Missed Appointment Fee....

That is ridiculous! I'd go after 'em hard for that $250. 

Wait until they tell you that he was there but nobody was home.  At best you might be able to get a month of free service. 

Keep us posted. 

MS Word has some great templates for invoices.  I'd find a new company.

i got charged a $30 fee for missing an appointment a few weeks ago.  they told me about it about 50 times when i made the appointment.  i had to reschedule the day of for work issues and i got charged.  i understood.

but $250!!  that's just plain crazy talk.  and then for them to no-show.  wow...

i agree, you sure do get treated like the doctor's time is worth more than anyone elses. 

The medical practice I go to charges $25 for missed appointments.  I've been on anticoagulants (Coumadin/Warfarin) for the past twelve years that requires I get a blood test every 4-6 weeks.  I've inadvertently missed a couple of lab appointments over the years, but they usually forgive it since I'm a "regular".

I've had doctors miss appointments due to emergencies at the hospital, and I'm OK with that, especially if the staff explains the situation. 

The $250 fee seems a bit exteme, unless the technician was coming from out of town specifically for your appointment.  I would doubt that you'll see any cash back, but I think you could make the case for some discounted/waived fees in the future as a form of compensation.

Mark

I seriously doubt that you will get any money. No doubt they will explain that it has to do with their "policy".

Remember it, document it, and any answer they give you, so that one day, when you miss the appointment (and you will. who doesn't?),  and they try to demand the fee, you can tell them that it balances one another.

$250 is NUTZ!!!

My wife charges $25 for a missed appointment.  After that it's pay in advance BEFORE the scheduled appointment.  After that, she usually won't book you as a client.

It's $25 because her rate is around $100 an hour and after 15 minutes, she's out.  If there's child care costs on top of that, she just eats that.

... I wouldn't bother trying to charge the doctor's office.  That's just a joke.  You won't see a dime.  You can either complain very loudly to the doctor and office manager, or simply find another doctor.  But they won't pay, even if it was their fault for not having the tech on site when they were supposed to be there.

I doubt you'll actually get any money, but I would absolutely send them a bill.

If anything you can use it for leverage to negotiate their fee's down on the next visit.

When I start with a new doctor I inform them that I charge a fee if I am kept waiting for more than a specific amount of time.  I have them sign it just like I sign their forms.  I have it equal to their policy for a missed appt.  My current doc it's $100.  And my wait time is not to exceed 30 minutes.

So if I show up for a 2:00 appt and I haven't' been seen by 2:30, I walk up to the office manager and ask for them to pull my file and look at the paperwork.  As long as you do it when you start up, it's a terms of service agreement. They are not the only ones that get to set the terms.

In this case, I would say they told you verbally but you never signed anything so if they tried to charge you, just ask for where you signed in agreement.  But next time they tell you about a fee, take that opportunity to let them know that you as well have a fee.

Never forget that business is a two-way street.

And to answer the question that I always get:  YES, they have paid me the fee (well, discounted off my Co-Pay).  But it just happened the once.  Now I miraculously never have to wait for my appt time.

You sir, are my hero!  Seriously, that is awesome!  Great idea.

When I go to see a new doctor and they inform me of a missed appt fee I tel them I charge the same amount.  I even write it next to their paperwork I have to sign to that effect.

I have been lucky enough that I've never had to use it.

If your time is worth $X per hour then at the very least so is mine.

I tell those guys I'm not sitting at home for 4 hours. They need to call my cell phone when they are 15 minutes out and I'll meet them at my house. It's worked every time so far...

I must agree. This. Is. AWESOME!!!

Our policy at my gym for personal training sessions is a 24 hour notice for cancellations, or the client pays for the session.  It's one of the bolded parts of our agreement that they have to initial specifically.  I always take the time when signing an agreement with a new client to explain what the crucial terms of the agreement mean and how it can affect them.

The reality is that we try to treat our clients the way we want to be treated.  This means not charging long-term clients who have the occasional emergency arise.  For a habitual offender, or a new client who requested an early morning appointment then just didn't show up, they're going to get charged.

If something happens that we waste the client's time, such as running more than about 10-15 minutes late from previous sessions, we will give them a free session to compensate them for their time.

That was my first thought as well... lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kiss_Hello

Have a medical person I've been seeing monthly for around 8 years now.  In the early days she was hopeless with appointments to the point a few times I would wait half an hour, then tell the receptionist that I had another appointment and would rebook the following week.  Each time this happened, I never got charged for the rebooking, saving myself a $50 fee and always getting a big apology.  At the same time she has a fee for failing to cancel within the final 24 hours, have to say on the few work related occasions when I haven't been able to attend, they have been super great about it.  Guess though when I'm pretty much guarenteed to be needing their services the next 50 odd years they would need to look after me.

Thankfully there is a better manager in the place now and the appointments run on time for the most part, although getting the number one appointment of the day I find works the best.