Life Lesson #542,348 (Or, Why Healthcare Should Not Be Private)
Two months ago, during my annual physical exam/procedural assault, I brought up the subject of Hepatitis A and B shots with my doctor. A very good idea, she said, particularly given how prevalent it is in Mexico. Her clinic charges $120 but any convenient travel clinic will do.
So I did a little comparison shopping in the name of finding a place close to work, and found a private travel clinic right across the street that said it would be $110. Deal, says I, and booked my appointment.
Today was said appointment.
I had my $45 five minute consultation with the perky and shockingly casually-dressed doctor, wherein she confirmed everything I knew already ("you're going to Mexico? Okay, you'll need Hepatitis A and B...") and then sent me off to the nurse for the shot.
Shot done, the nurse says to me, okay, we'll see you next week for the follow-up.
There are more?!, I cry with needle-inspired nausea.
There are more. There are four, it turns out. This one, one next week, one in three weeks, and one in two months. The receptionist will know to book the appointments when I pay my bill.
I pay my bill. $110, thank you very much.
I keep standing there. Without looking up, the receptionist says, Good afternoon, can I help you?
Follow-up appointments, I remind her.
Right, she says, Your name?
For a second I think she's joking, because she asks me this questions as she's filing the proof of payment into MY FILE. She's not joking. I point to the file.
Right, she says, How's next Thursday?
I'm just about to leave when I have a thought. Is there another consultation fee for next week?, I ask.
The receptionists look at each other, shrug, tell me they don't know. When I don't walk away meekly, they fumble for the clinic brochure. Yes, they affirm, $15.
I am displeased. I pretty much demand why they think they can charge me an additional $30 when they had told me when I called the shot was $110.
But the shot *is* $110, they insist. Each shot. As in $110 x 4.
I lose it. I may have used words like "scam" and "lies." I know I created a mild fuss because the two people in the waiting room both ask me for details. But it's a mild fuss, because I'm not a large fuss person - I just want someone to explain to me why no one told me until this particular moment that this shot would be over $400 because I don't have $400 but now I'm in this far and what happens if I don't get the other three shots? Is it like antibiotics? Will it make me sick? Instead, the head nurse comes in to tell me curtly that "that's the price" and then she "whatever"'s me, turns her back on me and WALKS AWAY.
By now there is a little crowd in the waiting area, all murmuring "what's going on? what happened?" and the receptionist is telling the doctor that I'm "confused" and the head nurse is giving me attitude like I have never experienced before in my life. I finally hand back the 10% Off Your Consultation Fee referral coupons they gave me with a steamy "yeah, I don't think I'll be needing these" and I leave. I can hear the chaos behind me until the elevator door shut.
Back at the office, I call my doctor to book the follow-ups. And do you know what I learn, my darlings? Not only is the shot there only $60 per, but I only need two of them - one today (the one I got is good enough) and one in a month - and not FOUR, as stated by Dr. Corrupt and Her Merry Band of Thieves.
I am now on a one-woman mission to bring down that scam artist clinic across the street. I'm not entirely sure how, but I'll figure something out. Pickets or BBB or chain letters. Word of mouth. Something. I am *pissed*.
I'm also a bit concerned: even though they charged me more, how do I know that they gave me the same single dose as the other clinic would have? What happens if it's less and the inoculation isn't complete?
So I did a little comparison shopping in the name of finding a place close to work, and found a private travel clinic right across the street that said it would be $110. Deal, says I, and booked my appointment.
Today was said appointment.
I had my $45 five minute consultation with the perky and shockingly casually-dressed doctor, wherein she confirmed everything I knew already ("you're going to Mexico? Okay, you'll need Hepatitis A and B...") and then sent me off to the nurse for the shot.
Shot done, the nurse says to me, okay, we'll see you next week for the follow-up.
There are more?!, I cry with needle-inspired nausea.
There are more. There are four, it turns out. This one, one next week, one in three weeks, and one in two months. The receptionist will know to book the appointments when I pay my bill.
I pay my bill. $110, thank you very much.
I keep standing there. Without looking up, the receptionist says, Good afternoon, can I help you?
Follow-up appointments, I remind her.
Right, she says, Your name?
For a second I think she's joking, because she asks me this questions as she's filing the proof of payment into MY FILE. She's not joking. I point to the file.
Right, she says, How's next Thursday?
I'm just about to leave when I have a thought. Is there another consultation fee for next week?, I ask.
The receptionists look at each other, shrug, tell me they don't know. When I don't walk away meekly, they fumble for the clinic brochure. Yes, they affirm, $15.
I am displeased. I pretty much demand why they think they can charge me an additional $30 when they had told me when I called the shot was $110.
But the shot *is* $110, they insist. Each shot. As in $110 x 4.
I lose it. I may have used words like "scam" and "lies." I know I created a mild fuss because the two people in the waiting room both ask me for details. But it's a mild fuss, because I'm not a large fuss person - I just want someone to explain to me why no one told me until this particular moment that this shot would be over $400 because I don't have $400 but now I'm in this far and what happens if I don't get the other three shots? Is it like antibiotics? Will it make me sick? Instead, the head nurse comes in to tell me curtly that "that's the price" and then she "whatever"'s me, turns her back on me and WALKS AWAY.
By now there is a little crowd in the waiting area, all murmuring "what's going on? what happened?" and the receptionist is telling the doctor that I'm "confused" and the head nurse is giving me attitude like I have never experienced before in my life. I finally hand back the 10% Off Your Consultation Fee referral coupons they gave me with a steamy "yeah, I don't think I'll be needing these" and I leave. I can hear the chaos behind me until the elevator door shut.
Back at the office, I call my doctor to book the follow-ups. And do you know what I learn, my darlings? Not only is the shot there only $60 per, but I only need two of them - one today (the one I got is good enough) and one in a month - and not FOUR, as stated by Dr. Corrupt and Her Merry Band of Thieves.
I am now on a one-woman mission to bring down that scam artist clinic across the street. I'm not entirely sure how, but I'll figure something out. Pickets or BBB or chain letters. Word of mouth. Something. I am *pissed*.
I'm also a bit concerned: even though they charged me more, how do I know that they gave me the same single dose as the other clinic would have? What happens if it's less and the inoculation isn't complete?
Comments
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Flashy - since you are working, you would have healthcare as a part of your job benefits...but the additional cost of a dependent, if The Boy were covered under yours, would be steep.
Our healthcare system is up the spout in oh-so-many ways, but I can still make an appointment with the nurse in my practice and have these jabs done for free.
You could perhaps argue that this should be means tested, and that if you can afford it, you should probably pay for something like this. What troubles me is that before you even realise you are down the road where you are being scammed for healthcare. Our Dentists are slowly being privatised --- it's getting harder and harder to find an NHS dentist --- but the system is becoming a total shambles. The NHS is flawed, no doubt, but it is a wonderful concept and we're very, very lucky to have it, and should fight to keep it.
ST
ST
Voice a complaint there, and they'll be obligated to follow it up.
Two minutes with google didn't find the one in Ontario, but I know it's out there somewhere.