How much are you willing pay to hear the word yes?
Approximately a month ago we took our youngest daughter to her yearly physical. The appointment was a very typical routine visit including a flu shot and nothing about it was out of the norm. So when we opened our mailbox this afternoon, we were quite shocked to see what would have been a charge free visit now had a $38 bill as a end result. Although we can afford the amount, we were still confused as we could not figure out what the charge was for and there was no explanation about what the fee covered. We first called the insurance company as we did not receive our required explanation of benefits (EOB) and the representative stated that our child’s doctor had charged for a speech assessment test.
My husband and I went over what happened at the appointment as we both went to the visit and nether one of us remembered a speech assessment test. In fact, the only thing about speech was that my husband asked if she sounded like most children her age to which the doctor responded yes. Naturally, we called the doctor’s office next and was told that they indeed charged for the doctor to answer the question as that part of the visit was not a part of her preventative care appointment. When we stated that there was no test provided, we were simply told that we could attempt to dispute the charge. The reality had set in, my husband had received the most expensive three letter answer of our lifetimes.
Chances are, fighting to have the charge remove would cost us more time that the bill was worth. In all likelihood the lesson of arguing on principle would be lost on the doctor’s office as well as the insurance company. We are now going to have to find a new doctor in hopes to find a honest one or now be forced to inquire before we ask a question how much are they going to charge to listen to a concern. As much as we pay for healthcare in the United States, my husband and I felt robbed by asking such a simple question and wondered how many people just pay the bill without questioning the charge. Better yet, do we now not ask our doctors the questions that we should be comfortable inquiring about to save a lot of money in the end?
My father was a man who only went to a doctor’s office when it was absolutely necessary like the time he had to have emergency surgery. As kids, my brothers and I were not taken to a doctor’s office unless it was for school required vaccines or severe illnesses. We went to the dentist even less. As an adult, I make sure that our entire family does not miss a doctor or a dentist appointment, and the cat never misses a routine vet appointment either. I am up to date on everything medical including those tests that no one likes to have. I know that my father’s avoidance was more of a generational thing, but it makes you wonder how many times someone feels burned by a doctor before they start missing their routine visits.
While what road that we decide to take with this doctor’s office remains to be seen, one thing is for certain. $38 is expensive for one single yes.
