Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrise
Can you ask him? That seems outrageous to charge so much more than his regular fee. It would bug me if he doubled his fee like that--it almost feels like a kind of punishment. And kind of insulting that he would make you bring a doctor's note to excuse an emergency instead of just believing you. On the other hand, I work in community mental health that serves patients on Medicaid/Medicare, and we cannot charge people for not showing up. As a result, they don't show up frequently! Every day there are at least a couple of no shows per provider.
This is a separate issue, but FWIW, I don't give my credit card number to any of my providers. They bill me and I pay by check. That doesn't change the fact of owing for a missed appointment, but at least one doesn't feel so helpless to have unauthorized charges made to the card. With a check, at least you control when you pay the bill and can wait until the end of the billing cycle, etc. Also, my providers' billing people make mistakes all the time. I don't want to pay until I see the bill in my hand and make sure it is correct. If they just went ahead and charged my card, there would be times I am paying them money that is not due to them. Also, I tend not to share my credit card number with too many merchants for identity theft precautions. A doctor does not need to have a person's credit card number on file. None of my health care providers has ever asked for a credit card number.
|
I can certainly ask him. And yes I feel both
punished and
insulted at the idea of being charged DOUBLE and then the idea of needing a dr's note, like I am a little kid. Both good words. And I do understand completely the idea that people don't show up and they need to collect somehow or else their time is wasted.
As for the credit card number, it's also part of their office policy to keep your CC# on hand in case you cancel....it's the first thing they asked for when I made an appt. At the time I was just desperate for an appt...now I would NOT do it, so I completely agree with your analysis. I would not ever do it again but hard to fix now...I could always switch my check cards out, ha.
But now I am thinking I might.
Another place recently asked for my credit card # to charge my balance to once it was determined...the place taking my blood for testing, and I refused and told them to bill me...as in the past they have liked to send me a bill before it even goes through insurance.
Thanks for your response!
