I am a very infrequent visitor to Doctor's surgeries and can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've been in the last 10 years. So as the deafness in my left ear got worse and the 3rd trip to the Chemists brought no improvement I decided to look for a Medical Practitioner in my area. A neighbour told me that there was a new walk-in Medical Centre in Smithfield so I decided to go there. It's a posh new building in Smithfield Square and the friendly security lady on the ground level directed me to the Charter Medical Group on the 1st floor. There, the Receptionist told me I could see a Doctor, but they were busy and I would have to wait possibly up to an hour, or maybe longer. "Well OK then, I suppose I have to wait, How much is it to see a Doctor?" "Do you have medical insurance?" "No". "Well, it's €105 (One hundred and five Euro)".
I had been warned to expect to be charged fifty or sixty Euro - but €105 (one hundred and five)? They should publish a health warning on front of the fancy brochure extolling the virtues of Charter Medical Group!
Let's see - 4 patients per hour = €420. Let's say 6 hours per day. = €2,520. Let's say 5 days per week. = €12,600. Let's say Mr G.P. works 40 weeks per year (and takes a well earned break for the other three months). = €504,000. That's Half a Million to you and me! Nice money if you can get in these times of recession.
I said "no, thank you" and left.
Within 15 minutes I found another walk-in Medical Centre which charged €55. Moral of the story - SHOP AROUND ( or don't get sick too often).
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3 comments:
I arrived here from somewhere or other and now have to find my way back. You have an interesting site. I spent a long weekend in Dublin last year, it's a lovely city. I'll be back to read more.
In Turkey, when you have no medical insurance, then the hospital tries to reduce the treatment fee as much as possible. On the contrary, if you say you have a medical insurance, then the doctors require lots of unnecessary tests in order to get more money from the insurance company! The most shocking point in your story is the price difference between two private Medical Centers. One asks 105 Euros, the other one only 55 Euros i.e. nearly 50% off!
That is true Muge, and the point is somebody can die for the price difference - either because they don't have enough money or they feel a rip-off and will leave to go somewhere else...
In Ireland we have a Right Wing politician as Minister for Health (Mary Harney), who is promoting a two tier health service in which money can buy - life!
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