Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Mary's desk

Mary: "Okay, can I make a copy of your insurance card?"

Mr. Card: "Here you go..."

Mary: "Um... This is Sick National Insurance. We're not contracted with them. I told you that when you called, and you told me you were covered by Major Illness."

Mr. Card: "Yeah, I know."

Mary: "So are you going to pay cash for today's visit? We don't take this plan."

Mr. Card: "No, I figured once I was in your office you guys were obligated to see me for free."
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17 comments:

  1. DonJuly 22, 2015 at 5:15 AM

    Maybe I'm just a little cranky this morning, but my own response would have been to call the local cops and have Mr. Card arrested for theft of services, or something along those lines.
    Of course, in the old days, Mr. Card could have been put in the stocks and publicly shamed for his actions...

    ReplyDelete
  2. CandiJuly 22, 2015 at 7:30 AM

    ...

    That takes some special gall. And ignorance. But mostly gall.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 22, 2015 at 8:28 AM

    So you mean Obamacare doesn't mean I can go see any doctor at any time and, because I pay my insurance premiums, I won't get a bill?!? I thought this was the affordable CARE act! I didn't realize is was just the affordable INSURANCE act!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 22, 2015 at 10:54 AM

    Only emergency treatment can't be refused, kind sir. Now get the F out of my office.

    ( I'd never say this out loud, but I sure have thought it a time or two)

    ReplyDelete
  5. PackerJuly 22, 2015 at 11:04 AM

    Ah, pro bono. A concept Lawyers understand, even the mandatory pro bono aspects like when a tax lawyer gets appointed to represent someone on a serious criminal charge and has to hire a criminal lawyer to actually handle the case. So not only does the service come free, but in many instances it cost the person out of pocket.

    So Doc, just see the guy and chalk it up. At least you did not have to hire someone to handle it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PGYxJuly 31, 2015 at 12:00 PM

      Doctors provide free care all the time, but I believe we should be able to choose when and for whom to provide that free care. Also little known is that if we do not at least bill patient, then that is considered Medicare fraud because we are not permitted to bill any person or entity less than we bill Medicare.

      Delete
    2. LinOctober 4, 2015 at 7:33 AM

      Interesting... Then a surgeon actually committed Medicare fraud for me. I ended up in the ER and had no insurance, needed surgery to not lose my finger. Hand surgeon was paged and performed the surgery. He told me to come to his office for follow-ups and he wouldn't bill me, and lectured me about how I better show up. I did, for about 3 follow-ups I think. And he never billed me for any of them. I can't remember if any paperwork was involved at all beyond checking in that I had a scheduled appointment...

      Delete
  6. gloriapJuly 22, 2015 at 11:15 AM

    He needs "Liar, liar, pants on fire" tattooed on his forehead.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loren PechtelJuly 22, 2015 at 2:11 PM

    @Don--they normally check your insurance before you see the doc. Thus there is no theft yet.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Condign GentlemanJuly 22, 2015 at 2:58 PM

    "Sorry, sir, that rule only applies if you're 'it' and you tag the doctor with your left hand and say, 'freebie!' BEFORE you hand over your insurance card. Now you have to stay frozen in place until someone comes and tags you and then you have to say the name of a TV show that hasn't already been said."

    ReplyDelete
  9. Justa DudeJuly 22, 2015 at 5:18 PM

    Ok I am calling it. I am the very first to accuse the esteemed members of our idiocracy to be er.....well....idiots. However this seems made up. Does Dr. Grumpy pinky swear this is a true story?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Struck by a TurtleJuly 22, 2015 at 6:00 PM

    That is what I miss about working for a private practice - the ability to say:

    "HAHAHAHA! See you for FREE?? HAHAHAHA. That's a good one. Now seriously. Cash or debit card?"

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJuly 22, 2015 at 9:15 PM

    This is a daily occurrence at my veterinary practice. You were told on the phone the cost of the office call before you made the appointment. You were given written estimates in the exam room for the diagnostic tests and treatments recommended and you consented to the aforementioned tests and treatments. Now you are throwing a holy hissy fit in my lobby because, of course you don't have that kind of money, no, you don't have a credit card, and no, you don't have any family members who can loan you the money. You could write me a check, but there is no money in the account (please, please, please write me a bad check!). If creditors and family members won't offer you credit, don't expect me to. Especially since you signed an estimate saying you were willing to pay for your visit when you had absolutely no intention of paying anything at all. Have a nice day. We'll see you again, never.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJuly 22, 2015 at 11:02 PM

    Mary: "We see you and you are free to leave at any time!"

    ReplyDelete
  13. bobbieJuly 23, 2015 at 8:52 AM

    Did Mary laugh in his face, or bodily throw him out of the office?!

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousJuly 23, 2015 at 2:07 PM

    You would be surprised at how often this happens...

    DocV

    ReplyDelete
  15. ChaiTeaPaddyJuly 25, 2015 at 9:36 PM

    @Packer Depending on the specialty, doctors see a LOT of patients that they don't get paid for. The compensation for Medicaid/medicare patients sometimes doesn't even cover the cost of the office space and salaries paid to the office staff and becomes a net loss. Fun fact, lawyers can write pro bono cases off on their taxes while doctors can't. I'd also point out that the guy isn't a charity case. He has insurance, he's just too lazy to go to an in-network doc.

    ReplyDelete

So wadda you think?