PO'ed at my soon to be EX Opthamologist

[SirSnookalot]

Go to the opthamologist several months ago for a heath exam and eye test for a new prescription. After getting the new script I tell my wife that I didn't think the Dr's subordinate did it properly but I go ahead get 2 pair of glasses made. I gave the new glasses a trial period of about a month and I never could get used to them. Made a new eye appointment to see if script was filled properly or the script just wasn't right in the first place, the script was wrong at I was issued a new one. This doctor has an adjoining optometry shop which she owns, would not make new lenses for me even though it was her mistake, expected me or the company that made the glasses for me eat the cost, that in itself ticked me off, but my optometrist gladly re made them at no cost to me.

Now this really adds insult to injury, the first appointment was covered by insurance, upon leaving the second appointment the office staff said no charge to me, I thought I was done. I just get a bill in the mail for the second appointment, billing my insurance company also billing me for the copay, only $30. but it's the principal, after all it was their mistake to begin with.

I had a good mind to send a letter of complaint however I'm just paying and forgetting it as my wife sees this Dr for her glaucoma and this Dr is a specialist in that area.

[Redlinerobert]

I recently switched eye doctors as well.  I'd been going to the same one for several years and ran out of contacts one day.  I called his office and asked for a set to carry me over.  Since my prescription had expired his staff would not give them to me.  I tried several times to talk to the doc and was not allowed to talk to him.  My prescription's been the same for the last several years, so I figured what was the big deal?

[Fishing Rhino]

Your doc makes a mistake and expects you to pay the co-pay? That's outrageous. I'd notify the insurance company and let them sort it out with your doc.

If you feel that would affect how the doc treats your wife, then you really need to get a new doctor.

Keep in mind that malpractice lawyers and their families need medical care. They'd be in big trouble if doctors held grudges.

My wife was the chief nursing officer of a three hospital system, until her retirement, last year. While not common, it is not a rare occurrence for a patient to have serious complaints about their care to the point that some end up suing the hospital.

While it's not an everyday thing, it's inevitable that "incidents" will happen simply because imperfect (patient and care providers) are human. Sometimes the complaint is legit, sometimes not.

When one thinks about it, no normal person enjoys being in a hospital. It's a place where people are sick or injured, and therefore not in the best frame of mind.

The hospital will still do their best for patients who lodge complaints. It goes along with the turf.

[SirSnookalot]

Your doc makes a mistake and expects you to pay the co-pay?  That's outrageous.  I'd notify the insurance company and let them sort it out with your doc.

My guess is the doctor is totally unaware as the billing department tends to these matters.  My wife likes the doctor and even more doesn't like rocking the boat so I'm just standing pat, as for me I'll be making a change.  I don't think contacting the insurance company is worth the effort in this case.

As far as malpractice goes, my son in law is a malpractice attorney in Indiana, tells me most doctors in town know him and his personal treatment is stellar, I guess it's easy to figure out why.

[Sam]

After getting new glasses I bring them back to the doctor's office so they can put them on a machine that checks the prescription.

Sounds like your doctor is taking advantage of you.

I know your wife likes the lady and teh doctor may be a wonderful physician, but I suggest you find another eye doctor as you have been taken advantage of very badly.

And if you leave her please send her a nice letter explaining why. The doctor needs to know. Also, maybe it was her staff that billed you out of stupidity without the doctor's knowledge. Check it out.

Good luck and sorry you had a problem.

Happy New Year! 

[South FLA]

Doctors are a dime a dozen, some good some bad, most people are to loyal to their particular doctor for who knows what.  I know you don't want to "rock the boat,"  but if a NEW Rx was issued for your glasses was different from the first Rx, then ask the Doctor why the Rx changed in so little time, and why you would have to eat the cost of the second pair and subsequent follow up visit copay.  No need for confrontation just straight forward answer.  If she doesn't give one to you then ask the doctor personally for a transfer of medical records to another ophthalmologist and state that you will be filing a grievance with the insurance company for your stated reasons.

Most likely the reason she will not cover the cost of second glasses is that she gets very little reimbursement from the insurance company on the glasses and may actually LOSE money on the second go around, especially if your really fancied up the glasses with non-reflective coating, poly lenses, and the latest progressive technology.  If the doctor is smart she will eat the cost of these glasses and keep you around for you and your wife's medical test, believe me its a nice stream of cash coming in if you go there regularly for glaucoma visits, visual field test, and eye pressure test.  Remember some doctors don't work for free and are not "in the business" to provide unselfish care and look out for a patient's needs, they are in the business of medicine even if they hide behind their oath.

Also, ophthalmologist have the best of both worlds and that they usually are affiliated with a optometry office, and get money in their pockets from referring to themselves to fill the prescription out of their optometry shop.  Most of the time you are better off seeing the real "MD" (ophthalmologist)   for diseases of the eye and the Dr. of Optometry for visual acuity test.  Don't let them say that its not recommended you fill the prescription somewhere else, blah blah blah.  Its a OBJECTIVE measurement that can be filled anywhere and if the Rx is right the glasses are right. 

