Fine Needle Biopsy on Thyroid

I did an altrasound on my thyroid recently as I had nodules when I was younger and the ultrasound picked up some new nodules and I was recommended for a fine needle biopsy. My primary doctor had ordered both an ultrasound and fine needle biopsy but the hospital said that they could only do the ultrasound of my neck that day since a specialist in the hospital had to review the results to see if a fine needle biopsy was needed. My primary doctor also gave me a recommendation for an endocrinologist and told me to do the ultrasound (and biopsy if needed) and schedule the appointment now with the endocrinologist since they book out really far. I did speak to the hospital regarding the pricy of the ultrasound and biopsy if I did both if them and they said that after insurance pays the estimate out of pocked was like $680 or something like that. So when I was calling around to endocrinologists they were saying that they needed to do the biopsy themselves. I have 2 issues with this. 1. When I pull up my United health care insurance it estimates the estimate total cost for thyroid biopsy through an endocrinologist would be $5,254 and my estimayed out of pocket js $1787. That is much higher than the hospital estimate. Why is the price so different?

I am able to get a fine needle biopsy scheduled at a hospital much faster than an endocrinologist.

So why would the endocrinologist want me to come to them directly to for the biopsy instead if doing it through a hospital? Why is the price so different? What would happen if I did the biopsy at a hospital and simply sent them the results? Would they not accept it?

Also does anyone know what possible issues could arise from thyroid nodules? I did schedule the fine needle biopsy with the endocrinologist just so that the opening that they had did not disappear while I figure this out but the appointment is far out. Could waiting a few months for the biopsy affect my health negatively? Like what are the worst finds that they could get when doing the biopsy anyway?

submitted by /u/Isekaianimeandmanga
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