Doctor's Fees...A Rant!

[saksakgp]

A thousand rand for a 20 minute chat that ends up referring you for another thousand rand chat.

There should be a contingency fee. Pay R2500 only if there's a proper diagnosis that leads to medical problem being solved. If not, then settle for R250 (subsidy for your much needed further education).

 

[HavocXphere]

Yes its a rip-off.

I've seen public hospitals though from the inside.

Rip-off or not I'll pay for private.

 

[Carol35]

I don't have medical aid and have absolutely no problem using state hospitals. I don't mind the wait and have always received excellent service. 2 x births and a sterilization cost me in total R150.00. And the doctors and nurses were attentive and helpful. We were roughly quoted R200k for my moms hip replacement at a pvt hospital as the waiting list at Tygerberg was 4 odd years, we paid R25k for the actual hip and that bumped her up the list, she waited 7 months....and got her final bill recently R100. She needs her other hip replaced and they have put her on the short list for free. My daughter was in Red Cross ICU for 2 days a few years ago, cost us R0. I went to a pvt doctor this week because I have a cold and wanted a doctors note for work leave. I almost fell over when I was charged R330 with a few meds I could have got over the counter and was there for 5 minutes. Thanks, I will rather save my money than have medical aid that half the time still leaves you with doctors bills. Yes, state hospitals atre not the best looking and dont have a lot of mod cons, but in all my years of using them, I have never had a bad experience.

 

[Sinbad]

I suspect state hospitals in the cape are better than here in joburg.
My previous domestic's husband died in joburg gen 5 days after he was admitted. Still lying in the same bed in a corridor he was originally placed in, where he had not been given any food, drink or any other attention the entire time he was there.

My current domestic checked her 4 year old child in with diarrhea. She was phoned on the Friday evening to say her child had died. The doctors would not speak to her till Monday. She went in on Monday after a weekend of hell as you can imagine to find out what happened, only to be greeted by her alive and well child. It was her nephew that had died....

 

[Nanfeishen]

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.

+1

There has been no medical price guidelines in S.A. since 2010, so Doctors are no doubt exploiting this fact as never before at the expense of the patients.

There has been no national guideline to recommend what private doctors should charge since 2010, when the North Gauteng High Court threw out the 2007-2009 national reference price lists.
..............
Three years later, the lack of guidelines is making it difficult for the Health Professions Council of SA to adjudicate hearings in which patients claim they have been overcharged by a doctor.

Council spokesman Lize Nel said: "It is possible for doctors to overcharge because there are no guidelines that suggest reasonable fees".

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/02/26/doctors-fees-not-regulated

Exorbitant fees are nothing short of corruption, but then again that idea seems to be the current guiding light for the new S.A. anyway.

Corruption is the abuse of entrustedpower for private gain. It hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.

http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo?gclid=CN7c2f3e3bUCFW_KtAod9C8ASg

 

[D3nz]

I suspect state hospitals in the cape are better than here in joburg.
My previous domestic's husband died in joburg gen 5 days after he was admitted. Still lying in the same bed in a corridor he was originally placed in, where he had not been given any food, drink or any other attention the entire time he was there.

My current domestic checked her 4 year old child in with diarrhea. She was phoned on the Friday evening to say her child had died. The doctors would not speak to her till Monday. She went in on Monday after a weekend of hell as you can imagine to find out what happened, only to be greeted by her alive and well child. It was her nephew that had died....

That poor woman.
A few years back, my neighbour's adult son was in a state hospital, and only when she went to see him during visiting hours, was she told that he had passed away that morning.

 

[Carol35]

I suspect state hospitals in the cape are better than here in joburg.
My previous domestic's husband died in joburg gen 5 days after he was admitted. Still lying in the same bed in a corridor he was originally placed in, where he had not been given any food, drink or any other attention the entire time he was there.

My current domestic checked her 4 year old child in with diarrhea. She was phoned on the Friday evening to say her child had died. The doctors would not speak to her till Monday. She went in on Monday after a weekend of hell as you can imagine to find out what happened, only to be greeted by her alive and well child. It was her nephew that had died....

More than likely. Don't get me wrong, it's not pleasant visiting state hospitals but at the end of the day, it's practically free so cant really complain. The nurses are underpaid and short staffed but generally friendly, helpful and try their best. Lol, naturally if I was rolling in it, we would have medi aid so that should we need to visit a hospital, we get to stay in a semi hotel room with 3 course meals.

 

[Carol35]

Lol, when we went to visit my mom recently during her hip op, we got into a lift with the morgue people taking a body down to where ever they take them, my little daughters eyes were like saucers during the entire trip down. I thought they would at least have their own elevator but apparently not haha.

 

[Griz]

+1


Exorbitant fees are nothing short of corruption, but then again that idea seems to be the current guiding light for the new S.A. anyway.


http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo?gclid=CN7c2f3e3bUCFW_KtAod9C8ASg

LOL, thanks needed a good joke to start the weekend

 

[requiem]

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

I recently had a bad motorbike accident.

Hospital Bill was R170k. Discovery didn't object to paying.

As to doctors charging 3x the scheme rate. If you don't like the price they charge, find another specialist. He/she has no obligation to provide you a service at a price you deem fair.

There are many doctors, the more senior and the more skilled will charge as much as they like.

 

[RiaX]

The sense of entitlement is shocking ... have no problem buying apple stuff for 10k upgrading iphone 4 to 4S to 5 makes sense but a R900 medical consultation or premium for medical aid is totally unacceptable ...

moronic

 

[adsl2]

More than likely. Don't get me wrong, it's not pleasant visiting state hospitals but at the end of the day, it's practically free so cant really complain.