I worked for 3 years setting up various software ophthalmology and optometry medical practice programs and know the "tricks" of the trade.  If you want a couple of good "Docs" in the Palm Beach County area send me a PM and I will send you a list.   

[done]

I would get a hold of whatever certification board manages them and file a complaint, I would find any and all places to formally lodge a complaint and do so. If you have a legal option I would do that as well.

Seems you have already done your part to settle this amicably and been treated like crap for it.

[SirSnookalot]

As I'm out only $30 from my own pocket, it doesn't warrant taking any legal action. or filing a complaint.  The only thing that I may do is hand deliver the check and give the billing department a piece of my mind, I'd probably be unable to see the DR. and give her a piece of it too.  The dr is probably not aware of the billing, but should have made new lenses as her cost is quite nominal.

[grimlin]

My doctor scarred me for life. I lost my hearing entirely.

You are complaining about something over $30....

You don't want to hear me rant about Doctors....I'll go on for months and months...I hate em'.....with a passion.Yeah I'm a little bitter about it...I feel i got the right to be though.

[The Rooster]

My doctor scarred me for life. I lost my hearing entirely.

You are complaining about something over $30....

You don't want to hear me rant about Doctors....I'll go on for months and months...I hate em'.....with a passion.Yeah I'm a little bitter about it...I feel i got the right to be though.

Wow, I'm sorry to read that. You have my deepest sympathy.

I wanted to post and tell you about using the attorney general. There should be one for your state, I'm under the impression that there is one for every state.

I had a problem with a hospital surgeon who put me at risk when I had a bad staph infection and was hospitalized for it. He came up to my room to inspect the wound after the ER had drained and packed it the night before to see if anything else was needing to be done for it. He pulled the packing out of the wound, said it looked fine and that a nurse would be in to repack it, then left me that way with all that infection laying loose on my leg. No one else could touch it for fear of infection themselves so I just had to lay there with it spread out like that. Then 3 hours goes by, I'm calling the nurses the whole time and telling them I need attention, even told them why.

They finally come in and are shocked by what they see. They said he had not even signed in on the floor so no record he was there, left no notes for them either. They were not able to repack it as the wound had already started to close up, healing since it no longer had the packing in it.

Then on a follow up visit to my doctor a few days later, she too was shocked that he had done that and said it might have to be reopened again if the antibiotics didn't take care of it on their own.

If you've ever had a staph infection then you know how painful they are, and mine was the size of my fist. I'd rather have a broken leg than go through that again. Fortunately for me, it did not have to be reopened and after 2 weeks of antibiotics, I was fine.

But hearing that, and worrying about it for that long, I decided I was not going to be paying his bill in full. He had the nerve to send me a bill for $176. I said he was deserving of something because he came in and did "some" of his job looking at the wound to see if it needed further attention. That was him using his knowledge to benefit me. But he did not take care of me fully so I did not feel I should pay his entire bill. So I called his office and requested the bill be cut down.

His office manager wholly disagreed with my assessment of it. After several months of fighting them on it, several calls where they finally said they would not talk to me about it anymore, and several letters sent to me saying it was going to collections, and even finally talking to a collector............I said I was calling the attorney general.

I did, and they sent me a paper to fill out telling my story and what I would like as an outcome to this. I said I'd agree to pay $100 only. No more. I never heard anymore about it until I got a new bill from the surgeon with a $100 balance showing.

It was a small victory for me, but I got exactly what I wanted out of it, they know they were wrong and even though they thought they could strong arm me, they could not do the same against the attorney general.

This is a free public service, it's not like you are hiring an attorney at law. It's not the same thing. It just took me one phone call to them to get it done.

[Bassn Blvd]

That sucks and I would definitely make a complaint.  AND don't sell yourself short by thinking the doctor isn't familiar with the billing department.  I'd bet your co-pay that your doc is more familiar with the billing dept. than she/he is with you.

[SirSnookalot]

I was not complaining, only mentioning my dissatisfaction with the entire process that took place with this doctor.  It isn't worth the time and effort to do anything but pay the bill and move on, I vented and I'm over it.

I'm sure there are many horror stories out there regarding medical procedures and treatments that have gone awry for some reason, we have had them in this household.  This thread is about my disagreement in how a doctor runs their office, not medical complications, whether it being the doctors fault or one's body just not responding as intended.

[Lund Explorer]

I was not complaining, only mentioning my dissatisfaction with the entire process that took place with this doctor. It isn't worth the time and effort to do anything but pay the bill and move on, I vented and I'm over it.

I'm sure there are many horror stories out there regarding medical procedures and treatments that have gone awry for some reason, we have had them in this household. This thread is about my disagreement in how a doctor runs their office, not medical complications, whether it being the doctors fault or one's body just not responding as intended.

Glad to hear that a good venting helped you clear the air.  I've always been a big fan of scream therapy!

Had I been in your shoes though, I would have probably used the effort expended here, to write a "nasty-gram" to the doctor in question.  I wouldn't have gotten the same quick response from the doctor that you got from the BR family, but I would know deep down that the specific person got the message.

Just saying.....