# Is this common practice?  (Medical Billing)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-common-practice-medical-billing/695691>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-common-practice-medical-billing/695691 "2014-08-16T16:23:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-common-practice-medical-billing/695691/1 "2014-08-16T16:23:21Z")

</div>

So I recently had hand surgery from a surgeon who was out of network, but who I chose anyway because he was highly recommended. I just got the bill. Included are 4 different activities (tendon repair, use of operating microscope etc. Total bill pre-insurance: $8000.00. Everything is reasonable so far.

Then there is a second page. for a “assistant surgeon”. Exact same four procedures listed for the exact same cost, an additional total of $8,000. Looking up the “assisting surgeon” online it turns out she is not an actual surgeon but just a PA (Physician’s assistant). I find it hard to believe that they could charge the same amount for a nurse assistant as they could for the surgeon himself. Is this standard accounting practices? a billing error? fraud?

For now I’m going to wait for my insurance company to hash it out with the surgery group, but any advice from knowledgeable dopers would be welcome. I also hate to imagine how many people without insurance would just go ahead and pay the whole thing.