Hit with unexpected $4200 bill for imaging. Same test 2 years ago only cost a couple hundred.

Hello all.

My partner was just hit with a bill for $4200 for a CT and Ultrasound. She did her due diligence before having these tests done explaining that we cannot afford any wild bills out of the blue. The scheduler said, "your pre-authorization is approved, so you're all good". If she had known how much this would all cost, she wouldn't have had it done.

Insurance company said that this $4200 will go towards her $7k yearly deductible. They did apparently pay the radiologists fees of $500ish, but that's all, leaving her responsible for the rest.

The thing that is so shocking is that she had a CT done in 2020 and only had to pay a couple hundred out of pocket. As far as we can tell she's kept the same plan, she's been with the same provider the whole time, and even her monthly premiums have increased slightly.

How does the insurance company decide what to pay? If they don't cover anything before the deductible, why did they pay the radiologists fees? Why is it so much this time only a few hundred dollars a couple of years ago? We are totally flabbergasted by this expense.

Any tips for dealing with this situation? This a major financial blow.

Thanks in advance for all your kindly responses!

PS> We're with Blue Cross of Idaho if that is helpful. We are in our early 30's, partner is a bartender in North Idaho – hourly wage is I believe $4.50 plus tips.

submitted by /u/zachcrackalackin
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