Medical rant.

[42]

Okay, in december I saw an emergency physicain for about a minute and a half. All the physician did was ask how I was doing and why I was in the emergency room. All of which I had told the medical assistant and crisis counselor. Then he started the paper work to get me admitted.

So this physician wants $427.00 for just talking to me and saying he didn't know what to do. I had nothing else done, no blood work, I didn't even have my heart rate checked.

I know that doctors put a lot a work to become doctors and have to adhere to a strict policies, but I'm starting to think that a lot of doctors are over-paid. My regular doctor gets paid $63 for a 5 minute visit.

Now I know alot of people who have Phds and have been through years of interning and don't get paid anywhere close to those figures. So why do doctor gets paid so much?

[Brenna]

Yipes, that's terrible, 42!  I hope insurance covers some of it, at least.

I don't know why doctors get paid so much, but it's not always nice to have that much--they've still got to pay off huge debts from school, usually (medical school being rather on the high-end for cost of education), and malpractice insurance costs are absolutely crazy--sometimes costing more than some people make in a year.

I agree though--that much just for talking to you? Again, yipes!

[42]

My insurance won't cover any of this, because it's student insurance and they don't cover much of anything out side of the student health center.

Actually, now I'm thinking that I've been over charged. MY previous visits to the hospital the emergency doctor only got paid about $134.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Hospital overbilling is a huge problem because so many people just pay their bills and don't ask.

*sees if she can find the article she was reading about the subject*

[GorgonlaVacaTremendo]

Now you are sure this was an physician and not a psychiatrist?  Because a psychiatrist will not even take your heart rate too...