81-year-old called for MRI results, then got $35 bill for the conversation.

Usually you don't think you have to pay a doctor for a follow-up phone call regarding your tests. But one reader says her Medicare was charged $35 for a 15-minute phone conversation.

A reader was astonished to receive a bill for $35 after she called her doctor to get results of her MRI test.

The 81-year-old woman got right on the phone to the doctor’s office and asked why she was charged for a 15-minute phone call. The staff told her that they were now “authorized” to bill for phone calls.

In an e-mail, the reader says: “Medicare would not accept this bill (and I don’t blame them), so where does this ‘authorization’ come from? I was not given any prior warning I would be billed for a phone call. In the end, they told me they would take care of this, and I didn’t have to pay.

But what about the other seniors who are unable to advocate for themselves, who are struggling to pay their medical bills. Has anyone written to you about being billed for a phone call to a doctor or nurse practitioner? Is this another ploy to get more $$ whichever way they can?”

That was my reaction and also the reaction of local elder advocates I contacted. None had heard of this new business practice. Several said it didn’t surprise them, but that doesn’t mean its right.

Was this an isolated case? Or are some doctors billing for time like lawyers?

 “Medicare is not going to cover it, so I don’t understand why a doctor’s office would be billing someone on Medicare for something they are not obligated to pay under Medicare.

“I hope this is not something we are going to start seeing now.”

 “It is outrageous that people on limited incomes would be billed for something like this.”

It would have been better to get healthcare services from someone like Phylogic Healthcare, so that we don’t face such kind of poor experience. They provide prior information about their Medical billing services.