Round 1
In July I went to the ophthalmologist for my annual check up. For me one of the worst things about going to the ophthalmologist is getting your eyes dilated.
I get called back into the dark room and go through the motions of reading the random letters and numbers across the room. Then the doctor dilates my eyes, which in turn start watering. Now
I can’t see anything. As he leans in to examine my corneas, he says, “Oh, there is an eyelash in your eye.” “Ok”. I reply. He removes the eyelash and continues on with the rest of the exam. He ceremoniously scribbles some notes into my chart, tells me I am healthy, and sends me on my way. I pay my $25 co-pay and blindly make my way home.
Round 2
Several weeks later I receive a bill from the ophthalmologist for an additional $20. Over the next several weeks I go several rounds between the insurance company and the doctor’s accountant. The only explanation I can get from the insurance company is that the extra $20 is because I saw a specialist. Then I call the doctor’s accountant and she tells me that because the doctor is an ophthalmologist I am charged extra. Well I am sorry aren’t all eye doctor’s ophthalmologist?
Round 3
Finally after several rounds calls, I get the head of accounting on the phone. She tells me that the reason I was charged as “seeing a specialist” was because the doctor removed an eyelash from eye. That simple eyelash removal cost me $20 and bumped my simple annual eye exam from routine to specialized. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYTHING SO CRAZY? I proceed to tell the head of accounting that she and this charge are ridiculous. She proceeds to compare my eyelash removal to the removal of a polyp. I told her she was comparing apples to oranges. There was no way in hell I was paying $20 for something I could have done myself. Finally she throws in the towel and removes the $20 fee. She closed our conversation by saying that it would have been “irresponsible for the doctor to leave the eyelash in your eye. If you don’t want comprehensive care then maybe you should go someplace else”. “Consider it done” I replied and hung up.
