Doctor wants my credit card on file and auth to automatically charge a minimum of up to $100

[Anonymous]

I would do it. I haven't had issues with being billed incorrectly; I've never had to pay a lot at the pedi anyway; I imagine an error can be contested if it's on a cc. It's not crazy to say no, however; I understand your reasoning and why it strikes you the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t work out a compromise, I would walk. Because if you give them a different guarantee of being paid, why do they need your credit card?

Because they want to get paid without hassle and the consequent expense to them, and they don't want to set up something special for the OP? I'm surprised at the level of vehemence and distrust here toward doctors whom you're entrusting with your health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would drop the doctor and recommend to all my friends to drop the doctor.

Nothing wrong with this. Nothing wrong with office changing the policy, either.

If a given medical office isn't a good fit anymore, you should change.

The billing policy makes it a bad fit. I am fine with paying the full estimated max copay upfront. I am not fine with we will bill you later but hold some arbitrary amount now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are people without credit cards supposed to do in this scenario?

Prepaid credit cards are easy to get for small amounts. Or they could pay the money before the visit.

Let's assume the person doesn't have a credit card because they don't have $100 to set aside like this. Then what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He's not that into you. Are you a bad patient? Not paying up in time? No show for appointments?

All Urgent Care facilities in Atlanta require it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are people without credit cards supposed to do in this scenario?

Prepaid credit cards are easy to get for small amounts. Or they could pay the money before the visit.

Let's assume the person doesn't have a credit card because they don't have $100 to set aside like this. Then what?

Then that person is a high risk for not paying their bill after the fact. So weeding those patients out may be exactly what this policy is aimed at doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are people without credit cards supposed to do in this scenario?

Prepaid credit cards are easy to get for small amounts. Or they could pay the money before the visit.

Let's assume the person doesn't have a credit card because they don't have $100 to set aside like this. Then what?

Then that person is a high risk for not paying their bill after the fact. So weeding those patients out may be exactly what this policy is aimed at doing.

Let's say the person has insurance with a $20 copay. Why should she be weeded out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are people without credit cards supposed to do in this scenario?

Prepaid credit cards are easy to get for small amounts. Or they could pay the money before the visit.

Let's assume the person doesn't have a credit card because they don't have $100 to set aside like this. Then what?

Then that person is a high risk for not paying their bill after the fact. So weeding those patients out may be exactly what this policy is aimed at doing.

Let's say the person has insurance with a $20 copay. Why should she be weeded out?

The doctor's office is a private business and can set their risk management policies as they please, as long as they are enforced consistently. If they want to lose a few customers with low co-pays but can't afford a $100 charge on their card, that's the risk they take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would only do this on an AMEX. Or give them a card you rarely use and call that card company to drop the daily limit to $100. I would not trust that this will not go badly at some point. Not sure it’s legal either, if they take insurance.

Agreed and that's not cool. If the doctors bank card processor catches them overbilling, they will get slapped down. What they are doing is creating transactions that are outside of the merchant rules, charge backs would not go in the doctors favor. The doc sounds greedy and dishonest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t work out a compromise, I would walk. Because if you give them a different guarantee of being paid, why do they need your credit card?

Because they want to get paid without hassle and the consequent expense to them, and they don't want to set up something special for the OP? I'm surprised at the level of vehemence and distrust here toward doctors whom you're entrusting with your health.

Doctors are just businessmen in white coats. They make money off of sick children, vulnerable people and human misery, no one should trust them not to take financial advantage when they have the opportunity.

[Anonymous]

I would probably just give them a fake cc number, like reverse a few digits. Then, if they ever try to change you under the policy, they’ll have to call you when it doesn’t go through. And if that happens and you decide you still want them to be your provider, you can just apologize for “inadvertently “ messing up the numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would do it. I haven't had issues with being billed incorrectly; I've never had to pay a lot at the pedi anyway; I imagine an error can be contested if it's on a cc. It's not crazy to say no, however; I understand your reasoning and why it strikes you the wrong way.

OP here: I once had my gas meter break and the gas company was charging me 10x what I owed, and it took months to get it resolved. Since then, I don’t allow for autopay unless a the bill should be the same every month / visit / defined period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t work out a compromise, I would walk. Because if you give them a different guarantee of being paid, why do they need your credit card?

Because they want to get paid without hassle and the consequent expense to them, and they don't want to set up something special for the OP? I'm surprised at the level of vehemence and distrust here toward doctors whom you're entrusting with your health.

Entrusting your doctor with your health is one thing, entrusting her sloppy front office workers with my credit card is another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would probably just give them a fake cc number, like reverse a few digits. Then, if they ever try to change you under the policy, they’ll have to call you when it doesn’t go through. And if that happens and you decide you still want them to be your provider, you can just apologize for “inadvertently “ messing up the numbers.

No, they take your card. You don't just give them some numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are people without credit cards supposed to do in this scenario?

Prepaid credit cards are easy to get for small amounts. Or they could pay the money before the visit.

Let's assume the person doesn't have a credit card because they don't have $100 to set aside like this. Then what?

Then that person is a high risk for not paying their bill after the fact. So weeding those patients out may be exactly what this policy is aimed at doing.

Let's say the person has insurance with a $20 copay. Why should she be weeded out?

The doctor's office is a private business and can set their risk management policies as they please, as long as they are enforced consistently. If they want to lose a few customers with low co-pays but can't afford a $100 charge on their card, that's the risk they take.

It's not the matter of "afford a charge". It tells me that they have a bad or a shady accounting/support stuff. They should know how much would be the bill or should be able to figure it out pretty fast.