Farmer H has been forging through his usual routine, despite his medical procedure last Thursday that saw a wire inserted into his innards through the area above his left rumpus-cheek. It had a big square gauze bandage over it, sealed by clear tapey-glue stuff.
Farmer H had strict instructions, relayed by a more conscious Pony, not to take that bandage off. That if it started to peel loose, to tape it down. It was supposed to last two weeks, until Farmer H's return visit.
Since the day of the procedure, that area has been seeping. I suppose. I expected a little blood to collect that day. Then for it to seal itself off, with the blood turning brown. Au contraire. Every day there has been red blood. Due to gravity, it collects at the bottom of the clear see-through bandage area. I liken it to a tray of meat with one of those soaker-upper thingies on the bottom. It gets saturated, then a little leaks out.
Apparently that bandage area is not hermetically sealed. Though to be fair, the bottom right corner started to peel loose just a smidge. So Farmer H has been soaking up some of that leaky blood on the area of his tighty-once-whities that lies over it. I know, because I am tasked with spongebathing Farmer H in the evening. Don't even think it's porno-worthy like George Costanza overhearing his mom's hospital roommate getting a spongebath!
Anyhoo... Farmer H called his doctor on Monday, and played phone tag until he was told to come in Wednesday afternoon so they could take a look at it. At first, the phone nurse had said: "Just put on a new bandage!" But Farmer H reminded her that he was under strict orders NOT to remove that bandage. So the phone nurse said she'd ask his doctor, who made the appointment.
Anyhoo... the doctor took a look, and said that he didn't know why Farmer H was leaking, since the wound looked good. But that maybe it was because he had "poked a lot of holes there" before getting the wire where he wanted it. He could not find an actual leaking hole, so put on a new bandage. This one is rectangular, and puffier. Still the same size clear patch applied over it.
We'll see if this one will last until next Friday.
Anyhoo... Farmer H came home with a receipt for a copay of $35 for his office visit!
Don't that just beat all? He has a procedure, something goes awry, he's told to come in, and then CHARGED AGAIN!
I think this cost should have been part of the package deal for the procedure.
What say you?
6 comments:
I agree with you,they all want the All Mighty Dollar to line their pockets with. The good old country doctors are hard to find now days.
I don't know for sure how your system works (apart from badly), but I would think just replacing a faulty bandage shouldn't be charged for.
Alice,
Ain't THAT the truth! I sure miss my old doctor, who ex-Army. He was straightforward and didn't pussyfoot around. Ordered the tests he thought were needed. Same day, sometimes. Nothing to pad his pocket. No making you wait for a month to get a test or procedure. He left after the clinic became part of the BJC hospital system. Did not like their "standard of care" restrictions. Went back to working for the VA. Which was a system at least he was used to.
River,
Heh, heh! Right on both counts! Of course that doctor made more than Farmer H's $35. I think an office visit these days is billed for over $200. The insurance company gets a little discount with a negotiated price, and then pays the rest. I guess changing a bandage pays pretty well...
Follow-up should be covered! You could call the insurance provider, or the billing depatment of the medical provider. The check-in person might just charge the co-pay as a matter of fact. You wouldn't get a refund, it would be applied to his account, but $35 is $35!!
Kathy,
I AGREE! It wasn't Farmer H's fault something went wrong during this procedure. Considering how the nurse taking calls TOLD HIM TO CHANGE THE BANDAGE, I guess Farmer H is lucky that the worst thing that happened to him was getting charged a $35 co-pay! Maybe he should have emphasized that the doctor told him to come in and get checked out due to a complication of the procedure. I'm not sure if he did that.
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