When Mike gets the mail in our enormous apartment complex he sings Postal Service’s “This place is a prison, and these people aren’t your friends…” That’s how I feel when I go to my OBGYN’s office. That waiting room is fucking HELL. The mindless receptionist took one look at my chart and said, “You need to go talk to billing.” She used the tone I would use if I were talking to an animal that just pissed on my couch. I told her I called and spoke with their billing department that morning and arranged to pay a small portion of the large balance*. She made a huffy noise and I went to find a seat.
I hate that waiting room. Being surrounded by pregnant women and their significant others is a bloody nightmare. Sitting in the same room where we waited to hear what came next after seeing our still baby inside of me, is fucking rough. The room was packed and I sandwiched myself between two very pronounced baby bumps. Shortly after the receptionist started calling my name. She began explaining to a pregnant woman near the door that I needed to go to the billing department. When she realized she was talking to the wrong person she just repeated louder that I needed to see the billing department IMMEDIATELY. So I did. They wanted me to make a payment on my balance then make a co-pay at the end of my doctor’s visit…um, BITE ME. After settling my bill I returned to the time out area waiting room and sat wishing I’d packed a flask.
On my walk home I found myself doing the same thing that Marty wrote about here: the game of what ifs. Trying to figure out where I went wrong: maybe it was the Diet Crush I drank on occasion but didn’t realize had caffeine (why is there caffeine in orange soda anyway)? Maybe I should have been more careful about not lifting heavy objects? I should have listened to my sister when she told me not to shovel the driveway. I should have taken it easier….
Even with all this, I feel a little bit better today. Mike and I have a fun weekend planned and I’m not even angry it’s raining outside and ruining my walk (anymore).
* When I called to make arrangements for paying off my balance the woman told me they would not be able to accept small payments and I needed to pay in full – wouldn’t that be nice?! That wasn’t nearly as bad as when she stated, “You’re pregnant” while trying to figure out why I was billed for my 1st prenatal visit 2 months later, instead of at the end. I had to tell her the freaking bills were due to my miscarriage and D&C. Cue crying.
Ugh. I can’t believe you had to explain that to the customer service person!
And also, since when do hospitals not accept payments on large bills? My dad had a huge bill years ago for a heart problem, and as long as he made regular payments, they never said a word.
They told me that as long as I stay current on my payments each month they PROBABLY won’t send me to collections. WTF?! I know they’re running a business and I’m probably being overly sensitive but it seems like the office staff could take a few lessons in customer service and manners.
I have never heard of such a thing. I can make payments on a trench coat or an 8-person box of place settings but for something YOU NEED, they won’t except installments?
Is there a medical board or something you can report this to? Because it’s inhumane.
This post made me simultaneously pissed off on your behalf and sad. I can’t believe that “You’re pregnant” bullshit. You would think they would be a little more sensitive with people who have freaking miscarriages.
I’m sorry.
I think it’s a prerequisite for people who work in doctors’ offices to be raging bitches. People are assholes. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this!
They won’t accept partial payments?? What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that?? When I get a bill from the doctor’s office, it doesn’t even have a due date on it. It just says “Balance Due” or something like that. It doesn’t tell me by when it’s due, so why couldn’t I just pay when I’m able?
I have a friend who said she deliberately paid only $20 every time her clinic sent her a bill, just to annoy them because she was so disgruntled with them. As far as I know, they didn’t send a collections agency after her, so hopefully they’ll ease off of you, too.
ubermilf,
They finally said they’ll accept payments but there were all vague about it…if I didn’t love my doctor so much I would find a new one.
marty,
My OBGYN office was surprisingly insensitive. It did seem to help their collections bitch, I mean person, ease up when I started crying.
punchlinewalking,
You are on to something with doctors’ office staff requiring their employees to be raging bitches.
Stefanie,
My bills also say “Balance Due” without a due date. When I told them I’d pay mid-month they said they would probably be able to keep from sending me to collections. BULLSHIT. I should probably say something to my doctor about her staffs’ inability to use any form of customer service but I have so much other shit going on that by the time I’m in her office I’m a bundle of nerves.
Yesterday was not my best…I also cried on the phone with the third medical billing company. The “customer service rep” sounded like Roz from Monster’s Inc. and was a regular fucking nightmare. When she realized I was crying she flatly said, “Are you crying? I CERTAINLY hope it wasn’t anything I said.” The bills have descriptions of my D&C and miscarriage…I guess the details don’t phase medical billing staff unless it has to do with not receiving enough money.
Pants,
I’m sorry you’re having to deal with such assholes. When you deal with a “non profit” hospital or organization, my understanding is they HAVE to accept payments but that is in Idaho – it may be different in Utah. Just the same, if you make payments, they aren’t going to turn you over to collection because then they know there’s a big possibility you’ll say “FU” and they’ll get NOTHING.
Hang in there. I know you must be having ups and downs (quite understandably) but your ups sounds more frequent and you are staying strong. Good for you.
Most privately owned hospitals are a total pain to deal with when arranging payment plans. I’m not sure if the place you went to is, but I did my nuepogen injections at Lakeview instead of Huntsman because I thought it would be cheaper to get those done closer to home. That was a big mistake. I found out that I wasn’t being billed for a nurse’s visit. Instead, they charged me emergency room fees each time, and I had a total of 30 injections from them. My bill was enormous. Dealing with their financial department was pure hell. Having to ward off their collection agencies while still going through cancer hell was almost more than I could bear. And some people still wonder why we need health care reform in this country?
Hang in there, Pants.
I think those who have gone through the pain of a miscarriage or lost a child should never be subjected to waiting in a room with a bunch of pregnant women or babies. That’s cruel!
I almost never complain about this because I do have kids already but I get really sad when I go to my gynecologist because of all the pregnant women. They sit and talk to each other about all the fun times. I had a hysterectomy and every time I see a pregant woman it makes me a little sad. I am not going to say I understand how you feel, but I think I can sort of relate and I’m sorry! When I had my hysterectomy they put me on the maternity floor. Nothing like knowing I will never have another baby again and hearing all the babies and new moms.
I can’t believe how insensitive they are being to you. You would think they would understand and help you out a little more!
I recall my wife going through a similar resentment towards pregnant women. It lasted for a bit of time, but somehow that will change. Not sure when or how… but it will.
First, I’m sorry about your situation. You probably won’t know why, over half of women who miscarry don’t find out why. It stinks and seems so incredibly unfair, and then to have a jerk like that one treat you so disrespectfully is so undeserved, so wrong.
Glad to know you’re feeling better today. Have a relaxing and fun weekend.
That totally sucks, Pants. You deserve so much better! It isn’t about you, though. The people who work there are mentally ill. It’s obvious. Have you ever read “Tongue Fu?” It’s amazingly helpful for dealing with people like that.