Why is it a doctor will say they will help you to get disability because they believe you are disabled but then require extra money just to write an attorney a letter?
–Shannon
Jonathan Ginsberg responds: Shannon, there is nothing inconsistent in a doctor’s desire to help you and that doctor’s need to earn a living and to provide for his family. Like lawyers and other service professionals, doctors earn their livings by selling their expertise and time. Writing letters uses up time and I, personally, have no issue with a physician asking for a reasonable fee when he performs a service for you – especially a service that you and your lawyer will use in a court proceeding.
I would like to respond to this person about the Drs. writing a report for disability. I never regret having paying a physician for their work for me. The real crux of the problem is when they charge $120 and they write a
narrative report against you! This happened to me!
I feel very disheartened. I have no insurance and I am still repsonsible to pay this bill!
I think that Vicki raises a good point. If a doctor is going to charge a patient who has little or no money for a report, the least he can do is advise the patient if that report will not be helpful.
Vicki’s comment raises another issue – sometimes doctors want to help but don’t know how. This is where a good attorney can come in. This is also why I wrote my book the Disability Answer Guide” which contains sample forms already completed.
Lets not forget that doctors have spent a lot of time and money to become doctors, so of course they want to be well compensated.
Vicki: I’m sorry to hear that.
I recently went to a neurosurgeon for a consultation and surgery info. A letter for disability would cost $680.00!!!!!
It could also be that the chart notes aren’t detailed enough and they need more information documented.
I understand that the lawyers and doctors have families to take care of but I feel that some disabilities (life threatening) should be handled in a timely manner. I suffer from liver failure, Kidney stones and a number of other illnesses. Just how sick do you have to be! And if the attorneys are overwhelmed with the number of cases they have or disability takes all these years they should not be so reluctant to let the client find an attorney who can lighten the burden. I sure dont want to die before I receive these benefits and leave my child with nothing.
If a physician does NOT disclose this cost to the patient prior to treatment, in writing, the physician is obligated to write this report free of charge. It is unethical to charge a fee that has not been previously disclosed to the patient in new patient forms prior to any treatment being offered. A physician loses the ability to charge this fee if he or she does not give the patient the choice of declining services based on this potential fee.
@dave:
When have you ever seen any type of Dr. & gotten something for Free? EXPECT a charge when you see a professional. The patient also has a responsibility to ASK if there is a charge.
@Jonathan Ginsberg: i need help with a work comp case. my doctor told me to tell my lawyer to call his lawyer so they could get a narrative report done, my att, said it cost to much.. help!!
$680! THATS A BARGAIN. I had to pay my Orthopedic $1000 for a narrative. It came at a good time, i was able to pay it. Other times i would have been in trouble.
@Jonathan Ginsberg: All crap let me write a book teaching any moron how to get disability. then for the rest of his/her life and his/her children’s life the can get benefits and never have to work. It’s a family affair” starts with one idiot and then idiots duplicate and make hundreds of small idiots to take their fat place on this earth
@Jim, while no doubt there are some people who are receiving benefits that they do not deserve, my experience over many years is that most disability applicants would like nothing better than to get their health back and to return to work.
If they information provided in this report resulted in your denial for benefits, who are you going to sue? Yes, we the healthcare provider. It is amazing that lawyers can charge for minutes of your time, phone calls, emails, even research; but, since I am a medical professional I should do this all out of the goodness of medicine. Besides being at your beckon call 24/7/365. Please stop expecting so much from your healthcare provider, and we would stop expecting so much of you. I know I am tired of sleeping with a phone, I should have gone to law school.
I have never heard of a health care provider getting sued for writing a report but I would agree with Nancy that health care providers deserve to get paid for time they expend on behalf of their patients.
We are being required to write scripts for C-ii drugs now. This takes alot of time when you have so many patients on these drugs. Writing an rx or calling or faxing will no longer be an option. Is it illegal or unethical to charge a minimum fee of say $5 or so to perform this service. Thank you
I don’t know – this would be a question for your local medical association as I suspect that it varies by state.
A medical professional should definitely be compensated for their time. However, it takes at most a few hours to write that narrative.
Does the Dr really feel that their time is worth several HUNDRED dollars per hour to write a report?
This is the essence of the problem with our economy.