Today I took my husband back to the orthopaedic doctor to have his foot x-rayed again. The good news is it has finally healed. The strange and sicko! part is - while waiting we were ordered back to the payment window. Hmmmmm...we pay the co-pay as we leave each time, and have been doing this months, so what could be the problem. Well!, we were told in a very stern voice, by the cashier. We had a balance of.....are you ready..... $7.60!!! Yes, folks! a whole $7.60 that was due after the insurance coverage paid their share of the last visit. My, my, my!!! And she was very serious about this! We had to know that before we could go back for today's meeting with the doctor. Now, had it been $760.00 I could understand their concern, but to treat us like indigents for $7.60!!! I asked, couldn't that just be added to what we owe for the co-pay as we leave today. She looked stunned! What a novel idea! In the end, as we were leaving, the co-pay, plus the astronomical amount of $7.60 came to a grand total of $24.06. My husband gave her $25.00 and she gave back $.69 in change. Keith told her she was .25 short. At first she seemed confused, then when she realized he was right said, well, she had counted it in with the change. Hmmmm... he did get the correct change in the end, but it sure seemed strange that a place so intent on making sure the patient pays every last penny due before the doc can see them, would make sure they didn't short you even one penny on their end. Sicko lives!! Michael Moore would be so proud of them!
2 comments:
A sad comment on our times. The pettier and greedier the doctors' offices become the more I think we must have socialism.
Here's my take on it. The not very bright and uneducated (she can't add!) office attendant who, adding to insult, has complete lack of common sense has been told very sternly by the doctor that she needs to make sure all patients have a zero balance before they get a check up and that's exactly what she is doing. I don't think a robot could've done it better!
The incident shows very clearly the sad state of our health system where doctors care more about their monetary reward than about those needing their care.
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