What’s Up, Doc?

This morning I woke up with a migraine, got an unpleasant voicemail from a family member, and took my million-dollar-Crohn’s-medicine. Well, $700.00 to be exact. But that’s not even all of it – I am supposed to be taking another medicine, humira, which is a shot you give yourself every two weeks. Unfortunately, I can’t buy it because my insurance plan requires me to front the full payment – in humira’s case, $4,400.00. Needless to say, I am writing lots of emails and exploring my options. My doctor suggested a similar medicine until my policy changes in January 09. I hope whoever becomes president does SOMETHING about situations like this one. Well, obviously McCain won’t. So I really hope Obama puts his money where his mouth is on this one…

Then after taking my medicine and enjoying a Crohn’s-friendly breakfast of oat granola and soy milk, I went to check the mail. A nice bill from the first gastroenterologist I saw at the beginning of this whole thing. Dr. Glassell. Now there’s a sweet old guy. Probably couldn’t smile to save his life. When I saw him in April, he basically blew me off and tried to treat me for IBS, which I clearly didn’t have. I told him that Crohn’s is hereditary, and two of my family members have it – shouldn’t we explore that? He said if I had something serious, we would “find out eventually.” That statement sent me running. My new doctor (at Vanderbilt – no surprise) ordered me the proper testing right away and diagnosed me with Crohn’s and Crohn’s related ulcers within a week of first seeing her. Such a fabulous doctor. I thought about Glassell after the whole thing and realized that if I would’ve stayed with him, I still might not be diagnosed and I would still be in pain and not getting treatment. Presumptuous idiot. 

So this bill. I look at the envelope, notice it’s from Glassell, and take a deep breath before I opened it. I only saw the guy ONE time, how much could he be charging me? Can I refuse to pay it? After all, the consultation was useless, and I had to find another doctor just to get the proper testing… I open the envelope quickly and pull out a simple blue piece of paper with a figure circled at the bottom: $17.33. Well, that’s not so bad. I take a deep sigh of relief. But, I still want to refuse to pay it. I mean, he did nothing. But I don’t know what I can really “get away with” and although I am often a fighter, I don’t want to fight unless it will actually accomplish something.

My primary doctor encouraged me to write Glassell a letter informing him of my situation, and so I did. I sat down and composed a 1-page letter, telling him why his words sent me running and the fact that getting a second opinion, in a sense, saved me. I ended the letter by telling him I hope he will not continue to be presumptuous with his patients’ cases. Clearly, if he doesn’t give a rat’s ass, then reading my little letter won’t change much. But suppose it does? Suppose my letter jabs at that small reserve of guilt somewhere in that doctor soul, and just suppose it affects him in some way? I don’t expect anything from him, but I want to make him aware that I did, indeed, have Crohn’s and he did absolutely nothing to find out. I mean, we are all human… aren’t we? 

Now if I could just find $4,400.00 lying under a rock somewhere…