Over the course of the pandemic, many New Yorkers and New Jerseyans flocked to the closest CityMD to get a COVID-19 take a look at each time they began to really feel sick or needed to be protected earlier than visiting household. However a few of those that braved the lengthy traces on the pressing care chain earlier within the pandemic are actually getting billed lots of of {dollars} for a service they thought can be free.
CityMD sufferers have taken to Twitter this summer to decry the current costs, a few of that are for exams that came about way back to 2020. Some say they’re particularly being billed for an “office visit” related to a COVID-19 take a look at, quite than the take a look at itself.
It’s unclear how many individuals are affected by the fees, however CityMD has grow to be ubiquitous within the New York Metropolis space, with greater than 135 places throughout the 5 boroughs and Lengthy Island in addition to in Westchester and Rockland counties and New Jersey.
A type of hit by the “workplace go to” cost was Paige Perry, an Astoria resident who stated she acquired a $300 invoice from CityMD final month.
“At first once I received the e-mail, I used to be like, ‘Is that this a rip-off?” Perry stated. “I did not know for positive if it was truly from CityMD as a result of I hadn’t been in endlessly.”
Upon nearer examination, Perry noticed that the invoice was for a go to on Dec. 16, 2020, when she remembers getting examined earlier than flying dwelling to Texas to see her household for the vacations. An insurance coverage assertion Perry shared with Gothamist exhibits that CityMD first billed the $300 to her well being plan, Independence Blue Cross, however the firm declined to pay.
A separate insurance coverage assertion exhibits that Independence had already paid LabCorp $100 for a testing service on the identical date. Independence didn’t reply to inquiries from Gothamist about why it didn’t additionally pay the workplace go to price charged by CityMD.
Different personal well being care suppliers are actually searching for funds from sufferers after failing to get the complete quantity they’re requesting from insurers. The Manhattan-based testing firm Medbar, which arrange store in pharmacies and different places throughout the pandemic, has additionally been hitting patients with belated charges for COVID-19 testing that it stated the purchasers’ well being plans refused to cowl.
Since reporting on the fees in July, Gothamist has acquired extra emails from individuals who say the corporate continues to be sending out payments for exams performed months prior.
