Give that bill 'Da Boot: My short healthcare rant!

We were billed for this boot AND the room!

Good morning!

Hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was pretty pleasant.

However, one thing did raise my hackles, just a bit.  A few weeks back, my son injured his ankle (most would refer to it as a sprain; though the doctor informed us that while the injury is treated the same way as a sprain, my son actually fractured the growth plate in his ankle--an apparently common injury that is nowhere near as severe as it sounds. And I'm digressing, as I tend to do. Unfortunately, that is my curse. Call me the digresser--oh snap, just Googled it; it's taken! Sigh. The Digressor is taken, too. Double sigh.).

Anyway, my son's ankle is now fine, but he had to get x-rays and wear an orthotic boot.  We recently received the bills for these. We have seen hospital bills before and knew they would be complicated. We got a bill from the doctor, a bill from the x-ray technician, a bill from the hospital. OK. I get that these people work in this weird "independent contractor" world that requires this.

What raised our hackles, though was the $128 bill we received for the fitting room. Yes, you read that right. But, you can read it again if you like. We were charged $128 for sitting in a room.  The room where the doctor fitted the orthotic boot. Not for the doctor's time in fitting the boot. That was a separate bill.  This bill was for the room. A tiny room. For fewer than 10 minutes. $128. I. KID. YOU.NOT.

My husband put in a call and the insurance company said we shouldn't have to pay it, but SERIOUSLY, how is that even a billable thing? It was separate from all the other billed items. Just this room.

I don't want to have discussions on the healthcare system or anything like that (though feel free to discuss with some interested party if you choose; health care reform just seems a bit heavy for this blog. I know, I'm digressing again.  Call me the person who digresses--though I'm not even going to try to Google it to see if it's taken). Anyway, I just wanted a moment to rant about that bill. I feel better now.

Now, go on and enjoy your day! Especially since you haven't been billed $128 for the use of a room for fewer than 10 minutes. (Though, if you have been billed as such, I share in your pain). Catch you later.

-Hyattsville Mom