Wednesday, May 27, 2009

copay???? i don't think so!

when did doctors get so busy that they no longer care about the people they serve? That's right...they SERVE me, they provide a service. Now, i'm more than willing to pay them for their time. They provide a good service and one that i (unfortunately) must use often.

I got a new ent about a month ago. i'm always had sinus and allergy issues, but haven't had the insurance to see an ent in years. for my first visit, i budgeted 2 hrs of my time, thinking that i was waaay over estimating. well, it took 3. 10 minutes of the 3 hrs was spent with the dr, the rest was waiting. waiting in the waiting room, waiting in the exam room....waiting......

this dr also had a piss poor attitude about my hearing loss. i know i have hearing loss...i've come to terms with it. it was devastating at first....i'm over it. he acted like it was the worst news ever and even chided me for not wearing my hearing aids! (i ony wear them for work)

so, anyhow, he orders a cat scan of my head to see what's going on in there...

2nd visit- i ask specifically how long it would take and was told no more than an hour since all he had to do was go over the results. i book an hour, 230-330. I booked another dr appt for 345 that afternoon. i get there at 215, sign in and inform the lady that i had to leave at 330. then i sit....and sit..... 3pm rolls around and i'm still in the waiting room. i approach the front desk and inform her that i'm now 30 min past my appt time and have 30 min left. i ask if they are running way behind and if i should reschedule. she says no and that they will see me right away.

so i go in the back and sit....and sit... the nurse comes in and checks my vitals. i stress to her that i have about 10 minutes left before i have to leave. she says no problem, the dr is aware an coming. 330 comes and no dr. so i gather my bag and leave. walking down the hallway i run into the dr and his intern.

"where are you going?", he says.

"i told them receptionist and your nurse that i had another appointment and had to leave at 330."

"well, what time is your appointment?"

"345, i have to go."

"well, its only 330."

"no, no, my appointment with YOU was an hour ago, 230."

"oh well....you're leaving? we haven't gone over your results." (this man is smart enough to be a dr eh?)

"yes, you see i respect people who block out time in their day for me. i show them this respect by showing up to appointments ON TIME, just like i did FOR YOU."

i continue down the hall and out into the lobby.

i'm walking out the door and the receptionist stops me by yelling my name.

"wait christy, you didn't pay your co-pay!"

i stop...and turn around thinking she surely must be mistaken. so, i tell her, "no, i didn't get to see the dr at all, i'm not paying."

"you owe $30 for a co-pay"

"i don't think you heard me...i didn't see the dr, i'm not paying a damn fee."

"ma'am watch your language"

"what??? who the fuck are you to tell me what i can and can not say? I'm not paying the god damned fee."

"christina, you have to stop cursing and pay your co-pay."

"who are you? my fucking mom? I don't think so (by now i'm not being quiet at all) i'm not paying your fucking co-pay, you can kiss my ass!"

at this point i turn to the room full of people (all adults -had there been children i would have made a better effort to censor myself) and announce, " i hope you all brought something to read and have nothing to do all day---you'll be here forever!"

and with that i stomped out. now, i'm not saying that my response was at all appropriate, but i'm not the type to keep quiet about how i feel and i'm definitely not the type to allow people to talk to me like they are my mother. i am an adult woman and i'll curse when and where i please. besides, had the dr seen me, we wouldn't have had that problem right????

2 comments:

  1. hah, a co-pay when you hadn't even seen the doctor, THAT is the epitome of bureacracy. ballsy too. good on you. too bad you didn't get to see him though.

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  2. "like they're your mother" ?????? is that how I am with you???? I don't think soooooooo

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