Any difference between drawing and collecting blood samples?

[Jie]

My transplant center sent me a package for blood sample, and I brought the package to a clinic for drawing blood sample. I also dropped off the package to Federal Express to mail it back to the transplat center (the transplant center prepaid the shipping cost).The charge surprises me: the clinic charges me two fees: drawing fee and sample collection fee. My primary insurance paid only drawing fee. I thought drawing and collecting is a single act and should not be charged for two fees.

Since we need to send blood sample in every four weeks, it is important to get this cost to be covered by the insurance.

How does your clinic charge you for this service? Is there any difference between drawing and collecting blood samples?   

[jbeany]

I don't pay a thing for mine.  I get my blood draw once a month at a local clinic.  One tube goes in the shipping box that is sent to the transplant center for tacro level testing, and two other tubes are sent to the lab at the local hospital for some basic tests.  Maybe your center is charging a different fee for handling the mailing box?  Mine labels the tube, and packages it up and mails it out for me, but if they were going to charge for that, I'd get the tube from them and label and mail it myself!

[peleroja]

I'm with Kaiser and my blood draws are free.  My friend has Medical and her blood draws are $2.

[paris]

The center supplies me with the red top tube and the prepaid shipping box.  I get regular labs and the extra one drawn at my GP's office.  It is all one thing and there isn't an extra charge for either drawing or collecting.  The insurance covers it all.   I would ask why they are charging two fees.  Doesn't make sense.  I hope you get it resolved.

[Jie]

Thanks for replies.

I have a lengthly discussion with the clinic. At first, the statement to me shows two fees: (1) drawing fee and (2) sample collection fee. After talking with my insurance, I found out that the clinic used two codes for billing: (1) drawing and (2) handling and shipping. I pointed out to the clinic that they did not do handling and shipping and they charged for a service that did not occur. The clinic insisted that they handled the blood. They argued that as long as the blood comes out patient's body, they can bill as handling blood samples. This seems a robbery logic to me. All tubes were pre-labeled, and they just drew the blood into the tubes and then put the tubes into the pre-labeled box. I did the rest.

So far I have not heard anyone to pay two fees like I did. I do not care much about this onetime fee, and what I want is that they do not charge me this second fee for the future drawing since my insurance does not pay this second fee.