Mary: "Dr. Grumpy's office, this is Mary."
Mr. Robichaux: "Hello. I need to make an appointment with Dr. Grumpy."
Mary: "Sure. We have an opening for 8:00 tomorrow morning... What's your insurance?"
Mr. Robichaux: "U.S. Veterans, Inc."
Mary: "Oh, I'm sorry. We're not contracted with USV."
Mr. Robichaux: "What the hell? You guys have something against veterans?"
Mary: "No, not at all. We've just never been contracted with USV, as long as I've been here. There are several insurances we don't take."
Mr. Robichaux: "I risked my life so people like you could have freedom, and this is how you treat me?"
Mary: "I respect that you did that, sir. Let me give you the names of neurologists who do take USV... Down the street there's Dr. Techie, and her number is..."
Mr. Robichaux: "Fucking communists."
He hung up.
Classy, I run into this working in the pharmacy. They are quickly informed that I did my tours in Afghanistan. Normally shuts them up.
ReplyDeleteAahhhhh - people.
ReplyDeleteMary is such a good detector and deflector of the entitled and crazy folks who are trying to get to you - thanks, Mary, for protecting our wise yak herder.
The only political slur that drives me crazier than hearing someone called a Communist for absolutely no relevant reason is hearing someone called a Communist and a Nazi in the same sentence.
ReplyDeleteWHY I GAVE UP OFFICE-BASED MEDICAL PRACTICE
ReplyDeleteLAST SEPTEMBER I RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH 11 cc’s TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CABAL.
THE “DIABETES RN” QUESTIONED MY ‘SUBSTANDARD AND INADEQUATE’ TREATMENT OF A 72 YR OLD DIABETIC WHOSE A1c WAS ‘STUCK’ AT 9.1 FOR 3 SUCCESSIVE VISITS. SHE STATED IN THIS COPIED MANDATE THAT I HAD 15 BUSINESS DAYS TO “CORRECT THIS SITUATION AND SEND A WRITTEN ACTION PLAN.”
MY REPLY TO HER AND ALL THE cc’s WAS:
1. CANCEL ALL MY SCHEDULED PATIENTS FOR NEXT 30 DAYS
2. RE-IMBURSE MILEAGE
3. I WILL VISIT ALL 653 OF MY DIABETIC PATIENTS, SIT AT THEIR DINING TABLE AND WAG MY INDEX FINGER STATING: “NO, NO—BAD PATIENT—THAT WILL KILL YOU.”
AS TO PATIENT L.R., I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU SEND ME A DIET AND MEDICATION PROGRAM THAT YOU FEEL WILL BENEFIT A 422 POUND MAN.
I AWAIT YOUR REASONED AND INFORMED RESPONSE.
I SENT JUST THIS LETTER TO MY HIRING AUTHORITY AND STATED I WILL NOT RENEW MY CONTRACT IN OCTOBER. MY WIFE IS ( WAS) 7 MONTHS’ PREGNANT. I WAS RECRUITED THE NEXT DAY FOR A FULL TIME TELEMEDICINE JOB FOR WHICH I CONTINUE TO WORK.
MY WIFE IS NOW 7 WEEKS PREGNANT THUS WE WILL HAVE “2 UNDER 2” NEXT APRIL.
I WILL BE 73 NEXT BIRTHDAY.