My change-of-address finally went through, so the bills that I hadn't been getting for the past almost-year have started to flood in. Oy. Alright, I really like my neurooncologist, he is clearly a sharp guy and he has been great to me-- but honestly, must he charge me $500 every time I see him? Our appointments are never more than 10 minutes of actual face time, and this includes him scanning my MRI images. He makes $500 in 10 minutes?
[I am resisting the urge to make a joke about other things that take 10 minutes that could MAYBE warrant that high of a premium. It is difficult, because I know exactly how I'd want to word it. Dammitall.]
This blog may take a very fast turn in themes from "recovery" and "coming-of-age in the modern world" or whatever, to "how to make a living without having to live at your parents' house". I really don't know how the f' I am supposed to make this happen. (It doesn't help that the new washing machine that Jan bought is unbelievably awesome. My clothes are sparkling clean, and it is so quiet, and energy-efficient. I want to do laundry all the time!) Any ideas would be welcome, but anyone who suggests that I work in a field that is in ANY way related to mortgages will promptly be removed from my Christmas card list. PROMPTLY.
I think that I was out sick on the day that they taught us some pretty key lessons because I feel pretty lost.
I know it is hard to swallow a $500 bill for each visit but the man is a NEURO ONCOLOGIST. That means he probably spent a good 20 years of his life studying. He was probably 40 when he got his first pay check. The man takes care of the most vital organ in your body your brain and spinal cord. There are probably less than 100 neuro oncologists in the entire US. So, he deserves it and I would bet that a bunch of that goes to overhead and making up for the fact that insurance companies pay him probably half of that. As someone who will be a doctor in a little over a year, I call bullshit on anyone who says we do not deserve to be well paid. We take on an incredible amount of risk, suspend our lives for 10-20 years and come out of it hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt while our peers with advanced degrees are earning money right out of school. I some one tries to tell me I should not earn $500 or even $5,000 for seeing them, delivering their baby or operating on their pelvis I will tell them to try to go to medical school and then see how they feel. Until then be thankful that people like your neuro oncologist spent the time learning how to take care of your brain and spinal cord and that they have not yet been forced to stop practicing by insurance companies and malpractice lawyers.
ReplyDeleteThats my piece and I am sticking to it. Also, it is another blizzard in DC. White out conditions and while it is nice it makes me want to be at Schuss more than any place on earth! Making blueberry pancakes right now on my griddle from Melissa and Eric for Molly, Kevin, and Laura. Wish you were here so much!!!