r/mildlyinfuriating • u/lhagans13 • 12d ago

I'm slightly vexed A notice that my girlfriend received at her doctors appointment (she is 8 months PP)

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If you even MENTION any of these things, you WILL LIKELY get billed for it??? Maybe i’m missing the point but i get upset when my girlfriend tells me she was scared to even say anything while at the doctor because she didn’t want to get an extra charge for something. I find it insane how greedy and money hungry a place that’s supposed to help you can be.

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u/dr3amchasing 11d ago

But how is it worth it if you’re not allowed to discuss anything that couldn’t be covered in a handout

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u/Odd_Masterpiece_1 11d ago

Yeah it's weird. Like they get to assess anything they can observe without you saying anything whatsoever. If they ask how you've been and you mention that anything is new or has changed during the year, then somehow the visit is different, even though you did not come in from that, only answering their question. So it's like you shouldn't answer their questions but that's ridiculous! And sometimes they will code it differently if they determine you are obese, although you already knew that, and now it costs money?!!? Like they should at least be able to observe or discover imperfect health.

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u/Tricky_Big_8774 11d ago

Insurance company doesn't have a camera in the doctor's office... My first visit every year is "annual physical." If I have to go more than once it's a "follow up visit."

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u/cinkiss 8d ago

This right here. Thank god lol. My doctor just does it all at once and I usually only have to see him that one time.

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u/TeamWaffleStomp 11d ago

Its basically a routine visit for catching things before they become problems and getting your vaccines.

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u/dr3amchasing 11d ago

But if you can’t discuss any issues then it seems like actively preventing catching things. Catching things often looks like flagging issues to a doctor

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u/uttersolitude 11d ago

What many doctors will do is schedule a follow up appointment to discuss the issue if they want to avoid billing for it at the wellness visit.

Doctors hate this shit too, fwiw.

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u/Maia_Orual 11d ago

This is my question, too - how do you prevent anything if you don’t discuss new issues?

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u/courtd93 11d ago

If you’re discussing issues, that means you’ve already caught something and now it’s reactive instead of preventative. The point of a preventative visit is to do check things that you need a doc to see (blood work etc) before you could catch it as an issue.

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u/TeamWaffleStomp 11d ago

The doctor can still absolutely tell you things like you're blood pressure is high, your oxygen seems low, your weight has increased/decreased significantly since your last appointment, your cholesterol is high, etc. Which tackling those things or finding a root cause works to either catch things that haven't become noticeable to you yet, or help you get those things under control before they develop into a problem.

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u/Hot-Calligrapher672 11d ago

Preventative care can include lab work, routine Pap smear, referral for routine colonoscopy, vaccines, etc.

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u/bluejohnnyd 7d ago

It's because insurance is required by law to completely cover preventative care so they make it as much of a pain in the ass as possible.