Hello my Darlings!
The topic is extra fees.
Well here it goes, due to my Osteoarthritis I have to visit
my orthopedics most likely every three months, for shots, or for a referral for
pain management.
For the records! I love my doctor! She is the best. She is very compassionate and really takes
the time to hear me and clarify my concerns.
I been seeing her for a couple a years, if she would leave the practice
I would be devastated.
Traveling to work by train and the up and going down the
stairs of the train station triggers my aches and pains; by the third day going
to work, I am popping painkillers. The doctor recommended I work four days a week,
having three days off would give me time to handle the aches and pain before
the following workweek.
Here comes the tricky part…in order for my employer to grant
me reasonable accommodation to work four
days a week, I needed to provide a
letter from my doctor stating my condition and the reason why I should be allow
to work 4 days only.
The letter from my doctor clearly states that my medical
condition is permanent; however, my employer requires that I provide them an
updated letter from my doctor stating my condition every three months, which I
find ridiculous.
I have a co-payment of $30.00 every time I see a specialist,
$30.00 might not be much but in my situation, it is a lot when you have
exhausted your sick time and not being paid. The issue is, for my doctor to
issue me an up-dated letter for my employer. I have to pay besides the co-pay in addition
another $45.00 for the letter.
I find it unfair being charged for a letter when I have giving them business for a couple of years. Now a day, doctors do not even write, my
doctors speaks into a recording device explaining the reason of the visit, and
the diagnosis. The recorded summary goes
to a transcriber that transcribes the recording and uploads it to my medical
record. Therefore, in reality the doctor does not even have to take the time to
write, the assistant does the printing and stamping of the letter.
Therefore, my darlings, what is your opinion. I would like to hear your opinion. Should our doctor’s charge us for letters
stating our medical conditions?
