Unethical or just BIG BALLS?

[stomachmonkey]

So my father passed away August 13th. He was taken to the emergency room and his primary care physician was notified same as every other time Pop wound up in the ER.

We finally got all the paperwork, letters testementary etc.. from the courts and went to the bank today to deal with his accounts.

As the bank manager is gathering all the account info she stops and looks up and says, "I thought he passed on the 13th, did you use his credit card for anything?" My fathers GF and I say "no, why".

Turns out there is a $200 charge from the 14th, the day after my father died from his primary care doc.

Fathers GF gets agitated and explains to me that the Dr's office called on the 14th because my father missed his appointment and since he did not provide enough advance notice that he could not make it he would be billed for the visit anyway. GF told the woman he missed the appointment BECAUSE HE WAS DEAD. Sorry that we did not know in advance that HE WOULD BE DEAD. Looks like they charged it anyway.

We had the charge reversed but I'm still going to have a "conversation" with the Dr.

Scott

[Big Ed]

I'm sorry, that is our policy.

[speeder]

That's unbelievable; talk about completely removing all humanity from the corporate business model. Sorry for your loss.

[masraum]

Sounds like you need to wear someone like a boot.

[Jeff Higgins]

Geez, sorry about your dad. It really sucks to lose those guys; I lost mine when I was 18. I hope you and yours are getting through this o.k.

Anyway, give the Doc a break. He probably has some automated billing program, or some clerk or M.A. that simply didn't know. I'm sure a polite call to the front desk will have them retract the charge, and probably be a bit embarrassed to boot.

[ChrisBennet]

Don't you suppose a secretary is doing the billing, possibly with no knowledge that your father has passed away? That makes more sense than the Dr's office charging you on purpose.
-Chris

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Send their office a bill for your time required to settle the B.S. charge. When they refuse to pay, report them to collections.

Nothing like givin' 'em a taste of their own medicine (no pun).

Sorry for your loss.

[stomachmonkey]

Chris, Jeff,

The Dr's office called to inform my father that he would be charged for his missed appointment that day.

They were told right then and there that he died the day before.

Either they had already charged his credit card without his authorization or they processed it after the phone call.

The point is they knew the day they charged it. Regardless they had no authorization to charge his card.

Oh, and in 3 months we have yet to receive the bill or copy of the receipt from the Dr.

Scott

[stomachmonkey]

Forgot this,

When my father's GF was telling us about the phone call she said that when she told the Dr.s office that he had died they told her that she should have called and cancelled the appointment.

Scott

[Moses]

Originally posted by stomachmonkey
Forgot this,

When my father's GF was telling us about the phone call she said that when she told the Dr.s office that he had died they told her that she should have called and cancelled the appointment.

Scott

Amazing. What idiots. How the hell do they stay in business?

[rammstein]

I just HAVE to believe that this was an error. If this was done knowingly, you can crush them. Just go to their office with the bill and a copy of the obituary. Place them on the desk and say you think there was a mistake. If they say "oh my, we're so sorry for your loss" and rip it up, call it a day. If they say "that's our policy", make them clarify. Ask "Are telling me that my father's dying was not a valid reason for your charges being waived?" and they confirm, take your paperwork to the local media circus and let them run with it. You won't have to do anything after that.

Don't think about it another minute, you have bigger things to be concerned with. Sorry for your loss dude.

[rammstein]

Originally posted by stomachmonkey
Forgot this,

When my father's GF was telling us about the phone call she said that when she told the Dr.s office that he had died they told her that she should have called and cancelled the appointment.

Scott

Nevermind my last comment, I hadn't seen this- go to the media, they will eat this up and do your dirtywork for you.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by rammstein
Nevermind my last comment, I hadn't seen this- go to the media, they will eat this up and do your dirtywork for you.

+1

Heartless A-holes they are.

[speeder]

Great idea. They deserve a good ass-reaming.

[Z-man]

Absolutely unethical. And all such rules have a provision (small print) that states that if patient has some emergency and cannot contact the doctor, that allowances can be made.

Originally posted by stomachmonkey
Forgot this,

When my father's GF was telling us about the phone call she said that when she told the Dr.s office that he had died they told her that she should have called and cancelled the appointment.

Scott

Scott - I am sorry to hear of your loss. And I am sorry to hear that you have to deal with this crap afterwards.

Yes, folks in the medical business develop a numbness to pain, suffering and death. But to be so cold about this - - that is just wrong.

Probably not the right time for you to do this, but I am sure a conversation with a lawyer may be in order, and a little note to the doctor's office from said lawyer would help them straighten out their little office paper-work mixup.

-Z

[Flatbutt1]

My condolences to you on your loss Scott. You really don't need this crap piled on top of your grief.

+1 on getting the bill reversed but I also think you might want to contact the Dr directly and let him know what a **** he has running his office. If he goes corporate on you, then fug him, call the local paper and embarass the bastid.

peace

[Moses]

Truly sorry for your loss, Scott.

I've never charged anyone for a missed appointment for any reason. It's bad business. If I ever heard an employee being so discourteous and rude it would be their last day.

On the flip side, I have told several patients who habitually miss appointments to find a new doctor. I'm sure they were pissed, but I don't really care.

[stomachmonkey]

I'm not really pissed about it, I'm just surprised. Reminds me why I like cats and dogs better than people, (present company excluded).

I actually agree with the policy of charging people for blowing of an appointment.

A good physician should be booked all day, they have staff and office expenses that need to be paid regardless of whether or not they are seeing a patient. It's a business that relies on volume to survive.

Habitual offenders should, as Moses has done, be asked to go elsewhere. It's not fair to the physician or to the other patients trying to get a convenient or neccesary appointment.

The whole shutting down of my fathers assets has revealed how some people just suck.

Scott

[Moses]

Originally posted by stomachmonkey
It's a business that relies on volume to survive.

Actually, it relies on service.

I don't know anyone who charges full fee for a missed appointment. Most charge nothing, some $25 or $50. These people are customers.

It's not even the money that bothers me about your situation. It's the fact that you tell an office worker that your father has died, and they tell you "You should have called to canncel his appointment." Incomprehensible.

[stomachmonkey]

Moses,

You are right it is about service. You are probably very much like my dentist who I think is just terrific.

At the end of the day he calls every patient to see how they are doing. When I have somethng big done he calls me every day at least 3 days.

And his staff reflect him, they make it as pleasent as it can be to be at the dentist.

Scott