AARGHHHH. dang.

[maisiedotes]

I went for my first U/S this morning. I usually work 3am-9am but my appat was for 7:00am, so I went into work at 1:00am, had a co-worker come in early to cover for me, came home and woke up DD and DH, who had switched his schedule at work to go in late, and off we went to the appointment.

I got there and MY BLADDER WAS NOT FULL ENOUGH. I have had alot of ultrasounds and have never had them tell me this. I just sat there crying. I was so irritated. AND, I don't have insurance so I am paying for the 2 second ultrasound out of my pocket.

:

[BlissfullyLoving]

What! Did they give you some water to drink? I have never heard of getting turned away for not having a full enough bladder because it is quickly and easily rectified. I would definitely fight the office on charging your insurance for this.

[maisiedotes]

I don't have insurance. I am coming to grips with the fact that I am going to be paying the hospital $20/month for the rest of my life. grrr.

We are moving to Massachusetts early next month and we will have insurance through DH's job, thank goodness. Just the pee test this past week at the doctor plus my pap and all that was $930!

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

Maisie, that's a ridiculous price and you can refuse to pay it, preferably through a letter to the doctor.

In my first pregnancy/miscarriage, a 5 minute "appointment" wherein she did nothing and a pee test cost me, in theory, $230. Because I had come in for a blood test (which they refused) and a 'what do I do now?', I refused to pay, explained why, and they waived my fees.

[vivalamanda0883]

Sorta off topic...

maisiedotes:
I live in Massachusetts and you can get MassHealth just because you're pregnant. I'm not sure if you'll have to wait before your hubby's insurance starts, but MassHealth will automatically cover you.
I'm going through sorta the same thing at the moment. Hubby switched jobs and we have to wait three months for his new insurance to start so I applied for MassHealth just to cover myself and the kids until Feb. when the good insurance kicks in.
If you want more info about it, PM me.

~Manda

[boscopup]

First, you need to call the doctor's office and get them to wave those fees. A pee test is NOT $930. I paid for pregnancy bloodwork and urinalysis one time out of pocket, directly at the lab, and it cost $140. Your doctor is assuming you have insurance that will knock that price down. Call them on it and get the rate that insurance would agree to. That's just ridiculous.

Second, I wouldn't pay for the u/s, since they are obviously idiots and didn't do one. You do NOT need a full bladder for an early u/s. They should be doing a transvaginal u/s at this stage (I assume you're 6-10 weeks, since you're in the June DDC), in which a full bladder is actually NOT desirable. My OB has me pee before I go in for the u/s. You only need a full bladder if you're doing an abdominal u/s at this stage, and there's not a lot you can see with an abdominal u/s when the uterus is still in the pelvis.

Is there a medical reason for this u/s? If you know your dates, I'd just skip it if I had to pay out of pocket. Save your money for the 20 week u/s if you really want an u/s.

Also, check your state to see if you can get maternity coverage through the state right now. And if not, check with the health department and see if there are any low cost pregnancy clinics or something around. Surely you can find something better than an OB who charges a cash patient $930 for a pee test.

[sonuptosondown]

maisiedotes--that is just insane, I can imagine how infuriating that must have been! I've never been told that, either (that I didn't have a full enough bladder). I hope you are able to get that fee lowered or waived--I know you probably don't feel like dealing with it, but that's a lot of money. Aargh!!!

[PoppyMama]

I had an external ultrasound done at 9 weeks with my first and I remember that my bladder had to be extremely full. I was crying and throwing up water trying to get my bladder full enough. They sent me back to drink more until it was full enough though. If they just told you not full enough and then the appointment was over I would definitely refuse to pay. They should have just had you drink more water and wait a bit.

[mollusk]

that is totally whacked out. def talk to them
...and welcome to Mass..when you arrive!

You will be covered here!!

[musiclady]

*gasp*

oh my goodness!

Please go back and argue with them. Surely there has to be a more reasonable and logical fee?

[RachaelsMommy]

I had an abdominal u/s at 8 1/2 weeks with DD and they never said anything about my bladder needing to be full. I don't see why they didn't do a transvaginal.

I would not pay anything for today aand I agree to get the other fees lowered.

[WeasleyMum]

That is just rediculous. : As the others have pointed out, at this stage they should only be doing ultrasounds using the Magical Ultrasound Dildo, not the abdominal kind, and for internal u/s the bladder should be empty. My docs always make me pee first just in case.

I would argue this case forever!