Missed a doctors appointment they want to pay up. What can they do?

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I certainly have waited 45-60 minutes for my PCP for a routine physical. Additionally, I accompanied my father to every one of his oncology appointments and many of his treatments before his death. I know it well, and it can be tough. I just have some context and don't throw a tantrum over it. Now imagine this, it's just as tough for doctors much of the time.

Doctors saying no to corporations? What does that even mean? You have some magical thinking regarding the hierarchy in medicine. You say you know that doctors aren't in charge, but also seem to think they can dictate corporate behavior? If I refuse to see patients in a 20 min slot because I think it's absurd (and I do), I simply get fired. I like having a job.

You have to decide who you are and how you are going to do your job. Letting a damn corporation tell you that is foolish and sad. I left corporate food service and took a 50% cut in pay because I was unwilling to do business their way. Now, imagine if doctors did that...

 

[highland145]

You have to decide who you are and how you are going to do your job. Letting a damn corporation tell you that is foolish and sad. I left corporate food service and took a 50% cut in pay because I was unwilling to do business their way. Now, imagine if doctors did that...

My previous PCP was an independent owner. His wife/secretary told me that it was really difficult to make $$ because of the regs/compliance/insurance/medicare/... At that time, medicare was paying them $19/visit. That doesn't cover the cost of doing business.


Side note... had the left bicep tendon fixed in Jan. My surgeon made ~$800 but I was billed over $20K from everyone else.

 

[TheVrolok]

You have to decide who you are and how you are going to do your job. Letting a damn corporation tell you that is foolish and sad. I left corporate food service and took a 50% cut in pay because I was unwilling to do business their way. Now, imagine if doctors did that...

I don't mean to sound condescending, but that is a laughable statement. It borders on absurd. You clearly have absolutely no idea how any of it works. You probably think all doctors are rich and driving Maseratis, too, don't you?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I don't mean to sound condescending, but that is a laughable statement. It borders on absurd. You clearly have absolutely no idea how any of it works. You probably think all doctors are rich and driving Maseratis, too, don't you?

You poor, poor victim. Some people actually choose to live life on their own terms. It's not alright but, I understand how many choose to let corporations lead them by the nose. It eliminates all those pesky decisions. Or, maybe you're one of the delusional few who think corporations have our best interests at heart.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Read highlands post. It makes perfect sense.

Let me put it to you in my terms. I work for a major accounting firm, and we have large departments that do tax returns for many corporations and businesses of all sizes. Now, I don't actually do those services, but in the consulting world we go out and give recommendations to clients based on workshops of understanding their business.

Time and time again, one of our main recommendations for companies and their tax departments is to outsource them. We have no problem giving them the numbers to backup that it is ultimately way cheaper to pay us (or another firm) to do the services we know than for you to try to setup, maintain, and perform them yourself with incompetent employees. That's just how it is.

You do sound a bit resentful, and some people may be able to do things on their own, but that doesn't mean it's for everyone.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Read highlands post. It makes perfect sense.

Let me put it to you in my terms. I work for a major accounting firm, and we have large departments that do tax returns for many corporations and businesses of all sizes. Now, I don't actually do those services, but in the consulting world we go out and give recommendations to clients based on workshops of understanding their business.

Time and time again, one of our main recommendations for companies and their tax departments is to outsource them. We have no problem giving them the numbers to backup that it is ultimately way cheaper to pay us (or another firm) to do the services we know than for you to try to setup, maintain, and perform them yourself with incompetent employees. That's just how it is.

You do sound a bit resentful, and some people may be able to do things on their own, but that doesn't mean it's for everyone.

You keep acting like this is a financial question when it is a moral one. You can't tell me a highly trained medical professional can't make a living without a corporation. You both sound a little condescending but, I don't hold that against you. Moral standards are tough.

 

[JSt0rm]

tell them to produce your signature saying you would pay.

 

[Slew Foot]

You keep acting like this is a financial question when it is a moral one. You can't tell me a highly trained medical professional can't make a living without a corporation. You both sound a little condescending but, I don't hold that against you. Moral standards are tough.

Because starting your own hospital is just like selling tacos out of a truck.

 

[sportage]

No it does not go against you. Credit bureaus no longer hold bad stuff from medical against you.
Guess it was hurting too many people and so businesses had a hard time approving credit worthy people due to negative hits from doctors and hospitals.
So it was changed. In favor of businesses, naturally.
They charged it so more people could get credit and thus businesses can sell more stuff.
It wasn't changed because they felt sorry for anyone.
Only to help businesses get more people approved.

Also, you could claim that you DID call the office and canceled the appointment a week earlier.
I mean, who would know?
And that puts the fault back into their corner.
Obviously, an office communications screw up.
Right!?

 

[TheVrolok]

You keep acting like this is a financial question when it is a moral one. You can't tell me a highly trained medical professional can't make a living without a corporation. You both sound a little condescending but, I don't hold that against you. Moral standards are tough.

I have no idea how you manage to get around with that massive chip on your shoulder.

You have absolutely no idea what it would entail to "go it alone" in medicine, yet you sit there on your high horse and claim it's a moral choice. That's truly absurd. Do you honestly believe you just hang a shingle and people come to see you and that's that?

I wouldn't take a pay cut starting my own practice, I would be massively in the red. How much do you know about health care law, regulations, insurance? It sounds like very little.

The closest thing to what you're describing these days are "concierge" practices where physicians often are in a "cash only" business and live by their own rules. Often times they actually do fairly well for themselves, but do you want to know why? Because the practices tend to have patient panels comprised of healthy wealthy people who can afford such a service. You know who gets left out? The poor and the sick. Moral choice, certainly! I'd rather get paid less and take care of those who others would not, which is exactly what I do now.

Our corporation has a program for the uninsured to provide service at low to no cost. This is utilized fairly frequently by patients in my clinic. These are people who would get 0 care in the "private" world. Are there massive problems with "corporate" medicine? Of course there are, but there are some benefits as well - like spreading out these losses.

Your brazen ignorance is impressive. I guess it's all about you.