Using Health insurance feels like gambling.

My goal with this post is to find suggestions on how to find better information even if does come off a bit as a rant. I used to use their website to find doctors but I once called about 6 places that the website said was accepting new patients that in the end where not accepting new patients.

The quality of information I can get from my health insurance company is so bad I feel they are deliberately trying to get me to not use it. The people I talk with are friendly and the wait times are not that bad but the information is horrible. For example

We found out my wife is pregnant so I called and asked what would be an in network place to take her and they said place X is. So I made an appointment and we go. Well the doctor is in network but the labs are not, then I get an estimate from the hospital about the delivery charge and it is noted that isn't in network either. I feel like this would have been important information.

The next time I went to the doctor I try to ask if the doctor who is in network has labs that are in network and they can't tell me. I try to ask for a doctor that uses labs in network but they can't tell me. I ask if specific things are covered like an LDH blood test is covered and they say they have to have the code, when I call the doctors office they act like they don't even know what the word code means.

Another time I wanted to have an X ray so I called to ask if it counted as a "minor diagnostic" as those are just a $40 copay. They told me that minor diagnostics where not covered tell I met my deductible but I knew that was wrong as bloodwork and ultrasounds had been billed by the $40 copay and I could see it said that in my policy.

I understand they can't know if everything the doctor wants to do is covered but I feel I should be able to ask if place ABC is in network and get a yes or no.

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submitted by /u/Kogot951
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