Bio Reference Laboratories

I have been having to deal with Bioreference Labs for a couple years now through one of my drs. Each and every visit, I receive a bill from them saying my insurance is not valid. They then fight with me over my coverage. Luckily I have amazing insurance and every time they call BioReference Lab to clear everything up. According to insurance they never even receive a claim from them. Again this has been 2 years and I have to fight with them every few months. I am still trying to clear up a claim from 5 months ago. I wish I had another option through my dr's office as I love him just hate the lab he goes through.

Review: I went to Bio Reference lab to do a drug screening test required by my employer on February 12, 2014. The cost for this test was $28.00 (twenty eight dollars). I paid the full amount for this test in cash and received receipt for payment. On July 28, 2014 my employer requested to repeat the same drug screening test to update company records. I went to my primary care physician and asked my doctor to submit the test to Bio Reference lab because I did my test with them and I knew how much they should charge me for this test. I do not have medical insurance and based on my previous test cost of $28.00 I wanted to pay the same amount as before. When I received the bill from Bio Reference lab in amount of $225.00 - I immediately called the to find out why I'm being charged so much more money for the same test. The original response from their office was that it was a different test, but after further research they admitted that it was in fact the same test and I was given 70% discount and they asked me to pay $67.50. I feel it is un-justifiable for me to pay this much more money for the same test. I'm willing to pay the same $28.00 amount as I paid on February 12, 2014.Desired Settlement: I would like to pay $28.00 for the test on July 28, 2014 as I previously paid for the test on February 12, 2014.

Business

Response:

BioReference offers hundreds of groups of laboratory tests called profiles. Some doctors or clients who use our services have negotiated a special price for specific groups of tests, called custom profiles. The patient, [redacted], went to our Patient Service Center for the testing done in February, and the employer's doctor or homecare representative, ordered a custom profile with a special price. The doctor that the patient went to in July was a different doctor, and that doctor ordered a different profile which did not have a special price. While the testing was similar, it was not identical. However, since the patient was not aware that her primary care physician did not have a specially negotiated price for a specific profile, I am willing to offer that same price to the patient. I have noted the account to accept $28.00 as payment in full. I cannot send out a discounted invoice. If the patient would like to verify that this payment is accepted as payment in full, or if she has any other questions, she may call me at ###-###-####, extension [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: I have received an invoice for $95 from this company for a service (medical test) performed by my doctor on 3/11/2013. My insurance company, Anthem BC/BS, has paid in full for this medical test already. Also, my doctor says the price of the medical test, and the code for that test, are different from what is detailed on this $95 invoice.

I believe this is a fraudulent double-billing practice on the part of BioReference Laboratories, and I shudder to imagine how many consumers simply fork over the $95 without question.

I would be very interested to know if other consumers have had this experience, and I would be interested in starting a class action suit against BioReference Laboratories.Desired Settlement: 1) Retraction of this fraudulent invoice.

2) Apology to me in writing.

3) I'd like to see BioReference Laboratories taken to court for fraud.

Business

Response:

There were no coding errors or double billing. The problem was found to be an issue between Blue Shield and our claims submission electronic clearing house. Ms [redacted] has been in contact with me via e-mail. After researching the issue and explaining my findings, I believe she is satisfied with the outcome. Due to the age of the claim and the file time lapse, the balance was adjusted to zero.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: I paid a bill from BioReference Laboratories. My insurance subsequently paid the same bill. For the past nine weeks, BioReference has come up with excuse after excuse for not issuing me a refund. Today they told me there are "additional delays".

They ran blood tests for me on February 20th, 2014. In September, I was contacted by a collections agency who informed me I had an outstanding bill with BioReference. I paid the agency, then called BioReference. BioReference claimed they had sent numerous letters requesting additional information about my insurance. When I asked to which address they sent the letters, they gave me the wrong address. I explained this to them, provided my insurance details, and asked them to bill my insurance. They did. My insurance paid. I contacted BioReference again asking for a refund of the amount I paid them (since they'd now been paid twice). I was told I needed to wait for the payment from my insurance to be processed. Two weeks later, they gave the same excuse. Two weeks after that, they informed me I would be receiving a refund check in the mail within three weeks. It's now four weeks later--eight weeks since I first requested my refund. I contacted them to ask where the refund was and they told me "checks have been delayed" and as soon as they get the check they will send it to me. BioReference refused to tell me when that might be.Desired Settlement: I would like BioReference to refund the money they took from me before taking money from my Insurance company as well. I would like them to refund this money promptly. I would like for them to apologize.

