[Gansan]

The child specialist I take my son to, charges Rs 150 per consultation from me but Rs 100 from others. I came to know of this accidentally. Logic? I request a receipt, so it is reimbursable from my employer. Those who don't request a receipt, don't have this facility.

I am irked, but continue with him anyway. He is the best one in our neighborhood.

[vasudeva]

In my case, it was not a question of ripping off but losing my wife. Hard to tell whether it was incompetence or negligence. Anyway, since I have faith in the Lord, I took it with equanimity.

In 2/2001, my wife (31 years then) fell sick with some fever and abdominal pain. She was admitted to a reputed Delhi hospital. After tests and a week stay, she was diagnosed with Koch Abdomen (which is TB of the abdomen, and is non-infectious). For 1 mth till mid-March 2009, she took med and was feeling better. Then suddenly her situation started worsening, and by end-Mar, worsened to such an extent that perhaps she had a mild heart attack. Was admitted to the same hospital, where they said that 5% of such cases require surgery. On 31.3.09, went surgery, but developed post-operative complications, and expired on 5.4.01 afternoon. The docs said it was actually Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

No point in explaining what I went through, but it is more than 8 years, and since then I have remarried (my present wife was also widowed and my son is from her previous marriage).

[Technocrat]

Whenever I am in doubt about a particular medicine or medication (I have sinus & thanks to an operation & interactions with Drs over many years now, so I do get an idea mostly about dosages) I cross check it with My Maasi Or my friend both of whom are Doctors.

[beejay]

Did you compare the prices of the same tablets by the same company from any other doctor? This would have given you the original picture if he really did rip you off.

In most cases you could try complaining to the Indian Medial Association.

[rsjaurr]

I had a minor illness, and went to an ENT specialist I'd been seeing for a while.

It may be minor for you but not otherwise.

And to prove his point, he showed me the same stuff , some free samples he had on him, from a different brand, at one third the price.

Prices very greatly for different brands,sometimes difference may be too big to believe it.

And even after finishing the course , I'm not exactly better off - my friend had predicted this too.

Now thats not his fault.Even if we assume that he is greedy he certainly would have wanted you to get better.Every doctor knows that a cured patient brings 10 more patients but unsatisfied one would tell 100 patients about the bad job done by that doctor.
Also even after correct diagnosis and treatment one may not get well fully or not at all.Nothing is guaranted in medical profession.


I don't want to be too hasty in condemning him, but I want to ask other doctors here, should I go back to him (I'm still not cured) or find another guy.

I am not taking his side but just giving a doc's opinion which you asked for,so please pardon me if you don't like my opinion.

And you should certainly talk to him if you fell cheated.Personally i dont find 800-900 bucks for medicine+doc's prescription fee a cheating though its on higher side.It may include about 200-300 Rs his prescription fee and a expensive antibiotics.

still you should check the prices from strips or from nearby drug store and talk to same doc and post us how he responds.

[jkdas]

Ist thing: Trust. Something most people dont have these days to a doc and they hop on from one to another.

And green; one with experience wont be cheap and he might have forseen something else too. Did your friend examine you?

I do agree that some may overcharge; but who is to blame? You! you didnt do your homework right.

Edit: rsjaurr + 1

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I am irked, but continue with him anyway. He is the best one in our neighborhood.

You shouldn't be irked. When he gives a receipt, he has to report that income. The nearly 1/3 or 50 bucks will go to the government. The cash income is anyway never reported. I recall a doctor who told me he makes 1 lakh a month in cash, but pays 5K income tax per year.

[greenhorn]

well, I've been going to this doc for a while now. I was a regular @ the ENT's when i was in school. College mysteriously cured me

Either way, i went to the same hospital today and found that the Other ENT doc ( a more senior guy) was available. Got a prescription from him. Lets see

Why I think i got ripped off was because my sis and I had the same illness , sis saw the senior doc, I saw him. Sis got some meds for 200~300, and got cured, I got meds for 3x that cost, and No change. And dad says that even when he goes to him, he gets obscenely huge bills - at least thats why dad stopped. He had been sceptical about me going there in the first place. My Argument was that though his meds are expensive, they get the job done. Well, that didnt happen this time, so I was wondering.

Another reason why I felt flags going up was because usually they give the prescriptions to us, and we are free to buy them from wherever we choose to, but he directly handed over the bill to a peon to hand over to the hospital pharmacy to get them .

rsjaurr, I don't want to turn this into a confrontation, and I am not asserting that he ripped me off. I've been treated by this doc for the better part of a decade, though I'm not sure if he remembers, and I respect him for it. Its just that after this latest episode. I'm not so confident.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by DocG

Price of drugs: Again vary from brand to brand. Many of the bigger brands have better QC than the smaller ones, and hence price is a few times more.

I love giving the example of Augmentin. A simple drug (Amoxacillin & Clavulanic acid) some of the domestic pharmas sell this at an MRP of Rs 150 or so.
GlaxoSmithKline sells it at Rs 650 or some such.
But I can definitely guarantee that the GSK drug is well worth it for those who can afford it, as QC is much, much better.

