New Seattle based lab

So it seems a new drug testing has opened in the Seattle, WA area. Bellevue, WA to be exact. Northwest Physicians Laboratories. It seems its owned by a couple of local pain doctors Dr Hyun Hong and Dr Dan Kim and a rep from Alere Toxicology Richard Reid. Something odd about this lab. They let other doctors buy ownership or stake in the lab? Not sure that that means. I have heard that Dr Dan Nelson, Dr David Naibert, Dr Jay Sun, and Dr Erik Suh, have paid this lab to be part of it ad they get paid from the lab in return. Interesting. But something I came across, they aren't using/providing a requisition form when the drug test is ordered. Don't you have to have one of those? It appears they tell the account or doctor to print off their own lab order. I was told they have been operating since May of 2012 and they haven't used a req form all this time. How can that be? I had one of their "accounts" show me what they do and they print off a simplified word document that has drug tests results then sends that to the lab. Really?

 

You are referring to Northwest Physicians Laboratories, LLC. Here's the corporation document from WA state:

http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/search_detail.aspx?ubi=603183116

Like Milennium, they aren't gaining any traction in WA state, as the payers are refusing to have anything to do with them...

 

Wait a minute! Are you saying a lab is actually trying to cash in on this glutted market by employing shady practices? Call 911 and your congressman!

:-/

Every lab in this space is shady, and that's just the "good ones". Beyond that it gets worse. These guys are just finding a way get the same dollar as you. Let's not pretend that there's any "science" here either. It's a money grab and the margins are shrinking...

 

Are they still operating?

 

I just called them (425-502-5096), and they're still answering their phone...

 

If Dr. Hong is associated with this lab, there is some major unethical practices going on. My husband is being treated by Dr. Hong, who requires a drug test when receiving pain management services (which is understandable - he wants to make sure that the patients aren't abusing the narcotics). However, we just received the EOB for the lab tests, and the charges were for over $1400 for 20 different tests (I assume to test for different drugs in the urine). DOCTOR HONG USED HIS OWN LAB, and we're stuck with a bill for $1200+ (since insurance only paid as an out of network provider).

THIS IS UNETHICAL, and UNACCEPTABLE.

I'm calling my lawyer today.

 

I just received my EOB for urine drug testing done at Dr Kim's office that was sent to this lab. (NW Physicians lab) My insurance didn't cover any of it because it is out of network. This puts me on the line for over $2200! This is not only ridiculous, but I was never told that the office was sending my urine there nor was I ever given a choice to have it sent to an in network lab! This is not only unethical but I question the legality of this. Anyone know what my options are or my next step should be?

 

Communicate the same thing stated above to your the state medical board and to your insurance carrier. Request the certification documents of the lab, and report this to the certifying body too.

1. Emphasize the fact that he is self referring to an out of network lab that AND that he has a financial stake in the lab.

2. The bill you received is likely a technically legal, but shady billing scheme where each drug/metabolite is billed individually. They use a different technology that provides the same results as the old kind, where the only benefit is that they can bill more. Medicare passed a new code to avoid these excessive charges a few years ago. The billing code used should be G0431 and it should be for no more than $130 total.

3. As a patient, you must submit to a drug test when the doctor requests it to continue to receive prescriptions, but you also have the right to demand that they refer you to an in-network lab and that they submit for any insurance company required pre-authorizations.

 

My surgeon used this lab for my urinalysis to get one pain med Rx before my surgery and I was billed $3000 for ONE drug test. Plus it was processed at out-of-network so I am being held responsible for 2k. For some reason it's not even showing that this will count towards my out-of-network deductible. Something definitely seems wrong here.

 

If you get an out-of-network bill from this company, they will work with you on it and you will end up not owing anything.

 

http://cafepharma.com/boards/threads/federal-investigation.585691/

 

Looks as if Castle Medical is folding up the tent. Heard they have cancelled all of their scheduled lunches.

 

PCLS is next. They will be straight 1099 by Dec. 31, close shortly after that

 

Now that's funny - PCLS mentioned on a Millennium boars

We have are issues but we are not a gutter lab - slime else where ya slug

 

Northwest Physicians Laboratories is a complete scam company and Dr. Zhu is part of it. I am stuck with almost a bill for nearly $2,500 for a urine test. I have never in my life seen charges such as this. This is a complete money grab by Dr. Zhu. Unacceptable.

 

Don't pay the bill they won't send you to collections

 

Of course not, they are afraid to. They use intimidation instead.

 

May I ask what are the fist names of Drs. Hong and Kim? Did you talk to NW physician's lab about why the bills are so huge? Do you think the referring physicians get kick back from the lab? Thanks