Business

Response:

I have researched the issues brought up by Ms. [redacted]. Based on the notes on the account, the first inquiry from the patient occurred on September 16. We did not receive the payment from our collection agency until October 2. It did not appear as an overpayment until we received the payment from the patient's insurance on October 24. It was set up for a refund at that time. Checks for that refund batch were printed on November 19 and mailed on November 21. In the complaint, Ms. [redacted] states that the refund she is expecting is $109.00, but the agency states that the payment made was $105.00, which is the amount of the refund check. Since the initial payment was sent to the collection agency, we do not have a way of knowing which amount is correct. I apologize for the delays, misunderstandings and the lack of responsiveness. If Ms. [redacted] has any questions or concerns, she can contact me directly at ###-###-####, extension [redacted] or via e-mail at [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.Had BioReference been up front about the truly insane amount of time it takes to issue a refund, this would have been far less painful. I regret that in the year 2014, when full face transplants are possible, virtual reality headsets are appearing, and people can surf the net while hurtling through the air at 30k feet, BioReference (a laboratory service provider!) should be so antiquated.

Regards,

Review: Bio Reference Laboratories failed to bill my health insurance, [redacted] for laboratory tests ordered by my physician. It should be noted that my physician chose the lab and all of the tests were performed in his office. I never entered Bio Reference Laboratories. Bio Reference Laboratories failed to bill my insurance company in a timely manner. They then reported me to a collection agency which reported their claim on my credit bureau. I contacted the collection agency and put them in touch with my health insurance company who explained to them that if the bill had been submitted correctly in a timely manner it would have been paid in full. I have a letter from [redacted] stating that Bio Reference Laboratories failed to bill them in a timely manner. It is now passed the timely filing deadline. As such, I cannot be reimbursed for the bill nor can they. I am not responsible to perform billing for Bio Reference Laboratories. Nor am I responsible to pay this claim because they failed to bill correctly. Moreover, I never authorized services from Bio Reference Laboratories as they were chosen by my physician. As such, I would like the collection account removed from my credit bureau.Desired Settlement: I would like this removed from my credit bureau immediately.

Business

Response:

BioReference has researched the account, substantiated Ms. [redacted] claims about not being responsible, and has contacted the collection agency to remove the account from any further collection activity. The agency has also sent a letter to Ms.[redacted] confirming this and is having the account removed in its entirety from any credit reports.BioReference was not provided with any insurance information until long after the file submission time had lapsed.We have adjusted the amount to zero on our A/R system.

Review: Invoice # [redacted]

My wife, [redacted], had a colposcopy procedure at her doctor's office (Hill Country OB/GYN) for which she was quoted a price of $204.60 for the procedure which included costs of the office visit, lab fees and tests, after insurance contract adjustment. Specifically, on the bill we paid to Hill Country OB/GYN, the line items were:

Colposcopy, Cervix w/ Biosy(s) & ECC: $433

Surgical Tray: $100

Urine Pregnancy Test: $35

Urinalysis: $18

We paid for the procedure but for some reason, BioReference Labs keeps sending us bills for $182.69, listing the following Line items:

Cervical Biopsy: $300

Endo-Cervical Biopsy: $300

Multiplx Dbl Statin by IHC Glob: $600

Minus a $1017.31 insurance allowance

I contacted BioRefeference saying that we had agreed on the fee at the doctor's office for the procedure which included lab fees, but the person I spoke to on the phone did not want to listen nor investigate.Desired Settlement: Stop sending bills as we had already paid what the insurance didn't cover with the doctor's office.

Business

Response:

Tell us why here...I apologize for the time it took to reply, but I had to obtain information from the physician's office before I could proceed. The invoice from the physician was for the procedures performed in their office and my conversation with them confirmed this. That included obtaining the specimen that was sent to BioReference (obtaining the biopsy sample). The invoice from the doctor's office did not include the laboratory analysis that BioReference performed. The BioReference invoice was for the balance after the insurance company processed our claim. I checked the results and they are all valid and all testing was performed and final resulted. The charge on the invoice of $182.69 is valid and due from the patient. After listening to a taped conversation of the call that the patient's husband made to BioReference, I did confirm that the billing customer service representative that the patient's husband spoke to was a trainee, who may not have answered all of the questions completely. The patient or her husband can contact me at ###-###-####, extension 8486, if they need further information.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.