We've decided to go our separate ways: I am officially leaving my ObGYN's office.
I think somewhere around the point that a frigid woman was speaking the words "We've asked people who could not afford to pay for our services to leave our agency. Private care is expensive," that I knew that this blow to our relationship was the final, fatal blow. It's funny - I always thought I would push us to the brink with my blood sugar issues. Instead, they chose to part ways over an irrational monetary request, constricted by an irrational timeline.
I intend to write a letter to the doctors who were so careful and wonderful, especially in my early treatment.
Dr. Zimmerman was nearly declared a minor deity by my family, who remember well the day we spent in a hell-like purgatory at Rex's Emergency Room, as we waited to find out if this was a legitimate pregnancy, or a dangerous ectopic pregnancy. In the middle of a rush to order unnecessary tests and my distraction as I tried to guard my urethra from scary catheters, Dr. Zimmerman calmed the storm by walking into the room. He brought a rational, concrete plan to the scenario. The followup with him was helpful and initiated a journey wherein I reconciled myself to a pregnancy and began to develop rapport with the office treating me.
Dr. Haakenson was another voice of calm and comfort. In the several subsequent early treatment visits, Dr. Haakenson held my hand as we breathlessly waited for a heartbeat and to monitor an ongoing confirmation that we, in fact, were gestating a viable baby. Dr. Haakenson also reminisced with me, as he is the father of an old high school friend from band. He chaperoned our field trip to New York City in my junior year and asked with a jovial sigh how my parents were doing. It was like visiting an old family friend as we walked through weekly visits for the first month we were aware of this pregnancy.
The sad truth is, however, that the humanity of those doctors cannot compensate for the inhumanity of a billing department that refuses to temper the need to be paid with a humanistic approach to accepting that payment.
I realize, however, that I am not completely powerless in this situation. You see, I may not have readily available liquid capital that makes me the desired demographic according to this office manager's policies. My failure to be able to produce $2500 in 4 months may even seem like an appropriate reason for a woman to condescend in her fiscal defense for her unfeeling approach and policy. However, while this business manager spent so much time defending her wallet, she left her reputation wide open. She really ought to understand that in the age of social media, a woman hopped up on pregnancy hormones with a knowledge of resources available to her and a vocabulary developed enough to communicate the wrongs committed against her in a climate rife with ideologues and politicians willing to roast the "mean medical profession," my story and reviews could very potentially get some good mileage. In fact, Atrium ObGYN may not enjoy googling their reviews in the near future. While I will never stop extolling the excellence of care provided by Doctors Haakenson and Zimmerman, I will not hesitate to clearly and concisely illumine those business practices which caused me such significant anxiety well after I began to build a trust relationship with my doctors nearly half way into my pregnancy.
On Tuesday I'll be trying a new office. I don't know much about them except that I have already checked with their office and have been assured that I won't run into the same financial complications at this office. I am changing hospitals to join this practice and will be giving birth at WakeMed. (I've always been a fan of diversity... WakeMed will make sure my child is ethnically socialized from the nursery on!) Perhaps the greatest disappointment is that I was supposed to find out the gender of the baby on Wednesday. I highly doubt the new practice will be able to do that for us. I will be asking, though!
I guess that I have not experienced morning sickness or many negative side effects of pregnancy. If insurance and financial headaches are the worst of what I am to expect, I should be thankful. However, I refuse to go into interest-baring debt for my children. I will comply with industry-standard practices and pay slowly and fully.
But, be warned: for those who would wait until I am nearly half way through my pregnancy before using an appointment I schedule to disclose financial ruin to me, you will feel the wrath of my hormone and indignation-fueled keyboard.
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