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Labcorp Deceptive Billing Practices Internet
I went to Labcorp in Yucca Valley, CA on 01/21/2011 for a blood test. The receptionist told me she needed a credit card "just for record-keeping purposes."
I asked if this card would be billed and she said "absolutely not, you will be notified to authorize payment if necessary. After I had given her my information she then produced a printed sheet concerning this policy (not before I gave the information, after).
I received a notice from Labcorp dated 02/15/2011 which told me my card had been charged $37.74 cents. I was not contacted to authorize this; indeed upon reading the "agreement" that I was not shown until after I had given my debit card information I found that by giving Labcorp the information that I was actually giving them permission to charge my card.
If I had known this I would have refused, even if they refused me service. I want to pay my bill after I get a statement of charges, not have it automatically deducted. I feel this is very deceptive and want my debit card information deleted from their system.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
labcorp
Illinois,Clarification THE FACTS
#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, July 10, 2013
I am a labcorp empoyee. I am sorry to here some of the complaints and misunderstadings on these forums. But to clarify for those having issues.. One a credit card is asked to cover any co-payments/ or deductibles that you have after your insurance has processed their claim. Secondly it is not required in order to have service. (If an employee tells you this then report it to our managment because it is wring) however having said that we are strongly incouraged to collect credit cards so that labcorp can be paid for some of the services rendered. Eventhough you may pay your bill in a timely manner not everyone does, or pay at all, and in order to minimize writeoff's and non-payments we try to collect any money we can.. We are not a non-profit business ergo, we if the test go unpaid the company loses money. You may not care but as a paycheck reciever I do. No employee should be photo copying the cards either, that is a violation of the credit security act. Most places can put a maximum amount of what could be charged if you wish not to have the excessive amount of the whole bill charged to your card. If you wish to place a $50. cap on the card we are able to do that as well. Also since we deal with numerous insurance and thousands of different companies, we do not know what each insurance company covers. Some office have a special proagram to figure that, but it is just an estimate not an exact figure. (like the dentist) .. So we ask all insurance, we do not know if you have met your deductible, whether a copayment is covered or not, thus we ask all patients. But unless you have a unpaid balance you should not be declined service.
Tom
Riverview,Florida,
United States of America
I will never use LABCORP again
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, April 18, 2011
I don't have a problem paying my co-pay at the time of the visit, I do it all the time. LABCORP however thinks they have a right to prerarrange payment in full via my credit card in the event my insurance company doesn't pay or a clerical error on the part of LABCORP or my insurance company causes a delayed payment. Would you hand them a blank signed check? would you hand Walmart a blank signed check because they can't tell you what the purchase amount will be? I think not, people shouln't justify this bad policey by comparing apples and oranges.
Wincester
Derby,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
LabCorp
#5REBUTTAL Individual responds
Wed, February 23, 2011
A lot of people think LabCorp is a non for profit company. In reality, they are just like the grocery store or gas station in your local town. They provide a service and they expect to be paid. If you went to Walmart, would you expect them to "bill you later"? I think not. So why would you think they could just bill you later? Most people have insurance, and that is good, but now days insurance does not cover 100%. The difference you are expected to pay, and they know how much that is going to be, most of the time. Just because you want to pay later, does not matter to a for profit company.
Bigtime
Ashland,Virginia,
United States of America
Why Labcorp requests Credit/Debit Cards
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, February 21, 2011
I use Labcorp for monthly testing in Virginia. They have great staff and I asked why they wanted my card when I had insurance. As all policies differ on what services they will pay for and what the deductable will be Labcorp asks for your credit card to pay for the service IF your insurance does not cover your tests. Seems they had a problem with consumers ripping them off by not paying after the test was performed and insurance did not pay. You need to check your insurance policy to see why the test was not covered.