Starr_79
11-01-2004, 06:21 PM
I need some advice about getting a refund for a Dr. visit, and for making complaints about Dr.'s and a clinic. I will try to tell my situation as quickly as possible here.
About two weeks ago I began having alot of symptoms of a bladder infection. So I went to the immediate care center. This place cost me $60 but the sliding scale clinic ($15) had a 4 day wait. I figured I needed to get in immediately since a bladder infection can turn into worse so fast.
I was seen, and the Dr. told me I had a pretty bad infection, and gave me 3 days of medicine. After the 3 days of meds I was feeling better, but not completely. Two days after that my symptoms were back worse than ever. I called the immediate care center, and they gave me 3 more days of the same meds. 3 days later, I still wasn't better. So I called again. This time I was told, "If you aren't better now, you need to come in again." So, still thinking I was dealing with a bad bladder infection, I went to the IC center again. They did another urine test and said that I did not have a bladder infection. They also said I probably never had one.
So here is where it gets sticky. The Dr. I saw that day, told me I would need a pelvic exam and a sonogram to see what was going on. He put me on a different medication "just in case", and told me to come back in two days, regardless of how I was feeling, to have those tests done. He also told me what hours a female Dr. was working that day, in case I perfered a female for that type of exam.
So now I knew I didn't have an infection, and I was thinking, "Ok, now I should go over to the sliding scale clinic." But I asked how much it would be for those tests, and the Dr. told me $100 plus the office visit. I figured that was a very good price for and exam and a sonogram, and plus, they already had all my info. So 2 days later I went back in. The female Dr. told me sonograms have to be scheduled, because they have someone who comes around with a machine on certain days, and that costs $150, and that yes they could do an exam, but that would cost me $160+, and since I was paying out of pocket, maybe I should go to the sliding scale clinic. I told her I would do that. I asked for more Pyridium as that was the only thing giving me any relief, and she said I couldn't have anymore, no she wouldn't give me anything else, and go get the OTC stuff. I also asked if I could have a prescription for my exama creme. She called that in for me, though I asked for a written presciption, knowing that I didn't have the $ to pay for it right then.
So, after doing nothing for me except calling in a prescription, they still charged me the $52 follow-up visit fee. I was so angry and annoyed that I just paid it. Trying to discuss it at that moment would have ended up with me either bawling right there, or screaming at them! That was Friday night. I called them this morning, calm now, to see who I would need to talk to, to dispute the fee. It was the Dr. I saw. (Unbelievable to me.) When she called me back she was very snotty, and after a long discusion/argument, she told me that she had to charge me because she had diagnosed my exema, and prescribed me medecation for it. She did not even look at my exema, and I told her what prescription I use. She certainally didn't "diagnose" it. Secondly, they knew I had no insurance, and she knew I was going to be going to another Dr. ASAP, so I would think that if her filling that prescription would cost $52 that I otherwise wouldn't be charged, that she should have told me beforehand.
Now, It is going to be next Friday before I can be seen again, if the first Dr. had not given me false info, I could have been in today or tomorrow. If he hadn't given me false info, I would never have gone back in to the IC center. Tomorrow I am going to go down there and try to talk to the manager, but they wouldn't tell me when she would be in, just "sometime in the morning". I don't expect to get very far with her either. So, after all of this (sorry I know, by now it sounds like it should be in vent/whine), what I need to know is, where do I go if the "manager" doesn't help me. If she won't give me back my money, I imagine I won't be getting it back. But I at least want to make some SERIOUS complaints about the center, and about the attitude of the female Dr. and the fact that she diagnosed me with the infection the first time, when the test was negative, and about the fact that the male Dr. had so little idea what was going on that he ended up delaying my treatment, and costing me money. And I have no idea where I would do this. If you can help me I would really appreciate it.
P.S. Sorry this was so long. :(
About two weeks ago I began having alot of symptoms of a bladder infection. So I went to the immediate care center. This place cost me $60 but the sliding scale clinic ($15) had a 4 day wait. I figured I needed to get in immediately since a bladder infection can turn into worse so fast.
I was seen, and the Dr. told me I had a pretty bad infection, and gave me 3 days of medicine. After the 3 days of meds I was feeling better, but not completely. Two days after that my symptoms were back worse than ever. I called the immediate care center, and they gave me 3 more days of the same meds. 3 days later, I still wasn't better. So I called again. This time I was told, "If you aren't better now, you need to come in again." So, still thinking I was dealing with a bad bladder infection, I went to the IC center again. They did another urine test and said that I did not have a bladder infection. They also said I probably never had one.
So here is where it gets sticky. The Dr. I saw that day, told me I would need a pelvic exam and a sonogram to see what was going on. He put me on a different medication "just in case", and told me to come back in two days, regardless of how I was feeling, to have those tests done. He also told me what hours a female Dr. was working that day, in case I perfered a female for that type of exam.
So now I knew I didn't have an infection, and I was thinking, "Ok, now I should go over to the sliding scale clinic." But I asked how much it would be for those tests, and the Dr. told me $100 plus the office visit. I figured that was a very good price for and exam and a sonogram, and plus, they already had all my info. So 2 days later I went back in. The female Dr. told me sonograms have to be scheduled, because they have someone who comes around with a machine on certain days, and that costs $150, and that yes they could do an exam, but that would cost me $160+, and since I was paying out of pocket, maybe I should go to the sliding scale clinic. I told her I would do that. I asked for more Pyridium as that was the only thing giving me any relief, and she said I couldn't have anymore, no she wouldn't give me anything else, and go get the OTC stuff. I also asked if I could have a prescription for my exama creme. She called that in for me, though I asked for a written presciption, knowing that I didn't have the $ to pay for it right then.
So, after doing nothing for me except calling in a prescription, they still charged me the $52 follow-up visit fee. I was so angry and annoyed that I just paid it. Trying to discuss it at that moment would have ended up with me either bawling right there, or screaming at them! That was Friday night. I called them this morning, calm now, to see who I would need to talk to, to dispute the fee. It was the Dr. I saw. (Unbelievable to me.) When she called me back she was very snotty, and after a long discusion/argument, she told me that she had to charge me because she had diagnosed my exema, and prescribed me medecation for it. She did not even look at my exema, and I told her what prescription I use. She certainally didn't "diagnose" it. Secondly, they knew I had no insurance, and she knew I was going to be going to another Dr. ASAP, so I would think that if her filling that prescription would cost $52 that I otherwise wouldn't be charged, that she should have told me beforehand.
Now, It is going to be next Friday before I can be seen again, if the first Dr. had not given me false info, I could have been in today or tomorrow. If he hadn't given me false info, I would never have gone back in to the IC center. Tomorrow I am going to go down there and try to talk to the manager, but they wouldn't tell me when she would be in, just "sometime in the morning". I don't expect to get very far with her either. So, after all of this (sorry I know, by now it sounds like it should be in vent/whine), what I need to know is, where do I go if the "manager" doesn't help me. If she won't give me back my money, I imagine I won't be getting it back. But I at least want to make some SERIOUS complaints about the center, and about the attitude of the female Dr. and the fact that she diagnosed me with the infection the first time, when the test was negative, and about the fact that the male Dr. had so little idea what was going on that he ended up delaying my treatment, and costing me money. And I have no idea where I would do this. If you can help me I would really appreciate it.
P.S. Sorry this was so long. :(