There are two doctor appointments I'd been putting off making. Last week I bit the bullet and made them both...without really checking my calendar too closely. It didn't even occur to me that I have today off work (thank you Martin Luther King) until it was too late. I'd made one of the appointments for this afternoon. The entire reason I picked the doctor that I did is because it's close to work and since I'm not going to work today, I'd rather not waste the gas and time. I called this morning to reschedule and was told that because I rescheduled less than 24 hours out, I'd be receiving a warning letter and if I did it again, I'd receive a bill for $50.
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| I only WISH I pooped money! (thank you Google Images for this gem). |
Ok, so I understand that a doctor's time is valuable and all that, but are you kidding me? Fifty dollars?? How can they even enforce that? I'm pretty sure I'd skip on that bill and find another doctor. As it is, I have to pay a $70 copay to see a "specialist" and basically all the doctors lately I've been to (with my gynecologist as an exception) are specialists.
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| Have fun on bathing in my sorrows. |
Here's the way I see it: I called to reschedule, not to cancel. Give me some credit. While I understand that means you now must wait two days to receive the money I would have given you today, at least I didn't just not show up. How about those times when I have to wait in the waiting room until well past my appointment time and then once I get in the exam room, I must then wait again before I even see the doctor. Why is your time so much more valuable than mine? When will I be receiving my $50 check for the inconvenience?
If nothing else, this past year has made me really loathe the medical system, health insurance, and question how much they're really trying to help me rather than just seeing me as a bag of money (when, in reality, my credit card is taking the hit).
So, that's my rant for today. It's been one helluva year, medical bill-wise, and apparently it's not getting any better any time soon. That goal of getting my own place is taking so much longer than it should!
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Thoughts?
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I'm less angry at the medical system and more at my terrible insurance options through work.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I've read those warnings and always wondered if they'd really charge. What happens if you were sick and cancelling? Still $50?
ReplyDeleteThe medical system is in complete chaos.
I despise that crap, and it seems to be more prevalent lately. RAWR. I once called to tell a dr's office I was stuck in traffic on the bridge and would be late and they said if I was going to be more than 10 min late than they wouldn't see me. So they didn't. Ever again. Jerks.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my gynecologist is considered a specialist and I do have to pay specialist level co-pay -- 3+ times a year, since I'm extra special down there. Yippee.
Disclaimer: glad I have insurance/can afford to go, but I can still be highly annoyed right there with you!
Oh I'm extra special down there too. Such a joy. I completely agree that I'm glad I have insurance, but this kind of stuff annoys the ever loving crap out of me.
DeleteI was angry at the doctor for you, but then I saw that last picture and I forgave everything.
ReplyDeleteI have always seen those warnings, but never knew if they actually enforced it. That's crazy!
ReplyDeleteAnd look at it this way, at least you have insurance and can go to the doctor! Many of us don't. I am so with you on the whole system. Im so sorry you're not getting better.
Our health insurance system is a joke. I have so many similar stories of friends getting screwed it's ridiculous. My friend who's a doctor says she gets so frustrated because there will be medications that will save her patients lives and she knows they can't get them because their insurance refuses to cover it and they can't afford to buy it out of pocket. What a pain in the ass! So sorry!
ReplyDeleteYou know...there was a Seinfeld episode where George demanded a fee from a Doctor that cancelled on him :)
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of Doctors have that policy (including my Doctor, my dentist, my Eye Doctor) and it's annoying, but I will give that office credit for letting you off with a "warning" and not hitting you with the fee right away. I like your idea though-- rescheduling is way better than cancelling. And since doctors are always running late, what's one rescheduled appointment going to do to their line up? Just reduce someone else's wait time. Besides, there are often people who ask to be called by the Dr if there are any cancellations, so your appt slot will probably be filled by someone else anyway.
I hate the medical bullshit! It is so annoying! Insurance, co-pays, deductibles, waiting rooms, waiting pantsless with paper clothes in a freezing room. Ugh, it all sucks! $50 fees to reschedule within 24 hours is a joke, blah! Sorry you're dealing with it!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kara on the last picture making it all better!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you expected me to actually know what this post said with two pictures of cute dogs and a picture of money in someone's butt crack. If there had also been a capybara I would have been lost in an ADHD fog. Anyways, I don't know what to think about the cancelled appointment charge. I will say that the times I've had legit excuses (flat tires, the flu, etc), I've always been let off without a fee. That being said, I think the doctor should pay me for the hours I spend waiting.
ReplyDeleteUgh, that really sucks...the government has some pretty solid jobs with great benefits. Check it out http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/306787400
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