OK, I don't go to the doctor often, and this was the first time since I've been paying individual health insurance, so I need to spend some large amount and then the insurance kicks in.

Anyway, I got this infection from a bite, and went to the doctor. They weighed me and took my blood pressure. The doctor came in 45 minutes late, and asked me what happened. She looked at the bite and prescribed pills. Then she talked to me about migraines a little because I was just starting to have one.

I got the bill today, and it was $200! The insurance company apparantly made the bill smaller...they said only $156 was "allowed". But she didn't do* anything but write me a script.

I'm kinda wanting to go down and ask them for a detailed billing. I think I have the right to know what the fees are for. Is it billed by the hour? Because then they're either charging $500/hour or I got charged for my waiting room time.

Should I go down there, or will I make a fool out of myself? If they bill according to time, how do you prove how long the Dr is with you?

One of the bad things that may have happened with the copay insurance we're all used to (if we're lucky) is that we've lost all control over how much things cost. You'd think the insurance company would control costs better than that, somehow.