Is there any law that prohibits medical offices from over charging?
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Is there any law that prohibits medical offices from over charging?
This doctor’s office expected me to pay a $1600 bill at once. Their
Asked on October 12, 2018 under Business Law, Washington
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
There are laws against charging for procedures that were not done or for ones which were unnecessary--charging for these would be fraud. But you would have to file a lawsuit agains the doctor, and in the lawsuit, would have to prove with medical expert testimony (e.g. the testimony of other doctors whom you'd have to hire, who can testify about what was necessary, etc.) that the procedures were not done or were unnecessary. This can be very expensive to do, since you would have to pay those other doctors for their time, assuming you can find doctors wiling to testify against a colleague's biling. (Your testimony, as a layperson, would be inadequate: you do not have the training or experience or education to assets the necessity of medical procedures, what should be billed for, etc.; that's why you need expert testimony.)
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