Hello fellow Doctors!!!
I am writing this post to know what everybody thinks about my experince with a practising Physician.
Few days ago I went to a family practice Physician for my annual physical exam.I introduced myself as a FMG and told her that I am preparing for USMLE.She is a FMG too.She talk to me about her experience about exam and how stressful it was and bla bla bla.I paid my copayment of $15 for office visit that my insurance requires to pay and I didn't mind paying that.She did general blood work like CMP,CBC with differential,Lipid Panel,TSH and HB A1c.
I received a letter in the mail after 5 days stating that please make a follow up appointment to discuss your blood result with doctor because my triglyceride is 248 mg/dl,everything else is normal.
I made an appointment for today morning and went in the office.Now she(physician) told me to pay $15 copay again to discuss the blood result.I asked her why I have to pay $15 copay again ? She answered me that when a patient(me) sees a doctor's face in the office he or she have to pay a copayment. I was surprised the way she told me.I refused to pay copay and left the office with a copy of my blood result.I think everybody knows here what to do with 248 mg/dl Triglyceride level.
I want to know how everybody thinks about her(FMG) behavior to a fellow FMG who came to see her as a patient.
Thanks!!!
I don't think she did it to screw you over. Business is business...friendship and business are seldom mixed in a capitalist society. Another problem is the current system infiltrated with insurance companies who drive American doctors insane when it comes time to collect payment from them. Why do you think they have 1-2 employees alone who deal with the insurance companies? To treat a patient, fight with insurance companies and a myriad of other details within a private practice is enough to drive one mad! I, like you, think ppl need to do more to help each other, and in this case, I would hope she would have been nicer to you. Alas, us idealists area dying breed.
Let me analyze your post. You used 1 page, 252 words, 25 lines, 1126 characters(without spaces), and 1383 character(with spaces) just to tell us about a visit to your doctor's office, which, until you bolted out of the office without settling your co-pay, had every characteristic of a regular visit to a doctor's office. YOU APPEAR TO HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN YOUR HANDS.
Yes, ''when a patient (me) sees a doctor's face in the office he or she have to pay a co-payment'' 'sic', literarily. This means that you, just like your insurance firm, are expected to make payment each time you visit the doctor's office. It is even a similar situation in most of the countries we come from. Know that your action may make it a bit difficult for the doctor to claim her money from the insurance company.
You owe her. Go back and pay her. Probably apologize. You may own an office someday, and you won't like somebody to hold back what is rightly yours. What to do if you feel she is deficient in CIS is not to visit her office again, not withholding her money.
By the way, do you think she cheats every patient that visits her office of $15 or she just singled you out to cheat you? I don't think so.
However, it appears I EVEN HAVE MORE TIME IN MY HANDS THAN YOU DO. I have used 1 page, 5 paragraphs, 19 lines, 278 words, 1207 characters (without spaces), and 1481 characters (with spaces) to make a point I could have made with a sentence. AM I THIS BORED? OR DID I FORGET TO TAKE MY MEDICATION?
Hi chimp,
I don't have problem with paying copay,but the way she told me was the problem.
I visited other doctors too.generally in this kind of situation where things are not serious,doctors tell their nurse that call the patient tell him to do regular exercise,low fat low cholesterol diet and take his pharmacy # and call in this medication and tell him to come back after 3 months for repeat blood test.
Here u can see her intent to make me pay $15 and collect money from insurance company.she is not interested in my $15,but she is interested in insurance money.I know this because I also work in a clinic.Think about patients and there hard earn money.
Thanks!!!!
mlelover, what you described is simply a routine of every doctor's office....you don't have to visit your Doc. again if you don't want it....friendship and business are different matters..
regardless of her intent, what you did was so cheap!!! if you accept yourself as a doctor, you sold your reputation and respect for only $15 by arguing and refusing to pay the co-payment!!!!
and if you are working in a clinic as you claimed, why didn't check your routine tests in your clinic?
I forgot to mention that I didn't see her in my follow up visit so I am not obliged to pay.
All conversation happened at front window.So as a patient i have a right to not to see her and pay copay.It was her made me to go back to her office.This situation can be handeled over the phone thats what the doctors at my job does,so patient can save a trip to the office and also money.Its not about $15.I make enough to pay $15,but for some patients $15 is big amount and also thay have to take off from their job to see her for follow up which is not necessary.If you truly believe in ethics than you will understad this otherwise its hard to understand what I am saying.
my clinic does not take the insurance I have,so I can not do anything officially at my job.If I want to do free blood work at my office,yes I can do that.but that is not a part of discussion here .
This is about ethics.
Thanks!!
I understand what you are saying mlelover.....
I don't think that here is matter of being cheap or no...................... its just courtesy, If you are a Doctor and I am a Doctor, I don't think that you should charge the copay.
My primary Doctor since I started going to his office and I told him that I am a Doctor, he doesn't charge me copay.
Many Doctors only want money and they forget about being compationate, Medicine is not only money, the people that think that are in the wrong carreer.
In my case she made me to go in her office for follow up stating in a letter.nobody from the office called me which I was expecting.
I already paid my copay during my blood work visit and I understand that payment. I didn't want anything free.
To make patient to come back for follow up visit(which can be done by phone call) and charge him or her and get money from insurance company is against the ethics thats what I think.Everybody(all patients) are busy in America and mostly patients do whatever their doctors suggest them to do.Patients have to take off from their job or do some other adjustment in time for a visit which can be done over the phone in <than 5 minutes.
Thanks!!!
In my case she made me to go in her office for follow up stating in a letter.nobody from the office called me which I was expecting.
I already paid my copay during my blood work visit and I understand that payment. I didn't want anything free.
To make patient to come back for follow up visit(which can be done by phone call) and charge him or her and get money from insurance company is against the ethics thats what I think.Everybody(all patients) are busy in America and mostly patients do whatever their doctors suggest them to do.Patients have to take off from their job or do some other adjustment in time for a visit which can be done over the phone in less than 5 minutes.
Thanks!!!