New Way Of Greeting The Patient!!!

[CarolineWH]

Today I had to go to the dentist and get a filling...I do not like the dentist...I knew that I had an eye tooth that needed refilling so my disdain for him was much worse...BUT, I did go....

Upon arriving at the dentist's office, I was informed by one of the three girls at the reception area, that my bill would be $258 for the filling...I was also informed that I did not have insurance....Like she is telling me something I don't know...I questioned why after 20 years I am being told this when I arrive....What goes...You guys afraid that I am going to jump out without paying...Now, I know the doctors and nurses at this big association and can mess around with them...I guess anyone who knows me knows that I do this...They did agree that I would pay after the visit....

When I went back for my appointmment, I asked one of the tech's who I know....What goes?...I knew the answer to this before I asked as I am very aware of the economy and what is happening...I have watched it happen...I am very into the world of business and knew why they were doing this....When the doctor came in I again bantered with him...We are good friends and are on a first name basis...I asked him: They jumping out on you without paying?....Going out one of the side doors or just plain telling you that they didn't know it would be that much and don't have the money?....His answer...All of the above....

He worked a good half an hour on me and he is very good...His nurses are specialists that go for training BUT we don't have nor will ever have insurance....I wonder...Where will this all go?...The place was not as packed as it usually is and I did make the comment that people are not able to get their teeth fixed because of the money crunch....A crown is I believe over $1,000.

This is now still a different part of life than I have ever known....Maybe by writing about it I will understand it more.....but I doubt it.....

[avorrgorrus]

Dental health isn't cheap, speaking of its about time for me to pay them a visit.

[ringo]

I know what you mean. Everywhere I go the primary first concern is "how will you be paying for this". And you could be bleeding to death, but if you don't have insurance they just look at you like "oh well".

[CarolineWH]

Everywhere you go people are hurting...Go to the Vet's office and there are hardly any people waiting to take their animals in...It cost too darn much...It is really getting bad...So what do they do but raise the prices...I read somewhere that people are getting rid of their animals...That is what is sad....Nevada is 13.2% unemployment...And they say that this is not a depression????

[NW Admin]

I know what you mean about the vet. I had a cat crawl up inside my car engine. I didn't know he was in there, started to drive down the road, and fealt something thump along the underside of my car. I looked out the rear view mirror and saw the cat run to the weeds on the side of the road. So I get out of my car and start looking for the cat. There was a trail of blood that lead me to the cat. When I found it, all the flesh had been pulled off it's tail and all that was left was the bone. So I scooped him up and drove to an emergency vet (it was Sunday and they were the only ones open). I told them what happened, that I didn't know who's cat it was, and that I had no money. They looked at me like I was diseased or something and turned me away. I begged and pleaded and finally got an attitude with them for being so heartless. I had no money and that was all that mattered to them. What happened to the old days when people in businesses helped people who couldn't afford it?

So the cat had to suffer until a friend took him for me.

Not everyone is like this though. My family doctor has always helped me out when I didn't have a lot of money. He would give me free sample prescriptions and let me make smaller payments on my doctor bill. That is one of the reasons I always go back to him too.