Fees, fees and more fees
I am so sick and tired of fees. Fees on everything. We have taxes on everything, now we can tack on some fees, too. Just for good measure.
I know the natural gas folks have some BS fees for having gas on at our house. We're not using any, but by God, I'm paying about $10 a month for the privilege of not using any.
Just got a bill from the pediatric endocrinologist's office in Fort Worth. It is housed at the children's hospital. Apparently this is the first time my insurance hasn't paid this BS "fee" since we've been going there. Instead of my $35 copay for the luxury of sitting in a waiting room for an hour and a half with some of the smegma of society (who we all know will pay nothing for their services, but that is another blog entry), now I have to pay some concocted $31.88 for the "clinic fee."
Unfuckingbelievable.
So, for the benefit of our asses sitting in their seats and I guess for that three feet of paper that my son scrunches up when he crawls on the examination table (does that paper really keep him any more sanitary than without it anyway?).
I am so mad, I can't see straight. $31.88. I called the billing office at the hospital and her explanation was that the doctor is a private contractor and the $35 copay goes to him and the "clinic fee" is what the hospital gets. *shaking my head*
Maybe I should start tacking on fees to my writing contracts.
$38.95 fee for dealing with assholes
$12.87 fee for putting up with editor's stupid directions
$42.56 fee for having to wait till the article publishes before I get paid
I'm just thinking people wouldn't' go for it. So, how is it we get screwed with these fees? Because we're stuck with nowhere else to go. There are only a few doctors like this in the area and this is a good hospital. So, I get the happy task of paying these BS fees to cover those people who don't pay the hospital squat for their services.
GRRRRRR.
I know the natural gas folks have some BS fees for having gas on at our house. We're not using any, but by God, I'm paying about $10 a month for the privilege of not using any.
Just got a bill from the pediatric endocrinologist's office in Fort Worth. It is housed at the children's hospital. Apparently this is the first time my insurance hasn't paid this BS "fee" since we've been going there. Instead of my $35 copay for the luxury of sitting in a waiting room for an hour and a half with some of the smegma of society (who we all know will pay nothing for their services, but that is another blog entry), now I have to pay some concocted $31.88 for the "clinic fee."
Unfuckingbelievable.
So, for the benefit of our asses sitting in their seats and I guess for that three feet of paper that my son scrunches up when he crawls on the examination table (does that paper really keep him any more sanitary than without it anyway?).
I am so mad, I can't see straight. $31.88. I called the billing office at the hospital and her explanation was that the doctor is a private contractor and the $35 copay goes to him and the "clinic fee" is what the hospital gets. *shaking my head*
Maybe I should start tacking on fees to my writing contracts.
$38.95 fee for dealing with assholes
$12.87 fee for putting up with editor's stupid directions
$42.56 fee for having to wait till the article publishes before I get paid
I'm just thinking people wouldn't' go for it. So, how is it we get screwed with these fees? Because we're stuck with nowhere else to go. There are only a few doctors like this in the area and this is a good hospital. So, I get the happy task of paying these BS fees to cover those people who don't pay the hospital squat for their services.
GRRRRRR.
5 Comments:
At 11:52 PM, July 19, 2006,
Uzz said…
Uhh...I am going to have to charge you a Rant Fee for posting this. Sorry:-)
At 10:33 PM, July 20, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I have CAH like your child and two years ago couldn't afford my insurance because I got cancer also - I would be the "smegma of society as you called it because I was grateful to receive tax based assistance to help me fight cancer, monitor the CAH, and a thyroid condition that may also cause cancer. I was grateful for the help and worked all the way thru the cancer to help contribute to the tax based assistance. I did pay something and it wasn't like you ...I hope that you are never in the position to have so many medical conditions and have a job that just didn't cover it. Gas? Food? Pay for medication? Pay the deductible? hours at work being cut? business slow- I have cancer to now go along with my CAH? During that time period - I would of given anything to be able to pay the amount of your service fee out of pride. I'm glad that you will never go thru what I went thru.
The tax based assistance was a tax write of for the hospital but that didn't stop the feeling "smegma " around some like at the endo that I was at with after being a patient of two years had the NP doodle in the side what type of assistance i had but how funny that never mattered when I had insurance ...never listened when I had insurance so what did it matter from her. When I had insurance they took my money and thought it was anemia but it it was cancer and I know that your world will never fall apart where you have no money and can't live without help from others $35.00? what is that to someone like you if you have it? I paid my $5.00 fee to the clinics and the endo and cancer docs wouldn't take the fee that I was supposed to pay them. Yes ...I paid a 35.00 fee for cancer cat scans and x-ray test after the gall stones- the Cheif of Radiology did the test himself when the techs could of and he held my smegma hand all the way thru the procedure.
People are grateful and hopeful but we all aren't as fortunate but we are also human beings. While I was at the hospital - the one cancer doc decided not to come to the clinic and the next one didn't stay either and the next one didn't have the availabity either. You will never know how it feels to not have a doctor for your cancer to follow up becasue they just aren't available. How well society is doing is reflection on how well those with the least are treated. Even my endo made a point of telling me listen here I have 400 patients and they most all carry insurance .....mercy, mercy anyway I have insurance now but am grateful for the care I did receive when I didn't and am glad that my taxes do you to help others with their medical care. You will never have to hold off on getting hydrocortisome until payday because you were shot and then call the endo office to ask for samples and have the nice lady on the other end think you are asking for hydrocortisone cream. I have osteophrosis from the cortisone use and the cost of the medication for that is 60.00 for four pills and that is with insurance . Yes, the ladies at the endo's office look at me like trash when I beg for samples - I've gone passed my limit. I think sometimes why do I have CAH and what did I do for this - I read your blog- was a bright part of my day but I'm just smegma with CAH and other conditions. Through a series of events anyone can lose insurance but the medical conditions keep coming. I had to face a nurse that stood laughing at me behind a doctor after having her peer at the handy work of CAH surgery and that wasn't as humilating as losing insurance and being told by another nurse that I fell thru that cracks.
