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Did Your COVID-19 Test Include Additional Procedures?

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in

NOTICE: If you were tested for COVID-19 and received or were billed for additional or unnecessary tests, you may be a victim of fraud. Contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 for a confidential evaluation.

additional and unnecessary covid-19 testingA new coronavirus fraud scheme has emerged that works like this:

You think you may have been exposed to or contracted COVID-19, so you contact your doctor and request a test. Your doctor tests you for the virus, but adds on unexpected procedures, such as a COVID-19 antibody test or an allergy panel test. Instead of being charged $100 to $150 for the COVID-19 virus test alone, you are billed around $500 or more for the bundle of tests.

Two Types of COVID-19 Tests

There are two types of COVID-19 tests: virus and antibody. The virus test uses swab samples from your respiratory system to diagnose a current COVID-19 infection to guide treatment options and determine whether you are potentially contagious.

The antibody test uses a blood sample and does not diagnose an active infection. Instead, it provides information about whether you have been infected with COVID-19 in the past.

Outrageous COVID-19 Test Billing Example

Two friends in Austin, Texas, were tested for COVID-19 at the same out-of-network provider for the same drive-through coronavirus swab test in July. Jimmy elected to pay $199 cash out-of-pocket for the sake of convenience. Pam decided to use her insurance.

A few weeks later, Pam got a claim letter for nearly $6,400 from her insurance company. The unexpected charges included “emergency services” and a variety of tests including an infectious blood culture and tests for herpes and Legionnaires’ disease.

While this is an extreme example, many patients are experiencing suspicious charges and additional tests that are medically unnecessary in association with COVID-19 tests.

Check Your Billing Statement

If you have been tested for COVID-19, check your billing statement for suspicious errors or additional charges, such as:

  • COVID-19 antibody test, if this was not specifically discussed as medically necessary with your doctor
  • Allergy panel tests
  • “Bundled” tests
  • Charges for more than $150 for a COVID-19 virus test

For additional information about fraudulent COVID-19 testing concerns, see Physicians Practice article, “COVID Testing: What’s appropriate and what’s not,” co-authored by Arnold Law Firm attorney, M. Anderson Berry.

If you have unexpected “surprise” charges, you may be a victim of fraud. Contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 for a confidential evaluation.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.