Don't agree. Do you know that most of the MNC pharmaceutical companies in India do not have their own manufacturing unit. They get their medicines manufactured by smaller companies under loan licence and markets them. MNC companies charge more because of their brand name and also due to the fact if they are the innovator of the drug they had spent a lot in R&D.

Take the example of Glivac (Imatinib Mesylate) an medicine used to treat leukemia. The drug was innovated by Novartis who marketed the drug and the cost to a patient for a month's supply of drug was about 1L in the year 2002. Then indian companies like Sun Pharma and NAtco Pharma started to market the drug in India at a much much lower cost of Rs. 15K for a month's supply of drug. The difference in price is due to the cost incurred by Novartis in developing the drug which Indian didn't have to. But quality of renowned Indian companies do not suffer - they are as good as MNCs.

So, take medicines manufactured by renowned Indian companies like Cipla, Ranbaxy (no more Indian), Sun, Dr. Reddy's, Torrent etc. without any fear of lower quality. I can vouch for this since I work in Indian Regulatory Authority for Pharmaceuticals.

Originally Posted by Samurai

You shouldn't be irked. When he gives a receipt, he has to report that income. The nearly 1/3 or 50 bucks will go to the government. The cash income is anyway never reported. I recall a doctor who told me he makes 1 lakh a month in cash, but pays 5K income tax per year.

Why shouln't they pay the taxes? Isn't not reporting the income is an offence? Doctor's are one of the most respected citizen's of the country. So, shouldn't they obey the laws of the country and set an example.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You shouldn't be irked. When he gives a receipt, he has to report that income. The nearly 1/3 or 50 bucks will go to the government. The cash income is anyway never reported. I recall a doctor who told me he makes 1 lakh a month in cash, but pays 5K income tax per year.

FYI, he does not keep any record for the receipts, so there is no way he reports the income. The receipt is written on his prescription pad.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You shouldn't be irked. When he gives a receipt, he has to report that income. The nearly 1/3 or 50 bucks will go to the government. The cash income is anyway never reported. I recall a doctor who told me he makes 1 lakh a month in cash, but pays 5K income tax per year.

Originally Posted by archat68

Why shouln't they pay the taxes? Isn't not reporting the income is an offence? Doctor's are one of the most respected citizen's of the country. So, shouldn't they obey the laws of the country and set an example.

Originally Posted by Gansan

FYI, he does not keep any record for the receipts, so there is no way he reports the income. The receipt is written on his prescription pad.

It is this very behavior which makes people lose trust in doctors. I have seen many doctors and hospitals overcharge when they know that you are reimbursing it or you have medical insurance. Their attitude is that since its not coming from your pocket, why do you bother.

Not paying tax is completely another aspect which I feel should be discussed in a separate thread.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by archat68

Why shouln't they pay the taxes? Isn't not reporting the income is an offence? Doctor's are one of the most respected citizen's of the country. So, shouldn't they obey the laws of the country and set an example.

It is a worldwide phenomena, not restricted to doctors. People who do cash business never declare their real income and never pay the taxes due. I am a salaried person, so I pay my taxes fully.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by DocG

Price of drugs: Again vary from brand to brand. Many of the bigger brands have better QC than the smaller ones, and hence price is a few times more.

I love giving the example of Augmentin. A simple drug (Amoxacillin & Clavulanic acid) some of the domestic pharmas sell this at an MRP of Rs 150 or so.
GlaxoSmithKline sells it at Rs 650 or some such.
But I can definitely guarantee that the GSK drug is well worth it for those who can afford it, as QC is much, much better.

Ditto my example. I am currently down with the flu (don't know which one!). Went to the civil hospital to rule out swine flu. I passed all filters, except that I was not having cough - so they said, take these 3-4 tabs and go home.

One of the tabs was Augmentin! The original brand itself costed 240 bucks for six. I bought Moxikind which is selling for 15 bucks apiece. Ditto chemical.

I suspect that is the reason for your four digit bill more than anything else. A relative of mine loves to prescribe the Allegra, when its generic equivalent costs much lesser. This is when he gets zero financial gain - he has his reasons! Doctors are doctors. Go on faith man.

[sgiitk]

It is indeed true that you can get the same drug from different companies with a price ratio of 3 or more. I remember ages ago when Terramycin used to cost about Rs.6 while Resteclin was Re.0.5. Once I was talking to a doctor. his comment was a rich Sethji will not get well with a tablet costing Re.0.5 only So he must be given a table at Rs.6.

I know many doctors who are very sensitive to pricing esp. for drugs which have to be taken long term - anti-hypertensives, anti-diabetics. Here even Re.1 per day adds up over the years.

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by Samurai

It is a worldwide phenomena, not restricted to doctors. People who do cash business never declare their real income and never pay the taxes due. I am a salaried person, so I pay my taxes fully.

Exactly. Hardly any shop-owner declare his income and pay taxes honestly. And many just refuse to give receipts.

On the other hand, I have always got receipts from doctors when I have asked for it.

Nitin