No, not a match. A bill.
But that's not the funny part. It was a bill for $8 for the "long distance" call Dr. S made to me on our consult call last month.
WTF?! I already paid for the consultation (err..my insurance did and I picked up the $20 co-pay). You mean to tell me they're so hurting for cash, they charged me for the long distance call too?
Okay, hang on. I don't live in friggen Saudi Arabia. I live in NJ. And I would imagine CCRM has voice-over-IP or something of the like. Regardless. $8 for a 30 minute call? Are you kidding me?! Minutes just don't cost that much.
I'm actually chuckling about this 'cause, seriously, it's just $8. I think I can swing it. But, given the enormous contribution a DE cycle is to their revenue stream and the fact that they're holding $2,500 of my dollars (interest free) since October, I kind of assumed I wouldn't get dinged for a phone call that was part of the consultation.
Note to self: pack bandages for future trip to CCRM. Wouldn't want to find bill for a $3 Curad bandage after a blood draw in my mailbox when I return.
16 comments:
I am not a CCRM patient...so I hate to even comment. BUT that is RIDICULOUS!!! I can not believe they billed you for the phone consult.
Been there, done that... LOL. I read somewhere that he waived the $250 phone consult for someone. He wouldn't do it for us. And for $250 he asked us some questions and said 'yup, you should do donor egg!'
I'm not saying he's not a good doc -- cuz I actually liked him a lot when I met him and I trust him to oversee our cycle -- but those upcharges are obnoxious to say the least.
WOW!!!
They dinged me for the $8 charge too...but I had Dr. Sch call into a FREE conference call number since my DH was at home, I was at the hotel in Denver and Dr. Sch was at CCRM!!! I spoke with someone about it and they reversed the $8 charge but yeah, pretty ridiculous eh?! For a clinic that supposidly has so many out of town patients, they really should have a better long distance plan. Sucks all the same. (I thought it was a match when I saw the subject of your post!)
Oh my gosh - thank you for the warning. I had a phone consult with them somewhat recently...actually our first "real" one since our BFN. When Dr. Surrey called that night, I couldn't talk, I couldn't come up with questions, so he said "call me when you are ready". So 3 months later, I was ready :-). $95 please. What? Wow, a BFN, a $20,000 bill, and ANOTHER $95. And now another possible $8? Not right - not right at all.
That is nuts! I'm actually kind of shocked by it. Um, can you take it out of that huge fee I just paid for that phone consult?
I haven't had this experience there. I'm not a patient of Dr. Sch though...
Even thought I know they are worth it - that is just plain annoying.
I know! I got a number of those on my bill. Any what is most disgusting about it is that THEY insist on calling so they can do it around their schedule and then they charge YOU for their convenience. Bullcrap. Maybe I'll challenge it next time and insist that I be the one to initiate the call even if they put me on hold for 20 minutes. 8 bucks a shot. WTF
That is really ridiculous. And after you are waiting for REAL news, I am so sorry but at least it wasn't for $800! I would totally be prepared to pay at least $3 a bandage - it is amazing they have the b@lls to give you a bill for $8 - I'd consider getting an itemized bill for each thing on the $2500 you have sitting in their account (maybe after you are pg!)
Hi- I just started reading your blog (you were recommended to me from A Good Egg). I just had my Endo Biopsy done and was told to do it 9-11 post LH surge. I had it done on Friday and had it shipped on Monday. There were some issues with having the biopsy shipped (see my blog for more info).
GL!
Kris
Seriously, they couldn't just lump it in with the consultation fee or the cycle fee and leave us none the wiser? Totally nuts, but thanks for the warning. (-;
Yup, I have a few of those on my super long itemized bill from CCRM.
It's the stupidest thing I can even imagine. I wish they would just bury it into another charge so I wouldn't have seen it.
When we went out there for the actual cycle, we had never even met our Dr. (she was out of town when we did our one day workup). So I asked if I could just meet her, you know,to lay eyes on the woman who was making all the critical decisions? And they said, for a fee. So I paid 85 bucks to say hello to her, have her go "well things are going great!" and shake my hand. Seriously.
Sky,
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm sorry to hear about your mom. It does make this whole process a little harder. I'm wishing you the best of luck and look forward to reading about your journey. Hopefully, you won't get any more of these crazy charges! As much money as we spend with these clinics, you'd think they'd throw in a few extras rather than nickel and diming us for every little thing. During my last IVF cycle I ran out of ganirellix (sp?)and only needed one more shot- the nurse gave me some "on loan" until I could get more from the pharmacy to replace what she had given me - crazy!
I think patients from some state get free phone consults - I can't remember which state though!!
But yes - we got that ridiculous phone bill too!
I think it is disgusting. Money grubbing bastards, the lot of them! (Not being exclusive to CCRM here)
Yes, that was a real charge. I got a bill for the same thing. Seems ridiculous, but I didn't contest it. I got a lot of bills from CCRM, but I also got precious babies that I am convinced I wouldn't have received otherwise. But, totally agree with you, crazy charge!
I didn't contest either, but it just makes me scratch my head when something petty - and unsubstantiated - like this comes my way.
As you know, we have no option to call them - rather, we wait for them to call us. And then I waited around for 25 minutes for the call (I sure didn't bill them for MY time) and then I get a charge for a call that is, no question, a farce (there's no way long distance wireline costs .26 cents/minute).
Oh Jill, I shudder a bit to think of the slew of charges that will come my way even AFTER I write them a great big 30K check. Hopefully I'll be blessed with a little bundle of joy (as you have - but not two ;) and I'll be too blissful to notice, or care.
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