By MATTHEW HOLT
I do know you all care, so I’m giving a seventh replace on the telenovela about my Labcorp invoice for $34.95.
The very TL:DR abstract of the place we’re thus far is that in Could 2025 I had a lab check to go along with the free preventative go to that the ACA ensures, however I used to be charged for the lab checks and I used to be looking for out why, as a result of in keeping with CMS I shouldn’t have been.
For these of you who’ve missed it thus far the whole now 7 half sequence is on The Health Care Blog (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6). Be at liberty to again and browse up.
The place we left it final, Brown and Toland (the IPA between my plan Blue Defend of California and Labcorp) instructed me that on 8/29/2025 their advantages division had completed their evaluation and reported that the unique lab check wasn’t coded as preventative lab companies by One Medical, in order that the co-pay of $34.95 was right. ($34.95 was the entire agreed cost for all of the checks, charged at a complete of $322.28. And because it was lower than my $50 copay, LabCorp solely costs the affected person for the entire, not the $50!). That decision was on December 18 and resulted in update 6.
I subsequent (effectively a few week later later as a result of life, and many others) requested One Medical to resubmit the invoice coding it as preventative. That occurred on Dec 24, 2025 and somebody known as Alexis working for One Medical, whereas exhibiting horrible life abilities, replied on Dec 25 and despatched it on to their billing division asking them to recode it. I adopted up on Jan 15 and Alexis at One Medical confirmed that the billing division had faxed the up to date codes to Labcorp. I thought that Labcorp would resubmit the declare to Brown and Toland and I’d ultimately get a $0 invoice from them.
Nonetheless, right this moment (4/9/26) I known as Brown and Toland about a different telenova — a coinsurance I had received for a dermatology office visit. Whereas I had the rep on the telephone, I requested concerning the Labcorp invoice from Could 2025. She instructed me that the advantages workforce at Brown and Toland had selected December 18 — that’s proper, earlier than I contacted One Medical to ask them to resubmit the declare — that the codes ought to have been labeled as preventative and that I don’t owe the $39.94. In fact Dec 18 was the final time I known as Brown and Toland once they stated that I needed to have One Medical resubmit the declare to Labcorp. Sounds just a little coincidental that exact same day their advantages workforce re-reviewed the declare and determined that it ought to change to being preventative. However who am I to complain or elevate a fuss!
Simply so as to add to the complication, on Dec 29 somebody inside Brown and Toland (customer support?) acquired that message acquired that message from the Advantages workforce and despatched it over to the “Epic workforce” which I assume offers with outliers, with a request to reprocess it. As of right this moment (April 9, 2026), that reprocessing had not occurred.
Because it occurs they might not trouble. Labcorp means again when agreed to not ship me to collections, and I don’t know in the event that they care sufficient to go after Brown and Toland for the $39.94, or have simply given up on it. Extra possible if the declare is reprocessed, it can most likely be tossed into the capitated quantity they already acquired paid. Which is why the “cost” for my two subsequent lab checks was $0.
So I believe we could also be on the finish of this sequence. (OK, should you learn half 6 there are a few different checks Brown and Toland suppose I must be paying for however nobody has despatched me a invoice for these but and I may let sleeping canines lie).
However don’t fear, there’s at all times extra stupidity in the best way Individuals ship and pay for well being care, so I’ll preserve speaking about it. Till we blow up the system and construct one which works.
Mathew Holt is the Founder & Writer of THCB
