Flu Shot
This post is about the flu shot I had last November while having the follow up visit with my oncologist and my insurance company is not covering it…
On 11/27/2009 I went to see my doctor, Dr. O’Reilly for the follow up visit. About 2 weeks prior to that, I figure if I were to go see the doctor, I might as well have the flu shot done at the same time to save time and money for me and the doctor/insurance company. I called my doctor’s office and scheduled an appointment for the flu shot for the visit on 11/27/2009. So I had the flu shot done while visiting the doctor. I also had lab work done right before doctor’s appointment, however it is done completely separate from the flu shot.
Recently, I received a letter of explanation of benefit from my insurance company Empire Blue saying that the flu shot I had was not covered. I was really shocked and confused. I had the flu shot with my doctor and it should be covered. I phoned several times to Empire as well as my doctor’s office and neither one could help. Empire says the flu shot needs to be bill through the doctor. The doctor’s office says they have all their billing done through the hospital billing system. The hospital billing says that’s how they bill the patient. My doctor uses Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital’s facility and I am not sure how it works internally.
I am really confused as to what this is all about. A flu shot to me should be covered and shouldn’t be so complicated. And I did in fact got the flu shot through my appointment with the doctor. It doesn’t make sense to me.
My insurance Empire Blue told me that the flu shot is covered if it’s done at a doctor’s office but NOT covered if it’s done at a hospital. I am not sure what the difference is for me or for anyone. A flu shot is a flu shot and it should be covered no matter where you have it. What’s going on with the insurance company??
I wrote a letter to Empire Blue to dispute the non-covered $56 we will see how it goes.