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I was astonished when the receptionist asked me for my credit card to charge the full cost of the laboratory testing. When I asked why, I was told it was LabCorp policy. Eventually, I was shown a copy of their policy. The policy, "Notice of LabCorp's Credit Card Authorization Program, " acknowledges "that for some insurance plans there is no additional patient responsibility such as co-payments, coinsurance or deductibles for laboratory testing covered by the insurance plan." The technician came in and said I had the choice of using or not using LabCorp if I didn't like it.
I looked up my benefits. According to 2012 Health Plan, "This program gives you and your dependents the option of receiving 100% covered outpatient laboratory testing if your doctor sends your lab work to LabCorp for processing. This is an optional program."
I asked what protections LabCorp uses for my credit card information and what assurance did I have the credit card would not actually be charged, or if it was charged, how it would be removed. After all, my health plan ensures there are NO patient charges if we use LabCorp. The lab technician (no name tag) indicated the Notice of LabCorp's Credit Card Authorization Program again. The statement says "LabCorp secures credit card data and protects it with LabCorp's network. LabCorp meets payment card industry standard."
Is there an industry standard for guaranteeing a charge when there is already a party committed to paying 100% of that charge?
Who makes sure the authorization for payment will be removed after the Health Plan - LabCorp transaction is completed?
How long do I carry the charge on my bill?
Why should my credit card be held hostage if there is a dispute between my Health Plan and LabCorp?
I don't have any answers to those questions. When I contacted my health plan, the representative said I was the first to complain. She said the credit charge was contrary to the contract between the health plan and LabCorp and thinks it is an isolated incident. I doubt that.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
@Darkswan - I'm not sure I follow you on your lengthy dissertation. I'll make my comment short to offset yours.
Question: Why did you NOT just simply decline the credit card option since you were aware up front that it is NOT required. Did you learn this after the fact or did you know this at the time of service.
No service provider including Labcorp can FORCE YOU to provide them a credit card. The only exception is that if you are uninsured and your services must be paid for by cash, check, or credit card.
So again, WHY did you not simply DECLINE the Credit Card Option at Labcorp since it is NOT required. If you were told it was required then you should of asked to speak with a supervisor.
Next time if you go to any Labcorp again and are asked for a Credit Card, simply say the words "I DECLINE", simple as that. No need to get into any discussions with anyone about this, period.
Not only this, the Credit Card option at Labcorp does NOT apply to all insurances, only PPOs.
I hope this helps.
Because the LabCorp staff LIES and tell people it is required and threatens to refuse to do the lab order if you don't give it.
Definitely not the first to complain but I was gave a very similar run around and also told we were the first ones to ever have a problem with it! I went to my local labcorp to receive lab work via my physician and was told upon arrival I needed to give a credit card capture in order to receive services. I have private health insurance, and an HSA that covers my labs. I however needed the labs done so I gave the woman my credit card information after she assured me if I called the billing department that day and told them I preferred a paper bill they wouldn't charge my card. I called as soon as I got home and a woman in the billing department informed me that I shouldn't have given a credit card capture and that there was nothing she could do for me until I received a bill but my card would not be charged until i received my bill and to call back when my bill came in the mail which would probably be a week. I waited a week and still no bill arrived, on Wednesday June 15th my bank informed me my account was overdrawn. Labcorp had filled charges on my account, after I was told twice they wouldn't and I still hadn't received a bill. I immediately called and after speaking to several rude representatives I discovered my insurance company had already paid the bills in full and I owed nothing. This is not the first time this has happened and exactly why I do not like giving out my bank account information but not getting the labs drawn wasnt an option. After doing some research I've seen I am not the only person this horrible company has done this to. Repeatedly Ive seen people, like me, who have been told they HAVE to give a card capture to receive services only to turn around and have their insurance pay labcorp and their cards be charged anyway. Labcorp has created a monopoly in our area and going to another lab isn't an option or I would already be doing that.
I had the same problem last time I used LabCorp. Argued for 5 minutes with rude pushy staffer at the window who claimed providing a credit card was required - even though I have insurance and LabCorp is in-network. She threatened to cancel my lab order if I didn't give her a credit card. At that point I had been waiting for almost 40 minutes and I needed the lab work so I gave it to them while protesting the entire time.
Later, I called up LabCorp corporate headquarters and was told that a credit card is NOT required if you have insurance and that they can't refuse you service for not providing one. I reported this to my insurance company, and filed an internal complaint with labCorp about this.
LabCorp did tell me that they strongly encourage their staff to get people's credit cards, but that they don't allow them to lie or say it is required. My suspicion is that being able to get people's credit card is a factor in employee evaluations, which makes the employees so aggressive and willing to lie to get them. None of that is my problem though. I made them cancel the pre-authorization I signed and told them that they need to educate their staff that lying is not okay.
If you get a staff lying to you and saying it is required even if you have insurance, tell them to hold on a second while you call their corporate headquarters to verify that this is true and watch them back peddle and crap their pants.
Same thing happened to me today. My son has a private insurance as his primary insurance and Medicaid as his secondary. The LabCorp person I spoke at the lab informed me that LabCorp would not do my son's fasting blood test UNLESS I provided her with a credit card for them to "keep on file." I told her that was never required before and I didn't see why all of a sudden it was being required when the labs would be covered by my son's insurances. She told me this is LabCorp policy. I told her that didn't sound right and I was going to call my insurance company. She told me I could do that but they wouldn't draw my son's blood. The person I spoke to from calling son's Medicaid card told me the lab is not legally allowed to do that (require me to provide them with my credit card in order for my son to receive laboratory services.). Legal or not, that is what LabCorp did and apparently has been doing for close to a decade (from what I found when I did an internet search about this).
Labcorp does the same thing to me every time. It's a scam. I always decline because my health insurance United Healthcare pays 100 %