I have insurance know but I still don't feel any better.
Without insurance - I found the humanity of many and the scorn of few.
You have a right to your feelings and may everything always be great.
aimee
At 9:40 PM, July 23, 2006,
Army of Mom said…
Aimee, I wish I had an email address to respond to you. I am sorry for all that you have gone through. Just for your information, I've had cancer and numerous medical conditions in my past, so I know what you're going through in that situation. I hope that you recover fully.
And, I'm sorry if you took that comment personally. It was actually intended toward the illegal aliens who come into our country and take advantage of our medical system and leave me to pay for their care. I do not wish harm on anyone, all I'm saying is that it gets old having to pay for everyone else's care.
I'm glad you appear to be back on your feet financially and I wish you the best despite your obvious venom towards me.
As you know, with your health afflictions, it is expensive to have a chronic condition and we don't make lots of money. We also don't qualify for any kind of aid. So, we are one of those families that are sort of stuck in the middle. We have to pay everyone out for medical care and then we have to deal with the bill collectors who don't seem to understand that I don't have thousands just lying around to pay them and my monthly payments aren't enough to make them happy. But, I digress.
Please feel free to email me. I would never wish you any ill feelings. I feel like the broad CAH family is my family and that dig was certainly not intended to someone like you who is ill and trying. It is intended toward those who never care to do any better.
At 4:31 PM, July 25, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I really liked your world and enjoyed looking at it from time to to time. Smegma is scary to you and I wanted it some how show that those like me are human too and we admire your world. I don't even have follow up care for my cancer but I'm glad everything went safe for you. A year and a half ago the first oncologist/ gyno decided it was to much for him but I wasn't told until the day before my appointment and the next one after having a laugh with the local med students then couldn't make it for the next three visits but made it for the fourth and then decided it wasn't for him after going back and forth and the next cancer doctor decided not to come twice and that traffic was to much besides he may or may not so this month. Smegma isn't the highest concern even though this is a non- profit hospital that has a surplus of funds from the tax based assistance from a newspaper article and they have to now account for why they aren't using those funds. Illegals? i sat in a hall with other women that might of been illegal and I never asked but we all knew one thing that after missed appointment and missed appointment by doctors that didn't show for one reason or another that people like us are expendable. The goverment likes illegals here because the rich can get there houses clean plus get another one easy if she dies from cancer and if poor smegma like me dies also from a recurance no big deal either what a shame she was waiting for her private insurance to kick in but in reality didn't have a cancer doctor that would show up at the clinic to help someone like that anyway - WE can always get another security gaurd to let us into our homes along with a new maid. That is the truth. When I had insurance for the 33 years I had to put up with the curiosity about CAH - I was a good teaching tool and now that I need medical follow up for cancer never mind the actual finding of the cancer - had to faint for help because the test missed it ...now that I actually need follow up care? it's not there and I'll hold my breath for the 7 months and hope for the best. My comment wasn't ment for venom but rather someone from a different social structure that admired you and was trying to show how it feels when you have nothing and still try to work but it really doesn't matter because things don't always get better. Everyone is different and I like to view your life on here ...it's beautiful.
Kids with CAH in Hatti or Mexico wouldn't have a chance. I can understand why a mother from Mexico would come here to work and use the Clinics and go back and forth. There government doesn't have the resources for them and they see hope here but hope for follow up cancer care for those with less? is something that isn't there anymore for low income American women and illegals because all the same to them and we are expendable - consistant care isn't possible if care at all. I'll manage with a Doctor where that isn't his speciality but at least he'll try.
Don't think anyone would have a choice to be illegal but we are all human. The countryies that they leave are beyound porverty and the best at this time they can do is pick the fruit and clean the houses. I read in the paper about a lady that was illegal and her daughter was in school getting great grades and in the ROTC.
I wrote to you because people that you see that you think that can do better are having a hard to but would like to better. I went to interview after interview for my field of study but I didn't have enough experience to get hired which was very discouraging.
I like you and it wasn't venom but wanted you to see a door to the other side and that people with CAH some illegal and some not are there too.
I did take your post in how it was meant and thought actually that the remarks were out of fear and frustration. I think the people with more money like when one social class nips at anther because then they just skate away for more tax breaks and rasies for each other.
Aimee
At 9:28 PM, July 25, 2006,
Army of Mom said…
Every once in a while we have to be smacked around to be thankful for what we have. Yeah, I have the luxury of being irritated at a $31.88 fee, because it might take me a while to pay it, but I CAN pay it. So, I hear what you're saying. I can't imagine going without care because I can't pay for it. I hope you come out of this safe and sound.
We have many issues with our CAH child and your case, in particular, makes me wonder if CAH plays more of a role in other issues than I would have thought.
Your points have been well made and I'm listening. I'm not heartless and don't blame anyone for wanting the best for their children. And, despite my rantings, I have many friends who are most likely not here legally. I've gained great insights into the lengths these families go to in an effort to do better for their children. I've met these folks through our soccer coaching. They are outstanding people and I'm proud to know them. It is just frustrating to me to have to pay for everyone with no breaks and watch others get the same things I get for free or close to it. Frustration is what it is. I believe in charity and contribute what I can as much as I can - even when we were really hurting, I still gave in whatever way I could whether it was time, talent or whatever. Anyway. I don't want you to think I'm some heartless bitch (ok, I'm only that way occasionally).
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