Charged For Service I Didn't Authorize

[Meggy1]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Monday, I took my dog to a new veterinary clinic that was recommended by my regular veterinary clinic. I needed to get my dog in ASAP and this new clinic was the only one that had a spot open on the day and time I needed. I checked his reviews on Yelp and they were excellent.

I got blood work done and the doctor told me to come back Wednesday to collect a urine sample since my dog was not able to give one there. He said he wouldn't charge for that and told me how much I owed. I paid my bill in full.

Tuesday he called and said he went ahead and added on a T4 (thyroid) test after the blood work came back ok. He said he'd have the results Wednesday morning.

So Tuesday night, I logged into my account and saw that I owed $55 for the T4 add-on test. I NEVER AUTHORIZED that. I refuse to pay but I still want the free urinalysis he owes me. How should I handle this? I also have him on tape saying that he went ahead and ran the T4 test - this proves I didn't authorize it.

I could call Wednesday morning and say I won't pay. Or I could wait until after they collect the urinalysis Wednesday evening and then say I won't pay because I didn't authorize it.

I have NEVER had any issues like this at the other four veterinary clinics I've been to.

Any suggestions on how to handle this? I'm also concerned he may hurt my dog if I refuse to pay before they collect the urine sample. I already have suspicions of how my dog was handled when they were trying to take blood.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Monday, I took my dog to a new veterinary clinic that was recommended by my regular veterinary clinic. I needed to get my dog in ASAP and this new clinic was the only one that had a spot open on the day and time I needed. I checked his reviews on Yelp and they were excellent.

I got blood work done and the doctor told me to come back Wednesday to collect a urine sample since my dog was not able to give one there. He said he wouldn't charge for that and told me how much I owed. I paid my bill in full.

Tuesday he called and said he went ahead and added on a T4 (thyroid) test after the blood work came back ok. He said he'd have the results Wednesday morning.

So Tuesday night, I logged into my account and saw that I owed $55 for the T4 add-on test. I NEVER AUTHORIZED that. I refuse to pay but I still want the free urinalysis he owes me. How should I handle this? I also have him on tape saying that he went ahead and ran the T4 test - this proves I didn't authorize it.

I could call Wednesday morning and say I won't pay. Or I could wait until after they collect the urinalysis Wednesday evening and then say I won't pay because I didn't authorize it.

I have NEVER had any issues like this at the other four veterinary clinics I've been to.

Any suggestions on how to handle this? I'm also concerned he may hurt my dog if I refuse to pay before they collect the urine sample. I already have suspicions of how my dog was handled when they were trying to take blood.

Is your dog sick or are these routine tests?

 

[Meggy1]

My dog was not eating, which is why I wanted blood work done. I wanted what they call a senior screen, which includes the blood chemistry (kidney and liver values), CBC (indicates infection), and a urinalysis. They quoted it at $192. But the doctor claimed he could not obtain that much blood and he only had enough to do a chemistry. He said that was about $152 and he'd do a urinalysis for free. I had explained to him prior to this that money was a concern.

Then the next evening he called saying he added on the T4 when the chemistry came back normal (I have him on tape saying this).

Now what gets me is that I asked him Monday to look at the dog's previous labs (from my regular vet) from earlier in the year to tell me what he thought. He stated the kidneys looked fine and they were normal. My previous vet wrote on my copy of those labs that the dog was in stage 2 renal insufficiency. I learned how to read lab work years ago, and my regular vet is correct. So when this doctor told me that Monday (I also have that on tape), I decided not to go back to this so called doctor.

In the 16 years that I've been dealing with veterinary clinics, this has NEVER happened to me.

 

[Meggy1]

On the Board of Veterinary Medicine website, I found the following rule:

Unprofessional Conduct
Committing an act constituting fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in dealing with the board or in the veterinarian-owner-patient relationship, or with the public.

Under the Virginia Laws website, it indicates that a veterinarian can have their licenses suspended if they violate that law.

Does the situation I described apply?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

No.

The vet added the addition lab when the tests that were run came back as normal. They are attempting to determine the cause of your dogs symptoms.

Pay the damn $55.

Gail

 

[Zigner]

...and to be clear, the vet does not "owe" you a free urinalysis.

 

[Meggy1]

...and to be clear, the vet does not "owe" you a free urinalysis.

Ok, so you're saying my wording is incorrect? You're saying that just because he told me was going to do a urinalysis at no charge, that doesn't mean he OWES me one?

No.

The vet added the addition lab when the tests that were run came back as normal. They are attempting to determine the cause of your dogs symptoms.

Pay the damn $55.

Gail

Umm.... Typically most veterinary clinics ask you before they charge you for extra stuff. He could have easily added on a zillion other labs just to run up my bill with the excuse that he was just trying to diagnose my dog. I could've ended up owing hundreds of dollars. I've never even heard of a vet adding on additional labs like that.

When I talked to them, they insisted that I authorized the charge. I know I didn't since I have an audio recording proving the doctor added it without asking me first. I told them I have proof I didn't authorize it. They still didn't believe me but removed the charge anyway. I'm going back to my regular vet where they always ask permission before doing anything.

I'd actually like to know if it's legal what the vet did. I can't imagine other places of business doing something like this and getting away with it. It would be like going to a restaurant for dinner and the server bringing you a complimentary dessert, then turning around and charging you for it. Would your argument be I should pay for the dessert because dessert normally follows dinner?

 

[Zigner]

Ok, so you're saying my wording is incorrect? You're saying that just because he told me was going to do a urinalysis at no charge, that doesn't mean he OWES me one?

That's exactly what I'm saying.