Standing up for yourself sometimes means battling through paperwork

Last April, I went in for a DEXA Scan. It's a quick, painless test that checks your bone density and can help figure out your risk for bone loss and fractures. Usually, women in their 60s get it, but since I had early menopause, chemo, and radiation, my risk is higher at a younger age.

That April scan was my third. My new doctor in CO ordered it, and I went to UC Health for it. Nothing surprising—my bone density is a bit low but stable. They just told me to keep up with weight-bearing exercises, continue taking my supplements, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and check back in two years!

The Unexpected Bill

A month later, I got a bill. I'd never been billed before since my insurance covered it as "preventive care," so I owed nothing. After digging into it, I found out why. I won't bore you with all the details, but here's the short version: My doctor wrote the order with a "diagnostic" code, suggesting she saw symptoms and wanted to confirm osteoporosis. That wasn't my case. This was just a screening, a preventive check.

When I asked her to resubmit it with the "preventive" code, she said she didn't know how. So I got in touch with her billing company. The person was nice but not super helpful.

Navigating the System

After countless calls, overdue notices, and being told nothing could be done since the order was "closed," by December I almost gave up. After all, the bill was under $500, and UC Health said I needed to start payments or it would go to collections. Sigh. Fine. $40 a month wouldn't break the bank -- and I was promised a refund if (WHEN) it got sorted out.

Then, in early December, I got a really helpful guy on the phone who turned things around. He was a care coordinator working between me, the insurance company, and the provider. We were on the phone for two and a half hours, but he was on it. We made progress, so I stuck with him.

By the end of that call, things were on track, but it wasn't over. More calls, more paperwork, and more slip-ups (like the scheduling department trying to get me in for another DEXA scan and the insurance company denying the corrected claim as a duplicate!).

Persistence Pays Off

Finally, 11 months later, another care coordinator called to say the new claim with the "preventive" code was approved. I owed $0. Then today, I got a text from UC Health saying my $40/month payments were refunded. I could have just paid the full bill and avoided the hassle, but I wasn't going to pay for someone else's mistake.

So don't give up. Even when the doctor, insurance company, hospital, and billing company say you're wrong. If you know you're right, stand up for yourself. Even when you want to pull your hair out, curse the medical system, and find a new doctor.

Sidebar: A Doctor Switch

Yep, I stopped seeing this doctor. Not just because of this, but also because she wouldn't give me a breast exam. Her reason? She wasn't familiar with my body and worried she'd miss something. She was serious. My new doctor thought that was as ridiculous as I did. His take? He'd do an exam, set a baseline, and order an ultrasound if anything seemed off. Just like every other patient. Another way I stood up for myself this year.