Friday, May 2, 2008

Just because it's true doesn't make it helpful

Back around Christmastime I hurt my back and it hasn't improved a lot. About two weeks ago my sciatica started acting up big time, so I made an appointment with hubby's chiropractor. Last summer when a similar thing happened with my hubby, the doctor put him on a special traction table three times and it was better. The insurance didn't cover it, but it was only $50 a treatment and worth it for the amount of pain he was in. They offered to let him go only when he needed to, he didn't have to sign a contract or agree to a certain number of sessions.

But today, they wanted me to sign a contract for 20 sessions at $125 each. I asked when the price went up, and the office manager started going on about how they are lower priced than the other offices that offer the same services. She started quoting me what other offices in the state charge. Like I care. I'm sitting there in pain, needing treatment, not being able to afford the treatment I need and she's going on about maintaining a "level of profitability"!?

I respect the free market system. I realize that just because as a patient I would like my doctor to demonstrate compassion doesn't mean that their business is compassion. They are in business to make money, I know that. I also know that if all the other chiros charge upwards of $200 for a certain service that this Dr. is only charging $50 for, that he's driving the market down and making a poor name for himself among his peers. I know all that in my head, but my back is crying and screaming about how unfair it is. And being told that they increased their prices beyond what I can afford simply because there is money to be made that they're not making, well, that's just rubbing salt in the wound.

What the office manager said was absolutely true. But it was not helpful.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry.

Have you read "Pain Free" by Peter Egoscue? he has a website, too, egoscue.com ... here's hoping he's more helpful than the office manager. ::heart::