I was in the waiting room of a local hand specialist that my doctor had referred me to. I had two injured fingers and needed to have them checked because they weren’t healing like they should have been.
In walks a mom with her young adult son. He was probably 18 or 19, wearing a ball cap pulled down over his ears, black pajama bottoms with a white skull and cross bone design, a black T-shirt and black Converse shoes. His arms, neck and hands were covered in tattoos.
After checking in with the receptionist the mom was asked for a co-pay for the office visit and to make a payment on her son’s account balance of $225. Mom became very upset over having another co-pay because this office visit was supposed to be a follow-up on treatment that her son had received months ago. The office manager politely tried to explain that after a 90 day lapse from the treatment date another co-pay was required.
“It’s not fair,” said mom. “It’s not his fault that my son got arrested and was put in jail. That’s why he couldn’t come back until now.” She went on to say that the doctor should be more understanding and waive the co-pay because it wasn’t their responsibility.
Really Mom??? Whose responsibility was it then that your son got arrested?
What a lame example of a parent shirking responsibly and teaching her son how play the blame game. It seems like mom and son need a reminder about choices and consequences. Unfortunately, our culture says otherwise.
BTW…the doctor wouldn’t budge so mom had to come up with the additional co-pay. Needless to say – she was not a happy camper!
