[alwann]

This happens everywhere now, including dentists. As others have said, study the details of your bills and raise questions.

On an initial new patient visit to Villages Health, I was asked if I had had a colonoscopy recently. I answered yes and said the results were fine. My bill said "colonoscopy evaluation: $200."

Medicare and insurance companies are continually reducing what they pay physicians. Medical practices are forced to play a coding game in order to eke out every nickle -- e.g. one charge for talking to you, another charge for poking you where it hurts, and other charge to apply a band aid. It's only going to get worse.

Watch out for the "up-selling," as well. For example, being asked if you want to update your tetanus shot while you're there. Sound like good advice , but also another charge and, depending on your insurance or your pocketbook, could be something to think about before saying yes.

I recently discovered my dentist routinely applies a fluoride treatment after doing a cleaning -- another dubious practice. I wasn't even being asked if I wanted it. The coating wears off in days, and many dentists believe fluoride does little good for adults.

Adding insult, my cardiologist is pushing vitamin supplements, which he stocks and sells, and also promotes his wife's electrotherapy practice as the answer to my back pains.

It is what is is. But I, like many of you, can remember going to the family doctor meant he or she treated everything from a cold to a broken bone in one visit, with one bill. And if father was laid off, you might be able to pay with a chicken dinner and homemade pie.