The
desk clerk at an upscale hotel informed me that a guest wanted my services. The
call arrived at 3 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon. I had no plans till dinner.
Freeway traffic would be no problem. It was a perfect time for a housecall.
What a great job….
The
desk clerk added that the guest was not actually in the hotel. He would check
in at midnight. Could I come then? So I set the alarm that evening and dozed
until it went off.
I
regularly complain of how far I drive, but sometimes I hit the jackpot. I once saw a patient in my own neighborhood, a mile away. He suffered a minor illness, so I was there and back in half
an hour. As I was faxing my bill, the phone rang.
“Did
the patient pay the deductible?” asked the dispatcher for the insurance
service.
“You
didn’t mention a deductible.”
“I
forgot. There’s a $75 deductible.”
That
was annoying. Cheap travel insurance requires a deductible, and guests never
remember to pay. When dispatchers forget to tell me to collect it, I insist the
carrier pay the full amount. They always agree but, being cheap services, it
requires several pestering phone calls until the check arrives. Since this patient
wasn’t far, it was easier to get in my car and make a second trip.
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