Doctor's Fees...A Rant!

[Sinbad]

Id like to know if anyone here has had a huge payout of the medical aid, anything upwards of R100 000.

Not in one go, but year before last discovery paid out a total of R120k for my SO and I.

 

[Haldex]

Not in one go, but year before last discovery paid out a total of R120k for my SO and I.

For having a baby or something else?

 

[Rocket-Boy]

I get annoyed when a specialist charges you R900 for the follow up visit to tell you there isnt anything wrong with you. That could have been done over the phone or not charged for. 1minute, that is all it took to say, "there is nothing wrong with you, it was probably a fever" oh and now you owe me R900.

 

[Sinbad]

For having a baby or something else?

SO had tooth implants, I was in surgery for kidney stones.

 

[IzZzy]

My parents' medical aid paid out +- R600k in one go for my old man's triple bypass.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

I was in surgery for kidney stones.

You need to drink more beet, boet!

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

While I still have comprehensive medical aid (which was for 5 years) I think FedHealth paid out like R5000 in total. That's when I said Fsck this ****!

 

[Celine]

well i certainly can't complain about paying the fee for any doctor or specialist. i pay for 1 specialist and get 2 or 3 nosing in my business because of my complex disorder. they all want to know what's going on and then the whole doctors rooms do research and i get their undivided attention LOL. sometimes i actually feel like a guinea pig.

 

[Sinbad]

well i certainly can't complain about paying the fee for any doctor or specialist. i pay for 1 specialist and get 2 or 3 nosing in my business because of my complex disorder. they all want to know what's going on and then the whole doctors rooms do research and i get their undivided attention LOL. sometimes i actually feel like a guinea pig.

I had the same last time I let some dentist x-ray my teeth.

 

[Zenbaas]

I had the same last time I let some dentist x-ray my teeth.

What was wrong...?

 

[Sinbad]

What was wrong...?

My wisdom teeth are ... interesting. Kinda upside down and sideways and hella impacted.

 

[RiaX]

What I found ironic is their reluctance to do tests because of costs. Charge a grand for a consultation but a R200 blood test oh no...

Unless it's the usual run of the mill test something like a full blood count. That is fine even though the 3 previous docs did the same test.

LOL. The doctor is also a business man get over it. As the medical techniques get more advanced they cost more. The equipment costs more to maintain and to purchase obviously the Doctor is required to pay his own bills and he isnt going to do consultations for free.

Do you know whats the cost of medical equipment ? Lets leave the R&D costs because those are numbers beyond your imagination. Take an MRI for example. It requires specialised software, specialised computers, a liquid helium coolant (which costs about R200 000 per month per machine), the machine itself is going to cost about 10 million, not to mention a couple million to magnetically seal the room the machine is in. On top of that you require highly qualified people to operate it. So the procedure may only last a few minutes (because it has been designed that way to be comfortable for the patient) and you expect it to be cheap ? you think the neurologists equipment is any different ? hell even a scalpel is damn expensive and its just a blade. There are stitches that cost R20 000 why ? because they have been designed to disolve once you healed and its expensive to manufacture sterile equipment.

Now imagine if they didnt have a high consultation fee ? they wouldnt be able to pay their support staff, the electricity bill for these machines and they wouldnt have an income to justify a loan with the banks in order to apply for a loan to make a 15 million rand purchase from general medical or siemans medical for diagnostic machines.

Lets not even start with the cost of drugs. Dont expect a person who has studied 6 years in university to get their degree then done 3 years inservice (internship + com serv) then few years as a normal MO to gain experience to qualifiy to become a registrar which takes another 3-5 years and some extremely difficult tests then be a consultant in state practice in order to get experience to gain access to the private sector.

And you want this specialist doctor to charge what ? R200 ? they not doing something simple like cutting grass. Also the cost of your health is your own fault, you not suppose to be jumping doctors if they dont refer you. When you go to another doctor you suppose to take all your lab works and history with you so the doctor can build a picture of whats going on, if not he IS going to repeat the tests so that he wont have a malpractice lawsuit on his head. If they refering you to every doctor around then your case isnt a simple case of pins and needles and they doing it out of your best interest.

Bloods will be done multiple times depending on your condition because the status of your blood varies and changes over time with respect to diet, drugs and pathology progression.

Why dont you rant about why ferraris are expensive ? or what aeroplanes are expensive ? because you dont need those things. Since when you are entitled for cheap PRIVATE medical care ? if you want entitlement to cheap/free medical care there is the state option which is open to all.

How many more things you've bought that arent important that cost more than the consultation ?

you say he driving a porsche ? so what? he isnt suppose to enjoy the fruits of his labour ? what he suppose to do? take the bus? what car you drive ? and why do you think the doctor isnt entitled to a luxury vehicle ?

Limit the doctors on their consultation and you will have no doctors, the decent ones will just close shop and leave. then what will you do?

And also its not the doctors job to claim from your medical aid, they dont have to. Its your medical aid its your job to sort it out. Most doctors do it because its good business practice that is all it is its not a REQUIREMENT.

 

[Nerfherder]

Agree, doctors making a killing (weird pun). I have not had to visit one for a good couple of years and i am thankful. But when i did before that, was paying a fortune hopping between GP, and different ENT's!

I think it is ethically wrong for them to charge the rates they do, but they are professionals and the market will dictates what they charge.

So don't go to a doctor.

 

[Alan]

I just said they're in it for the money. As you said a businessman, nothing more and nothing less. None of this helping the sick BS they're there to make money off these people.

Thanks for going through all that to make my point. Appreciate it .

My problem though is the service. I never come across more apathetic, arrogant, close minded unaccountable morons. Hell the municipal officials, union goons and gangsters that the company I worked for dealt with were a more competent bunch.

 

[RiaX]

ok since you know so much more than them and they are so apparently useless why dont you do it yourself ?

quick to talk utter s**t when its something you need. There is no entitlement to anything get over it.

 

[Alan]

ok since you know so much more than them and they are so apparently useless why dont you do it yourself ?

good idea. No prizes for guessing who found the best indication of the underlying problem. Not the 19 docs with decades of experience but patient pleb amateur me through a private lab. Of course the lab's specialist never bothered with treatment despite promises to the contrary on at least 5 occasions. But I suppose I ask too much of him to deliver of the services promised for the exorbitant fee I paid. He studied for a decade and has staff and equipment to pay for after all

 

[wikk3d88]

I just said they're in it for the money. As you said a businessman, nothing more and nothing less. None of this helping the sick BS they're there to make money off these people.

Thanks for going through all that to make my point. Appreciate it .

My problem though is the service. I never come across more apathetic, arrogant, close minded unaccountable morons. Hell the municipal officials, union goons and gangsters that the company I worked for dealt with were a more competent bunch.

Jeez. Let us know which docs you frequent so we can avoid them. Ive dealt with specialists and super specialists who arent half as douchey as you describe.

 

[RiaX]

good idea. No prizes for guessing who found the best indication of the underlying problem. Not the 19 docs with decades of experience but patient pleb amateur me through a private lab. Of course the lab's specialist never bothered with treatment despite promises to the contrary on at least 5 occasions. But I suppose I ask too much of him to deliver of the services promised for the exorbitant fee I paid. He studied for a decade and has staff and equipment to pay for after all

oh ya and what is this diagnosis you came up with ? which you clearly did yourself

 

[ProfA]

correction..... Dr and Specialist fees is not per hour. It is per consultation. And in most instances a consultation is anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes.

And since when are we as consumers not allowed to complain about services and fees if they think they are ridiculous?

 

[RiaX]

you can complain but its going to do nothing, the cost is the cost. If you cant afford then too bad