Nov. 1, 2004

Patients charged $50 to transfer medical records?

I was told that Aspen Medical Care is closing and that patients are being charged $50 to have their medical records transferred to another medical provider. Is this true? If so, will United Healthcare reimburse the medical provider so that patients aren't billed for the fee? If not, can patients extract the money from their iPlan account to pay for the fee?

I also heard that a specific blood test that was suggested and ordered by a local medical provider is not being reimbursed by UHC because the blood test is "not determined to be effective." If the doctor is recognized as a "participating member" of United Healthcare, doesn't this imply that he/she is approved as an expert whose decisions are appropriate and warranted? Shouldn't the doctor's decision be the final factor in determining that a service is reimbursable?

--Daniel Weeks