Blackberry & Co
Wise Old Thumper
When Blackie had his dental in June it included an overnight stay at the hospital and treatment for Stasis, the total came to £170.07
Yesterday's treatment for a day stay and dental came to £152.39 (they originally asked me for £212!!! I made them re-check and suddenly it was much lower...)
When I filled in the forms for the first dental I didn't have pet insurance, and said so. This time I ticked the box to say I did have insurance (but didn't add that he is exempt from dentals as I knew I would be paying the bill so it wasn't relevant to them). Do you think they tried to up the price to claim for more treatment to get more back from the insurance company?
They also charged for a full consultation and day admission yesterday, when in June they charged a lower consultation price and no admission charges...:?
I've drafted the letter below (I'm not asking advice on grammar or spelling - they can take it as it comes :lol, but do you think I'm right to question the charges?
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing with a query as to charges for recent medical treatment on my rabbit, Blackberry Thornton.
In June 2010 he was admitted for a molar dental and treatment for GI Stasis. He had an overnight stay. We were quoted between £120 - £150 for the treatment, the end bill being £170.07 which we were happy with because he had had to stay overnight and had needed a lot of treatment.
Yesterday, 18th October, he needed another dental. I knew his symptoms, and was able to collect Metacam for over the weekend as he was still eating, but showing signs of discomfort. I then took him to the Ferndown branch on Monday morning to get it confirmed and he was booked in for treatment that day. I wasn’t given a quote for his treatment, but assumed it would be no more than last time as he was still eating and didn’t need treatment for Stasis. (I signed on the consent form, which I know asks if I was given a quote, but forgot to mention that point to the nurse when she came out to collect Blackberry).
He didn’t need to stay in overnight on this occasion, so when I collected him in the evening I assumed the bill would be for less than previously. However, I was originally asked to pay £212. I queried this, and Darren came out and checked the total, which brought it down to £136 plus £15 for the morning consultation, the total being £152.39.
Having looked through and compared both invoices I am just wondering why on this occasion I was charged £15.40 for a consultation and a further £18.90 for day admission – I couldn’t get the admission unless I had the consultation and health check first, but it seems rather a lot to pay.
When checking the previous invoice the consultation was £11.40 (he had been seen two days prior on Saturday 19th June, but his teeth weren’t checked at that time despite showing dental symptoms, and I was charged £15.40 for that consultation), but I wasn’t charged Day Patient Admission on that occasion.
I know that Blackberry will need admission for dental treatment several times a year for the rest of his life, and I have always been very happy with the treatment given to all of our pets by the staff at your practice, especially by ********. But I would like to know how much I should be saving each time for this treatment as it seems to vary so much. I do have pet insurance, but Blackberry is exempt from cover for any dental treatment as it was a pre-existing condition when I took the insurance out.
Yesterday's treatment for a day stay and dental came to £152.39 (they originally asked me for £212!!! I made them re-check and suddenly it was much lower...)
When I filled in the forms for the first dental I didn't have pet insurance, and said so. This time I ticked the box to say I did have insurance (but didn't add that he is exempt from dentals as I knew I would be paying the bill so it wasn't relevant to them). Do you think they tried to up the price to claim for more treatment to get more back from the insurance company?
They also charged for a full consultation and day admission yesterday, when in June they charged a lower consultation price and no admission charges...:?
I've drafted the letter below (I'm not asking advice on grammar or spelling - they can take it as it comes :lol, but do you think I'm right to question the charges?
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing with a query as to charges for recent medical treatment on my rabbit, Blackberry Thornton.
In June 2010 he was admitted for a molar dental and treatment for GI Stasis. He had an overnight stay. We were quoted between £120 - £150 for the treatment, the end bill being £170.07 which we were happy with because he had had to stay overnight and had needed a lot of treatment.
Yesterday, 18th October, he needed another dental. I knew his symptoms, and was able to collect Metacam for over the weekend as he was still eating, but showing signs of discomfort. I then took him to the Ferndown branch on Monday morning to get it confirmed and he was booked in for treatment that day. I wasn’t given a quote for his treatment, but assumed it would be no more than last time as he was still eating and didn’t need treatment for Stasis. (I signed on the consent form, which I know asks if I was given a quote, but forgot to mention that point to the nurse when she came out to collect Blackberry).
He didn’t need to stay in overnight on this occasion, so when I collected him in the evening I assumed the bill would be for less than previously. However, I was originally asked to pay £212. I queried this, and Darren came out and checked the total, which brought it down to £136 plus £15 for the morning consultation, the total being £152.39.
Having looked through and compared both invoices I am just wondering why on this occasion I was charged £15.40 for a consultation and a further £18.90 for day admission – I couldn’t get the admission unless I had the consultation and health check first, but it seems rather a lot to pay.
When checking the previous invoice the consultation was £11.40 (he had been seen two days prior on Saturday 19th June, but his teeth weren’t checked at that time despite showing dental symptoms, and I was charged £15.40 for that consultation), but I wasn’t charged Day Patient Admission on that occasion.
I know that Blackberry will need admission for dental treatment several times a year for the rest of his life, and I have always been very happy with the treatment given to all of our pets by the staff at your practice, especially by ********. But I would like to know how much I should be saving each time for this treatment as it seems to vary so much. I do have pet insurance, but Blackberry is exempt from cover for any dental treatment as it was a pre-existing condition when I took the insurance out.