First off was the X-Ray department – the waiting room.

I don’t think the sign on the left wall is quite visible but it reads thusly:

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A RADIOLOGIST WILL BE READING YOUR EXAM.  YOU WILL, THEREFORE RECEIVE THREE BILLS.  ONE FROM THE HOSPITAL AND ONE FROM THE RADIOLOGIST, AND ONE FROM THE LITTLE BOY WHO LIVES IN THE LANE.

I’m sorry.  That last part is my own invention.  It kind of fits, though, doesn’t it?  This is the same hospital that – even though I ALWAYS pay my co-pay at the point of service – usually bills me for the amount anyway.  Not only that, they keep on doing it even after I send in copies of my payment receipts.  I can’t even imagine what this visit will do to their billing system.

I mention this to the very nice lady helping me and she just shakes her head, knowingly, and I detect some sincere sympathy showing through.  I suggest that even lowly “I” might be able to help them to fix the problem and tell her that a simple telephone line to the provider’s office would provide the information and it probably could be hooked up to the computer system and it would all happen while everyone in the billing office was sleeping.  I get no real response from that, except that there was an on-going consideration to outsource the problem.  Well, I can just see it now – me trying to understand some Indian in Deli trying to wade through my account in a language quite incapable of getting him through any elementary school in the USA.

So I pay with a debit card and ask for a paper receipt as well.  Just being cautious.

The refrain, “Customer Service” keeps reverberating in my mind. All I am saying is that the system should not increase the suffering.  Hippocrates?

A single payer healthcare system might help. Probably would.  But only if you don’t depend on Unnamed Hospital to do the billing.

I am sure the little boy who lives in the lane would be happy with a sack of marbles and a double header ice-cream cone.  I know I would.  Right now, in fact.