# Cost of X-Ray in Hospital



## legend99 (13 Dec 2006)

If your doc refers you for an X-Ray to check if you have a broken bone and you have referral letter from him/her how much does the X-Ray in a public hospital cost on top of this?


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## Megan (13 Dec 2006)

legend99 said:


> If your doc refers you for an X-Ray to check if you have a broken bone and you have referral letter from him/her how much does the X-Ray in a public hospital cost on top of this?


 I dont think you have to pay if you go in as a public patient as long as you have your referal letter from your GP.


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## ClubMan (13 Dec 2006)

Might be worth checking . Or ask your _GP_.


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## RonanC (13 Dec 2006)

got an xray done in the Mater hospital in dublin only a few months ago for free with a letter from my doctor.


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## Gypsy girl (13 Dec 2006)

A couple of days ago my G.P. gave me a letter of referral to our local hospital for an X-Ray, the hospital told me I did'nt have to pay as i had a referral letter.  Hope this helps.


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## SlurrySlump (14 Dec 2006)

If you have a referral letter from your G.P. it should be free but if you have a referral letter from a consultant you will be charged. It happened to me in Loughlinstown hospital. Incidentally after I had paid the fee I asked for a copy of the x-ray and I was told that I could not have it as it had to be sent to the consultant. I protested but to no avail. It seemed that even after handing over the fee I was still not the owner of the x-ray. I am sure that under the data protection law I should have been entitled to be given the information directly rather than having to go to my consultant to get the information. In my case I didn't want to go back to the consultant and pay another €150 fee to be told what I already knew. In the end the supervisor finally agreed to fax the report to my G.P. but still refused to give me a copy directly.  Whereupon my G.P. mislaid it!!!


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## legend99 (14 Dec 2006)

Thanks for the info lads.


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## Megan (14 Dec 2006)

SlurrySlump said:


> If you have a referral letter from your G.P. it should be free but if you have a referral letter from a consultant you will be charged. It happened to me in Loughlinstown hospital. Incidentally after I had paid the fee I asked for a copy of the x-ray and I was told that I could not have it as it had to be sent to the consultant. I protested but to no avail. It seemed that even after handing over the fee I was still not the owner of the x-ray. I am sure that under the data protection law I should have been entitled to be given the information directly rather than having to go to my consultant to get the information. In my case I didn't want to go back to the consultant and pay another €150 fee to be told what I already knew. In the end the supervisor finally agreed to fax the report to my G.P. but still refused to give me a copy directly.  Whereupon my G.P. mislaid it!!!


You were treated as a private patient, that is why you had to pay for your x-ray. In law you are the rightfull owner of your x-ray and should have be given it. Even if you go with a doctor's letter and when ask if you have health ins(ie:vhi,bupa etc) and if you say yes there is a good chance you will be charged because again you will be treated as a private.
I got a bill  one time  from my local hospital for  a lab test and as  I was never in the hospital  I ask what it was for and was told it was for a  urine test  my GP requested. I didnt pay it.


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## snuffle (14 Dec 2006)

A query along the same lines - should a public patient who has been referred by their doctor to the local public hospital for an ultrasound (not pregnancy related) have to pay for this? Got bill in post from hospital for just under 200 euros, I was under the impression this ultrasound would be free, what is the situation with this?


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2006)

Which hospital? You should be able to get a schedule of charges from them to clarify. In my experience some hospitals (especially the _Rotunda_!) are all over the place when it comes to administration/billing and the chances of billing mistakes being made are proobably high. By all means at least query the charge.


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## snuffle (14 Dec 2006)

It's Waterford Regional hospital - was referred as I said by my doctor and got the bill for the scan in the post before my doctor even received the scan results!
I have not paid it yet so I should just ask for a schedule of charges, is that right? Thanks so much for the info, if I could find out if this 200 is a mistake in billing I can breathe easy for Christmas funds


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2006)

I would query the charge. If necessary write to them explaining that as a referred public patient you understood that you were not liable for charges and see what they say. Ask your _GP _while you're at it.

Update: it *may *also make a difference if you were an out patient or an day or overnight in patient.


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## snuffle (14 Dec 2006)

Thanks clubman - just decided to ring the hospital accounts dept there and they checked it out and voila - no charge! I had no previous experience of attending hospital for diagnostic procedures so I just assumed when I got the bill that ultrasounds had to be paid for! Result: one happy Snuffle. Should really buy you a drink out of the saved money, shouldn't I


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2006)

Crazy! We had two separate billing problems with the _Rotunda _in recent years. My mother was billed multiple times for the same things by the _Bon Secours, Glasnevin _a few years back and, even though the _VHI _would probably have paid out anyway, she queried the charges and the hospital were forced to correct the errors. What is it with some (most?) hospitals and their admin/billing departments?  Have the drink yourself and enjoy it.


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## snuffle (18 Dec 2006)

ClubMan said:


> What is it with some (most?) hospitals and their admin/billing departments?


 
Funny that - after supposedly sorting out my situation last week, this morning a reminder for the bill was sitting on the doormat...


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## ClubMan (18 Dec 2006)

You should write to them explaining the situation including your recent call. Putting things in writing is the only way to sort these things out in my experience. You might also consider making a complaint about the possible misinformation over the phone.


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