Wrong, we pay tax and definitely can complain...

 

[Stefanmuller]

A thousand rand for a 20 minute chat that ends up referring you for another thousand rand chat.

There should be a contingency fee. Pay R2500 only if there's a proper diagnosis that leads to medical problem being solved. If not, then settle for R250 (subsidy for your much needed further education).

Exactly my gripe as well. You cant go directly to a specialist without GP referral, and it seems the only thing GP's can handle are common colds, warts and 4 stitches.

The major reason for high fees are the shocking state our public healthcare is in. This is ironically also the golden goose for private practitioners. They can ask whatever they want because firstly, the public option is practically a no-brainer non option because it is your health we are talking about, secondly the GP referred you to a private specialist as a norm and thirdly, there is no option when it comes to your health.

If public medical care gets up to the level it should be, private practitioners will have to drop their prices in order to keep their market. It may also mean that they rather leave the country and earn Canadian Dollars instead with guarenteed paid debtors.

 

[binkybozo]

The sense of entitlement is shocking ... have no problem buying apple stuff for 10k upgrading iphone 4 to 4S to 5 makes sense but a R900 medical consultation or premium for medical aid is totally unacceptable ...

moronic

No IPhones, IPads or Macs in our house. Still using an old Samsung phone and a old Acer laptop, oh and driving a 4 year old Yaris. Yep, I am living the life of luxury. Not complaining about my standard of living mind you, it could be tons worse. Don't like being called moronic by someone who knows nothing of my personal life or standard of living.

 

[xumwun]

I recently had a bad motorbike accident.

Hospital Bill was R170k. Discovery didn't object to paying.

As to doctors charging 3x the scheme rate. If you don't like the price they charge, find another specialist. He/she has no obligation to provide you a service at a price you deem fair.

There are many doctors, the more senior and the more skilled will charge as much as they like.

Either the doctors or the medical aids are screwing us if this happens (or both).
It's total BS IMO. I don't want to pay a premium every month only to be left with 2/3 of the bill afterward.

 

[Niner]

Hi, as a medical specialist(obstetrician and gynaecologist) I'd like to weigh in here and explain why we charge what we do.

Firstly, overheads - Malpractice insurance - R25000 per month!!!
- Rooms - R7000pm
- Loans(to be able to set up a practice in the first place - R600000 over 5 years) R12000pm,
- practice staff - R16000pm
- billing software - R7000pm
- auditor/financial planner - R3000pm

Those are just the big ones. My ultrasound machine is 5 years old. A new one (so you can see your baby better) is another R550000 or 11000pm. All of these have to be payed every month and then we still need to pay tax - roughly a third of my net income after expenses. Ultimately, I take home between 25% and 30% of what I write in a month, meaning I need to write R200000 to take R50000 home at the end of the month.

Then you still have to write off bad debt, pay for consumables, income protection etc.

Don't get me wrong - I love what I do and seeing the joy on a parent's face when you deliver a healthy baby really is it's own reward - but that reward doesn't pay my rent/food/petrol etc.

 

[w1z4rd]

This thread is so much fail. /sigh

At least a little common sense in this thread:

Hi, as a medical specialist(obstetrician and gynaecologist) I'd like to weigh in here and explain why we charge what we do.

Firstly, overheads - Malpractice insurance - R25000 per month!!!
- Rooms - R7000pm
- Loans(to be able to set up a practice in the first place - R600000 over 5 years) R12000pm,
- practice staff - R16000pm
- billing software - R7000pm
- auditor/financial planner - R3000pm

Those are just the big ones. My ultrasound machine is 5 years old. A new one (so you can see your baby better) is another R550000 or 11000pm. All of these have to be payed every month and then we still need to pay tax - roughly a third of my net income after expenses. Ultimately, I take home between 25% and 30% of what I write in a month, meaning I need to write R200000 to take R50000 home at the end of the month.

Then you still have to write off bad debt, pay for consumables, income protection etc.

Don't get me wrong - I love what I do and seeing the joy on a parent's face when you deliver a healthy baby really is it's own reward - but that reward doesn't pay my rent/food/petrol etc.

 

[KleinBoontjie]

I wonder if the Doctors still take that Hippocratic Oath, or maybe they should update it to reflect the new ways.
A lady friend of mine cut herself the other day, while she was standing in medi-clinic, bleeding on the floor, they told her that she needs to pay R650 upfront before they can help her......WTF, it's no more: "Go out of your way to save a life", no it's more like: "Go the extra mile to make money"

 

[RiaX]

No IPhones, IPads or Macs in our house. Still using an old Samsung phone and a old Acer laptop, oh and driving a 4 year old Yaris. Yep, I am living the life of luxury. Not complaining about my standard of living mind you, it could be tons worse. Don't like being called moronic by someone who knows nothing of my personal life or standard of living.

Its moronic because you DONT use the services of a specialist everyday. If you cant afford if go to a state hospital, they work hard no matter what price they charge the patient will never be happy. Even if they gave you money people like you will be like "only R200? what rubbish is this"

as I said there is no entitlement for private practice

 

[RiaX]

I wonder if the Doctors still take that Hippocratic Oath, or maybe they should update it to reflect the new ways.
A lady friend of mine cut herself the other day, while she was standing in medi-clinic, bleeding on the floor, they told her that she needs to pay R650 upfront before they can help her......WTF, it's no more: "Go out of your way to save a life", no it's more like: "Go the extra mile to make money"

where you there ? because this story sounds like BS to me