Does your Pedi charge for signing things?

[MamaMaui24]

We dropped off a daycare release form to the Pediatrician and there was a $10 charge for it to be signed. (nothing to fill out, just a check box "yes, this child is well enough for daycare"). I'm not surprised but my husband was.

Does your Pedi charge? If so, how much?

[anna7602]

Yes. I think it's $10, but I can't remember from the last time we had to have something signed/filled out.

[Ashley&Scott]

No

ETA: The only forms I've had filled out were from daycare & we always update them at our well visits.

[imimahoney]

No, it does not charge. I dropped off a daycare form last week and picked it up that night... no charge at all. Why would there be a charge?

[water*drop]

Not for the normal daycare form. I don't know if they do for stuff that they don't see every day.

ETA: Ours coincided with our well child visit, though, so maybe they would have if we had dropped it off?

[Deleted]

No and I'd be really annoyed if he did!

[Deleted]

I've never had anything that I needed signed, so I'm not sure. I know many physicians do charge and I think it is funny when people get pissed off. Any other professional would charge to fill out a form that requires their expertise and approval. Physicians have long given out a lot of their services for free. Now that reimbursements are down they have to start doing what they should have been doing all along and charge for ALL their work (phone call, paperwork, etc) not just office visits.

[karinothing]

Not for daycare forms, but I think for other stuff. Their time is valuable people. I think they should charge. If they take time filling out your paper, that is time they are taking away from patients.

[Deleted]

Yes, my pedi charges (just one fee per time, so if I drop off 4 forms its still 10 dollars.) I'm fine with it. Someone has to review the forms, pull the file, verify that the child is in fact fit for daycare (I'm assuming the pediatricians dont just sign the forms blindly) - that takes time. It generates more work for the support staff and the doc. I'm fine with them being compensated for that.

also, imagine ALL the forms these doctors have to fill out. Its not just your child's daycare form. It's hundreds of forms every year for all the patients, maybe thousands. That's a lot of time and manpower when you add it all up.

[biscoffcookies]

Yes for any forms, including school and daycare forms. I think the fee is $15 or $20?

[beachdweller]

Sept 13, 2012 7:38:43 GMT -5 @lilly said:

I've never had anything that I needed signed, so I'm not sure. I know many physicians do charge and I think it is funny when people get pissed off. Any other professional would charge to fill out a form that requires their expertise and approval. Physicians have long given out a lot of their services for free. Now that reimbursements are down they have to start doing what they should have been doing all along and charge for ALL their work (phone call, paperwork, etc) not just office visits.

This. My pedi doesn't charge, but they probably should.

[birdmom]

No, they don't charge. I just had to call and get paperwork signed and they faxed it to daycare for me. I wouldn't mind if they did charge for their time, though.

[londoncalling]

Yes, it's a $10 fee if you need paperwork outside of an appointment. Whenever I take the girls for their well child check up, the Dr. always signs a new daycare form and gives an updated list of vaccinations for their daycare file at no charge.

I can also get copies of their vaccinations and charts online free of charge, but they aren't signed.

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2012 7:46:29 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Not for daycare forms, but I think for other stuff. Their time is valuable people. I think they should charge. If they take time filling out your paper, that is time they are taking away from patients.

Hmm, this is a good point. I guess I was thinking about how our doctor does it at his practice. They ask you to bring your forms to your well visits and then he fills them out while talking to you. It would be a little weird if he charged for that but not for the check up in general, you know? He'll also fill out paperwork related to other children while chatting about the one being seen.

They don't charge for paperwork in between visits but it would make sense if they did.

[MamaMaui24]

MMR - I should have waited til our next well visit - but that's at the end of October and I've already had the forms for a few weeks.

My OB did not charge for FMLA paperwork and that is pretty extensive!

I also work in healthcare and we do not charge patients for filling out forms.

[froggy76]

Yes, I think it's $10.

[pugz]

$20

[dragonfly08]

Yep, our ped. now charges $5 for each state medical form filled out (the one required for school and most licensed day camps). If I just need a copy of the girls' vaccination records to submit with a form I fill out they give me a photocopy of that for free.

[mmmomof2]

If it coincides with your well check there is no charge. If you randomly drop them off there's a $10 copayment. Seems fair.

[fortmyersbride]

Sept 13, 2012 7:38:43 GMT -5 @lilly said:

I've never had anything that I needed signed, so I'm not sure. I know many physicians do charge and I think it is funny when people get pissed off. Any other professional would charge to fill out a form that requires their expertise and approval. Physicians have long given out a lot of their services for free. Now that reimbursements are down they have to start doing what they should have been doing all along and charge for ALL their work (phone call, paperwork, etc) not just office visits.

Yep, I agree.

We've always been given a copy of our up to date vax schedule and a clearance for school at each appt. I would expect to pay for forms outside of these visits.

[af1212]

Mine has a sign saying that they charge. I have only ever needed 2 forms filled out in our time there and they haven't charged me either time though. So maybe it's an "official" policy, but they don't put it into place unless things become excessive?

[luvmagoldn]

$15 for required health forms. Our allergist now charges for allergy action plans and med authorizations too so we spent $75 on forms getting ready for school.

[mie]

No.

[barefootcontessa]

Ours does not but I would be okay if he did. The demands on primary care physicians are really high and the reimbursements they get from insurance is declining while their overhead increases.

[cjeanette]

No. They do request you try to being those things to the well visit so it can be done then if possible.

[bronxgirl]

No charge if it is part of a well visit.

[atouchofklasse]

No but I'd have no problem with it.

[Deleted]

Not that I know of--I've always taken them with me to an appointment (with 3 I'm usually in there every few months).

[Deleted]

It is not just a signature. That would be unethical. The doctor needs to review the chart. So someone needs to pull the chart, someone needs to document it was done, someone needs to copy the forms and document putting them in the chart.....and the doctor needs to at minimum review the chart, document, and sign.....

Who here works for free?