I'm being charged for their mistake??

[Anonymous]

I show up to my appointment today and am told it was scheduled for yesterday. I put in in my calendar right as I scheduled it and Tuesdays were never going to be available so I know the receptionist had it down on the wrong day. Now I'm being charged a no-show fee of $75. I was told its up to the doctors discretion if it will be waived or not, and I was informed that he's unwilling to wave it. I have never been late, missed or failed to show for an appointment before and he doesn't seem to care that this was the offices mistake - not mine!

I'm not going back to this doctor, I'm so annoyed. But I don't see why I should have to pay for their mistake? The appointment was only going to cost me a $10 copay and I showed up when I was supposed to. What do I do about this?

[Anonymous]

1. Do you have one of those appt cards where they handwrite the day? (Proof that you were supposed to be scheduled today and the person put it in the computer wrong)
2. Call and ask to speak to the office manager. Calmly (and nicely!) explain the situation. If you've never scheduled an appt on a Tuesday and you have a long history at the practice, they might waive it. You have to understand that they probably hear the excuse "But I know I scheduled my appt for (insert date); I would NEVER have scheduled it for (insert date they missed appt)" quite a bit.

Your doctor's office doesn't do reminder phone calls that have the date and time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Do you have one of those appt cards where they handwrite the day? (Proof that you were supposed to be scheduled today and the person put it in the computer wrong)
2. Call and ask to speak to the office manager. Calmly (and nicely!) explain the situation. If you've never scheduled an appt on a Tuesday and you have a long history at the practice, they might waive it. You have to understand that they probably hear the excuse "But I know I scheduled my appt for (insert date); I would NEVER have scheduled it for (insert date they missed appt)" quite a bit.

Your doctor's office doesn't do reminder phone calls that have the date and time?

I doubt most people actually show up the next day for their appointment if it's just an excuse to get out of paying a no-show fee. The doctor is either being a jerk, or the person relaying the story (possibly also the person that mis-scheduled it) isn't conveying the whole story.

[Anonymous]

Please post his name here so I know never to use him as a doctor. That stinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Do you have one of those appt cards where they handwrite the day? (Proof that you were supposed to be scheduled today and the person put it in the computer wrong)
2. Call and ask to speak to the office manager. Calmly (and nicely!) explain the situation. If you've never scheduled an appt on a Tuesday and you have a long history at the practice, they might waive it. You have to understand that they probably hear the excuse "But I know I scheduled my appt for (insert date); I would NEVER have scheduled it for (insert date they missed appt)" quite a bit.

Your doctor's office doesn't do reminder phone calls that have the date and time?

I doubt most people actually show up the next day for their appointment if it's just an excuse to get out of paying a no-show fee. The doctor is either being a jerk, or the person relaying the story (possibly also the person that mis-scheduled it) isn't conveying the whole story.

I agree with you on your last sentence, however, I worked at a surgeon's office while I was in nursing school, and you'd be surprised by how many people show up the next day. Our doctors work 2 days a week, so it was pretty obvious. Had quite a few patients claim they had an appt on X day, when it was physically impossible for the scheduler to do so because the doctor is blocked off for X day and you can't make appts. But some people caught on that we had a PA in the office and if they threw a little fit, our boss would make them squeeze them in. Not saying that is OP, but I have lost a lot of faith in people after working there for 4 years.

[Anonymous]

PP here who worked at a doctor's office. I'll add that unless there is some bad history between the patient and doctor (patient is a PITA, has been rude to staff, etc) then I wouldn't go back to a doctor who wouldn't waive the fee just once. It's not like any normal person would announce it to everyone in the world that the doctor waived the fee.

[Anonymous]

I once had a doctor reschedule because he had to be out of the office but his office never called me so I showed up anyway. It happens both ways.

[Anonymous]

I'd try my best to resolve it politely and document it. If you can't resolve it, I'd file a complaint with the state medical board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd try my best to resolve it politely and document it. If you can't resolve it, I'd file a complaint with the state medical board.

This is good advice.