Pregnancy First-Trimester Blood Tests - are you bulk billed or do you pay for them?

So, my doc just gave me my script to get the usual first-trimester pregnancy screening blood tests (ie, the ones that go with the nuchal translucency test, plus the required HIV, Hepatitis, and other tests). Before I was pregnant or doing fertility treatments, I never had a blood test that wasn't bulk billed. During fertility treatment, my specialist had me repeat some blood tests that my GP had previously ordered (which were bulk billed when the GP ordered it) and I ended up being charged over $100. I was pretty mad, especially when the lady at the lab said that I wouldn't have had to pay for them if the doctor had written "BB" in the billing code section of the test order form.

So now my fertility specialist has ordered these new blood tests and again didn't write "BB" (bulk bill) in the billing section on the blood test request form. I called my doctor when I noticed this and asked his nurse if I could have those bulk billed and she told me (after asking him) that "he doesn't bulk bill pregnancy blood tests". But she told me that I could call the OB I'm about to start seeing and ask if HE bulk bills (in which case I could write in the code). So it doesn't sound like there's any particular reason (like a law that PG blood tests may not be bulk billed) why I should not be bulk billed for these. So, I'm sitting here wondering, why is it any of my doc's business how much the blood lab charges me for my blood test? Is it "legal" for me to myself just go ahead and write "BB" in the billing code? I don't want to do anything improper, but I don't see why when one doctor orders a blood test there is no cost to me, but then when another doc orders the same test I have to pay large amounts for it out of pocket. It doesn't make sense, since it's not like the doctor is the person getting paid when I take the test. Yet I don't know what is normal for the PG screening tests. If EVERYBODY pays for them out of pocket, then I don't mind doing that. But I'm curious to know if most of you have them bulk billed or not. Is this just my doctor, or is it that the blood test labs will never accept bulk billing for these particular tests? For what it's worth, I'm doing my blood test through QML in Queensland. If any of you can let me know whether you paid for your BTs or had them bulk billed, I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks for any replies!

KitKat72

I'm in Vic. The lab who took and tested my blood bulk billed me and I did not pay. A separate lab combined the results of that blood test and the measurement of the nuchal fold. They plugged the numbers into a computer which spat our the results, which they then faxed to my OB - and that lab sent me a bill for $130!!

Altering the referral for the blood tests (by writing BB in the billing code)... hmm.... I'd be tempted!! BUT I suspect it is legally no different to altering a prescription which is considered fraud and is a criminal offense... so probably not worth the risk!! Good luck.

I was billed for mine- but i havent actually paid for them :shhh:

I think its only the NT blood tests that you have to pay for- my dr even ticked URGENT on the form and they werent urgent at all- he gave me the BT referall like three weeks before i needed them, although- thinking as i type there- there might be a reason- i think something to do with the bloods and the NT measurement needing to be combined- there may be something special they have to do or they may have to do them fast and get them to the right people and therefore they charge you for that- and the drs all know not to BB those particular test. If you have time before your BT, i would call the new OB and just ask if they can print you out another referal and please tick the BB box if they can. Although, they will probably make you come in and charge you $100 to see him lol so who knows if you will be better off.

I have had other BT's when preg and they were all Bulk billed- it just seems to be the NT one.

I almost ticked the BB box myself when i realised it wasnt ticked, but my referal was a computer print out with a big printed X where the boxes were- so i wasnt game to forge that one. Coz i think it is a no no to mess with the form.

Oh and since i havent paid for mine yet - i dont know if there is a medicare rebate on it- that would be worth finding out too- if there is- you might end up only $20 or so out of pocket.

sorry double post!

i would expect that if you are a private patient you'd be paying for the tests, but in the public system you dont pay for them. Before i started seeing my private ob I was seeing my GP and had my initial dating scan and blood tests thru him and wasnt charged for anything. Then i started seeing my private ob and he sent me for another ultrasound at 20weeks and I was charged $150, then recently had more blood tests done and was charged $200 for them. So if you are going private and using private consulting rooms, expect to be charged for everything....but if you are a public patient, find out why you are paying because, as far as i'm aware, you shouldnt be.

I was bulk billed.

I had both, my NT bloods for DD I had to pay for (the results were done by the hospital though so it was just testing the blood). The NT bloods for this one were bulk billed but were done through the hospital. Every other blood test was bulk billed.

I was bulk billed but have to pay for the nuchal fold test (down syndrome)

I am private but don't pay for bt except for the nt testing which is sent off somewhere else, not the pathology although they collect the blood.

i am in qld.. and was bulk billed for all.. the bt and for the nucual fold tests.. i am on a health care card so not sure if that is why.
even my amnio was bulk billed..

jo

Hi Ladies,

I just wanted to belatedly respond to all of your great comments. First, thanks so much for your input. Your comments confirmed what I suspected -- that there was no real reason why at least the blood tests couldn't be bulk billed (I know that the nuchal scan itself won't be). So when I went to my GP a few days ago to get my referral to the obstetrician, I asked him about having the blood tests bulk billed. Specifically, I asked him if he could re-write the order form. However, he said that wasn't even necessary. Since his name was already listed on the blood test form as a recipient of the results (the form was written by my fertility specialist, who always copied him on any tests), he simply wrote in "BB" in the billing code right where I was thinking of doing it and initialed it. He said there were no problems with him changing the order form since his name was already on the form as one of my doctors. So it's all fixed!

Thanks again for your input,
Kitkat72