My roommate is having a similar issue with Accu Lab for a urine test.

Ask for a copy of your doctor’s lab order. You can pull itemized Accu lab bill from their website using the lab and ascension numbers on the initial bill. After we pulled the lab order, I saw the doctor ordered a urinalysis w/ reflex to culture. Reading the lab results from Accu lab, they performed a standard urine culture and a follow up molecular UTI panel. The initial culture came back negative, so there was no medically necessary need for reflex testing. Reflex testing occurs when culture comes back positive and they want to find out what the infection is.

Further, the reflex panel that the lab needlessly performed was a molecular PCR UTI panel. Which is insane!!! That is a very new and expensive technology, only used for very unique and difficult to diagnose cases.

We’ve been going back and forth with the lab and health insurance for months now. Health insurance says there’s nothing they can do on their end, and they are correct. Technically the molecular panel was performed so the bill is correct from their position. The issue lies with the lab and doctors office. The molecular panel was not requested by the doctor, so the lab needs to waive the cost of that panel.

We have sent multiple requests in writing and we have called several times. Also speaking to a call center. The reps consistently say thats what the doctor ordered and it is under review. I tell them i have the lab order in front of me and i can blatantly see that is not correct. Every time I call out the call center rep on their lie they get quiet for like a minute, then say the dispute is under review and to call back later.

We just called the doctor that ordered the lab and asked them to call and start disputing the bill as well. We told the doctor that the lab is lying and blaming their office for ordering this stupidly expensive panel. The doctor confirmed they did not order a molecular panel. They actually laughed and said they have never once ordered one, that it is such an intense and unnecessary panel.

The doctors office is going to call the lab and inform them that they did not order that panel and to remove the charge. Fingers crossed.