Going to vent here for a bit

Got home from work yesterday evening and stopped by to pick up the mail. To my surprise I received an invoice from the Medical Associates of Port Perry and wondered what for and what it was about before opening the letter. In it I found an invoice for $20.00 being charged for a subscription renewal. I couldn't believe that they, the Dr.'s are now charging to have your subscription renewed. The prescription I had filled would normally give me 8 refills, this one was with no refills, meaning I have to get it filled again next month.

Has anyone else experienced the same thing. Now even they, the Dr.'s are out to grab every single nickel out of their patients.

Sounds like a scam I'd be calling your DR

Call your Doctor and find out what it's about. Something sounds seriously screwed up.

Sounds fishy

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Originally Posted by Bo D

Got home from work yesterday evening and stopped by to pick up the mail. To my surprise I received an invoice from the Medical Associates of Port Perry and wondered what for and what it was about before opening the letter. In it I found an invoice for $20.00 being charged for a subscription renewal. I couldn't believe that they, the Dr.'s are now charging to have your subscription renewed. The prescription I had filled would normally give me 8 refills, this one was with no refills, meaning I have to get it filled again next month.

Has anyone else experienced the same thing. Now even they, the Dr.'s are out to grab every single nickel out of their patients.

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Our doctor's office started doing that several years ago when the Ont government shortened the list of things that could be billed through OHIP. If we make an appointment to see the doctor with the sole intent of renewing our daily meds, there is no cost, as the visit is able to be billed through OHIP. If you call the office and ask for the doctor to call the renewal in to the pharmacy without making a visit, you will be getting a bill in the mail for the charge, as it is not billable through OHIP. Also, if you call in for a prescription refill to the pharmacy, and you have no more refills left, the pharmacy will call the doctor's office to confirm the refill, which will result in you being billed by the doctor. That sounds like what happened to you. If you want to avoid the renewal cost at month's end, you better make an appt to see the doctor and get it renewed in person. There are an assortment of things that doctors used to do at no cost because it could be billed to OHIP (doctor's note for work or school, forms for employment and insurance purposes, etc) that are now billed to the patient.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by delmer

Our doctor's office started doing that several years ago when the Ont government shortened the list of things that could be billed through OHIP. If we make an appointment to see the doctor with the sole intent of renewing our daily meds, there is no cost, as the visit is able to be billed through OHIP. If you call the office and ask for the doctor to call the renewal in to the pharmacy without making a visit, you will be getting a bill in the mail for the charge, as it is not billable through OHIP. Also, if you call in for a prescription refill to the pharmacy, and you have no more refills left, the pharmacy will call the doctor's office to confirm the refill, which will result in you being billed by the doctor. That sounds like what happened to you. If you want to avoid the renewal cost at month's end, you better make an appt to see the doctor and get it renewed in person. There are an assortment of things that doctors used to do at no cost because it could be billed to OHIP (doctor's note for work or school, forms for employment and insurance purposes, etc) that are now billed to the patient.

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So far, our Doc. doesnt bill for phoned in renewals. I do it all the time.

Yea it must depend on the doctor. My pharmacy will phone in for renewals and never had an issue at all.

Cheers

My doc does not charge for prescription renewals called in by my pharmacy...never has!

The Dr's haven't had a contract for 5 years. Expect it to get worse before it improves.