Q: Okay... so please tell me if I am way out of line here. I went to the doctor recently because I had been having a bad cough for a little over a week and wanted to make sure I didn't have bronchitis. I went to the doctor and a nurse practitioner saw me, not a doctor and told me that they couldn't find anything wrong and that antibiotics wouldn't help either. All they did was give me a print out from the State Health department on bronchitis... and said "see were not lying, not even antibiotics help with a cough... it just goes away on it's own." Then they asked if I was having any trouble sleeping and I said that sometimes it takes me a little bit longer to fall asleep because I have been coughing some. So, they said, "Oh, have you ever taken vicodin?" I was like... "Ummm.. yeah when I had dental surgery done." So they prescribed vicodin, and all I did was come in because I was concerned about a cough. That's all they did. Leaving their office I felt... wow that was a waste of time... and a few days later my cough was gone. A few weeks later I receive a bill from them in the mail for over $90! Apparently I do have a $150 deductible with my health insurance but in the past have only had to pay the deductible on any lab work. I called the doctor's office and asked about the bill and they said that this visit was coded as an office visit... not anything preventative. To get to the point... the whole visit to the doctor was a complete waste of time and the fact that they prescribed vicodin seems crazy... and I have to pay $90 for someone to tell me there is nothing wrong and to prescribe vicodin for a cough. This seems so wrong!! I don't feel I should have to pay this but the office says the $90 is a fair price. I told them I can't afford to pay for absolutely nothing! I don't know how else to fight this.
A: I definitely see where you're coming from, but policy is policy. You should have asked before you had your office visit if it was going to cost you anything if they did nothing. The answer would have been yes. It's a bummer, I know, but that's America's health insurance for ya! :( Next time go to the drug store and get the correct Robitussin. The pharmacist would help you. If the cough lasts over a month, then go to the doctor, knowing you'll have to pay. The Vicodin might come in handy if you need pain pills in the future. Vicodin stays good for 2 years.