is there a statue of limitation on how long they consider polpys and the need to code a patient with no SX ...just wanted to be a good patient and PREVENT(optional word) any problems. HELP!

My insurance paid $1000.00 on $20,000.00 hospital
invoice and is considered Paid in full by the hospital & doctors.
This is why medical costs are climbing so fast.
if the hospital or doctor needs to make $100.00
more The They need to increase bill by about $2000.00 to get there $100.00
The only way to stop the insurance companies from doing this would be to have EVERYONE To terminate there policy at the same time. The hospitals & doctors would cut there price over night to the real prices.
Ps. my friend had a triple bypass invoiced at $130,000.00 insurance paid $7,145.32 paid in full. if the insurance companies fell of the face of the earth the invoice would have been $2,500.00 if that!!!