April 6th, 2007 by Atomictumor
The medical bills have been good to me, and I’ve been careful to keep up with them. In fact, the only thing thats come out of pocket out of this whole thing is about $20 or so.
In the week or two before BJ got really sick, she was having some pelvic pain. Ultimately, in hindsight, its that kidney infection, but we didn’t know that at the time.
She went to the OB/GYN for a regular checkup kinda thing, and to talk about it (she was always bad about going for checkups, and this was the first time she’d be in since Pigpen was born). She came home completely pissed, because the doc evidently didn’t have any bedside manner, and made it known to her that her troubles were caused by being overweight, and that she’d never keep a husband if she didn’t lose some pounds.
Gee, thanks Doc.
Today I got a letter from them, the first one that I’ve received. It shows she paid a $15 copayment, but that we owed $3.74. It also had a note in it that told me that they’ve been trying to collect this pocket change for some time, and that I have 10 days to pay before they lay it on the collectors.
Course, I called today to pay over the phone, and they’re closed. So I wrote them a letter.
I was pissed when I wrote it, and didn’t save it to share with you people, but in essence it mentions the fact that BJ, now dead, went to the hospital no more than 2 weeks after seeing their office, that the hospital was in communication with the OBGYN clinic to see if they could shed any light on the mysterious nature of their illness, that I haven’t gotten shit from them as far as payments, and that sending a collection notice for pocket change is deplorable.
And it is.
And sometimes, just sometimes, I start to think “Hey. I bet a lawyer could get me some money over this.”
But that’d be wrong.
April 6th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Oh man AT, that sucks that they are reacting that way over pocket change. The comment the OBGYN made to BJ about being overweight is unacceptable. I think any doctor that uses weight as a cause isn’t a very good doc. I used to have a general doc and every time I went in to see him he would tell me my weight was the reason for my problem, no matter what problem I had. I don’t go to that doc anymore. Now, my new doc gives me help and advice instead of blaming everything on being overweight. I am sorry you are having to deal with this. I’m sending some good vibes your way and I hope you and your boys have a wonderful weekend!
April 6th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Would it be wrong? Not usually being a litigious minded person, in this case, I wonder.
If the OB/GYN was confronted by BJ with pelvic pain concerns and they didn’t do the proper testing or even follow-up, I would read that as negligence.
You can request her medical transcripts, including all doctor’s notes. Ask for the full and complete file.
My sisters and I got all copies of my mother’s after she died of cervical cancer just for our own understanding of what/how her illness transpired.
April 6th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
that would piss me off … in fact, that does piss me off. they deserve the what-for … and then some. {tsk}
April 6th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
First of all it is deplorable, and second of all, I would make their lives a little misreable. For the inconsiderate treatment they gave you. However, how much positive energy is wasted on them, so you have to balance it.
If you would like some legal jargon to pass on in your letter, email me. Or I can pass on a college buddy of mine in Tennessee that would do the honors.
Either way, it sucks!
April 6th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
You know, the amount of money they paid someone to write that letter, the postage to mail it, and supplies therein are more than what you owe! What a rip!
Let ‘em have it…if for nothing other than to enlighten them a bit!
April 6th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
I think this is grounds for hungry lawyer and/or a letter to the newspaper editor….What’s the harm?
April 6th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
It might be wrong (or not), but it sure would be tempting.
April 6th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Turns out, I’m wrong on one regard. She went to the doc on 10/9, a week shy of a month from when she was ER’d. She didn’t complain of pelvic pain until coming back from our renewal, around 10/18 or 19, so I can’t fault them for negligence.
I can fault them for assholery.
April 6th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I’m amazed at how thoughtless some doctors can be about weight issues. I was told by my(former) MD to stop eating so much fast food.
I never eat fast food. I’m a vegetarian. He also acted like I was totally lying when I said that I walk five miles every day. (I walk my dog a minimum of that distance). Apparently overweight people sit around all day eating fast food, not moving off the couch, or something. Asshat.
April 7th, 2007 at 11:08 am
That would not be wrong. I almost died because of an idiot doctor in Oak Ridge thought I was complaining of pain to get more pain pills. Two days later I was coughing up blood and had a pulmonary embolism. At least that ass never had the nerve to send me a bill. Now that it is too late I wish I would have sued him because I find talking with people he does these kind of things all the time.
April 7th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Assholery. That would just about sum this medical groups mindset. Wow, I’m sure the money they miss over this will 1)break them, and 2) the money they have spent “trying to collect” appears to be a terrible waste and not very good for business.