I’m a graduate student at a Canadian university and frequently use the on site clinic they offer.
A month and a half ago I went in for issues I was having with discharge. After some tests and a phone consultation, the doctor requested I book an appointment for a pap smear, which I did.
They called me a week later saying that most of the results were fine but I happened to have some spotting that could have obscured other results, especially since I was still having issues. The doctor specifically advised me that if I happened to spot on the day of the appointment to call and cancel because it would be the same issue as the original test.
My second pap smear was scheduled for last Monday at 4pm but as luck would have it I ended up spotting that morning and I called in to reschedule. The receptionist said it was no issue but reminded me of their cancellation/no show policy which states the appointment must be cancelled more then 24 hours in advance since they are quiet busy.
The cancellation fee is only $30 however, they also require you to pay for the missed visit and because I’m an out of province student it isn’t covered under the provincial health plan and I would need to pay the 70ish dollars it cost.
For normal visits to the clinic you can fill out a form and sent it to your home province ( I am still covered under that health plan because I’m a student) and they will pay for it but since this is considered a “fee” instead of a visit (since I didn’t actually obtain medical services) I cannot get the cost reimbursed.
The receptionist was firm that I owed this fee even after explaining that the doctor herself advised me to cancel if I had spotting. Since Monday I’ll talked to the manager of the clinic and a representative of student services and all of them tell me that the fee is non negotiable.
I’ve talked about this situation with friends and family and people on 50/50 split on if I should be required to pay the fee or not, so I’m wondering AITAH?
There is no interpersonal conflict. This is a business transaction.
Agreed, and I would hope there is room to waive the fee since it was cancelled due to doctors’ orders
But it’s a business practices thing
NTA for refusing to pay it, but eventually it will have to be resolved via appeals (or legal council I guess)——or paid; idk what kind of recourse they have to get their money from you; but I personally wouldn’t want the hassle of dealing with that (which might affect credit score, enrollment status, or any number of important things)
NAH.
It’s understandable why you feel frustrated. The doctor specifically told you to cancel if you were spotting, and you followed that medical advice. From your perspective, it feels unfair to be charged for doing exactly what you were instructed to do.
At the same time, the clinic is applying its standard cancellation policy. Because the appointment was cancelled the same day, they likely consider that time slot lost and bill the fee automatically, regardless of the reason.
So you’re not wrong for thinking the fee shouldn’t apply in this situation, but the clinic also isn’t necessarily targeting you personally, they’re just enforcing a policy that they apply to everyone.
If you haven’t already, you could try asking the clinic if the doctor can note in your chart that the cancellation followed medical advice and request a one-time waiver. Sometimes clinics will make exceptions if the physician supports it.
NAH Congratulations, you’ve found one of life’s many edge cases where there is no clear right answer. The policy is clear, but the doctor’s advice contradicts it. Tell the clinic you’ll pay the fee if they waive the cost of your make up appointment.
I never thought of that, they actually might do that if I ask the doctor about it!
NTA, It is usually at the doctor’s discretion to wave this fee. Speak to them directly.
It was the doctor’s advice, not yours, so you should have the fee waived. And that should be non-negotiable. Patient initiated cancellations – I understand the fee.
NTA. The doctor told you you had to cancel under these circumstances. Can you get in touch with the doctor directly?
Talk to the doctor. She will have them delete the charge
If they’re going to hold you to $70, I would just keep the appointment, explain it to the doctor when you get there, and reschedule. He can deal with he secretary, or deal with the fact that the system sucks
It’s stupid ‘non-negotiable’ when doctor asks you to cancel.
So go anyways, waste everyone’s time, show up and say I’m spotting, have THEM cancel the appt then there’s no fee.
NTA – I ran into a similar issue once as well at student health, and speaking to the clinic manager allowed for the charges to be reversed.
I wonder if you might need to book follow up with the original physician now to straighten this out. Good luck!
nTA. The fee isn’t fair given the circumstances, but if you intend to use their services again, pay the fee.