![]() With a guest coming to visit, they wanted to play it safe. ![]() also took a PCR test in March with two acquaintances at a CareCube site in Brooklyn, on Seventh Avenue. Multiple CareCube customers complained they were charged copays for taking COVID tests even though their insurance clearly said testing was 100% covered. “Failing to perform this basic function before administering any medical test, and especially any invasive test could constitute medical neglect or malpractice.” Covered but Still Charged Patients may not recognize that this is considered an office visit by insurers and practitioners because it is different from their typical visit, but laws and regulations make clear that this medical assessment is billable as an office visit. “This is a basic standard of care required in medical practice. “As a private healthcare facility, before any medical tests are administered, we perform a pre-test assessment recognized as an office visit to ensure the patient is fit for testing and determine if the test is advisable from a medical perspective,” the statement said. At least some of the insurer’s plans would not cover out-of-network services. ![]() On its website, Emblem states it covers the cost of diagnostic tests and in-person visit in the case of in-network doctors. Regarding the conflict over billing codes, CareCube said in a statement that the company is “aware of these statements and we are currently working closely with multiple insurance companies.” It also claimed insurers “incorrectly denied claims issued on the patients behalf for this reason.”Įmblem Health did not respond to an emailed inquiry from THE CITY. It informed him his bill had been cancelled. 14, two days after CareCube received a list of questions from THE CITY, the retired librarian got another email from CareCube. According to documents, the outfit submitted bills to the insurance company for $325 in total.įilan’s request by e-mail to re-invoice with the correct code went unanswered by CareCube for weeks - until THE CITY inquired about complaints of incorrect coding. It only says: “Since your insurance denied our claim therefore we were unable to get reimburse from your insurance.”įilan said his insurance company, Emblem Health, told him twice via phone that CareCube had put in an incorrect code on the bill. What exactly he was supposed to pay $100 for is not clear from the company’s bill. In Filan’s case, CareCube split his bill into an “office visit,” in addition to the costs for the PCR test itself. In interviews and on social media, THE CITY has identified dozens of customers like Filan who say they feel deceived after receiving bills in connection with coronavirus tests they’d sought at CareCube.ĬareCube is defending charging customers for COVID tests, even for patients whose insurance plans provide coverage, saying it is obligated to conduct a “pre-test assessment.to ensure the patient is fit for testing” before inserting a swab.Īfter receiving multiple complaints from constituents, city Councilmember Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn), a candidate for city comptroller, sent a letter earlier this month to state Attorney General Letitia James calling for a request the attorney general thoroughly investigate CareCube’s practices to ensure that they cannot mislead the public, overcharge, and create unnecessary barriers for COVID-19 testing during a global health crisis,” he wrote. The invoice came from CareCube, a Brooklyn-based physicians group that offers COVID testing at 20 locations stretched across every borough except Staten Island. Just a few days ago, an email reached him with a “final reminder“ to pay the bill “before being sent to collections.” Months later, Filan suddenly received a bill over $100. Members and sponsors make THE CITY possible.
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