When Benevolent People Get Stiffed

The call was from a west coast practice and was obviously one made out of conscience, not business.

An older woman presented with a dog that needed emergency care.  She was properly informed and was given an estimate of about $400.  She agreed to the service.

The procedure went well and the dog recovered quickly.  The owner however did not pay the $400 bill and said she couldn’t despite her agreement to the estimated fee.

“Maybe my church or a friend will pay it,” she told the practice.  They agreed to grant a little time with some stipulations but the next day a gentleman walked in and paid the bill.

Over and done with, dust off the hands and go back to work, right?  Umm, not so fast.

About ten days after the bill was paid, the gentleman came back in and wanted to see the business manager.  “Is there anything you can do to help me get your client to pay me back?”  The manager asked the doc and that’s how the call to me originated.

“”The short answer is no,” I said.  “Your contract with the client is settled and attempting to collect on a promissory made between two people exclusive of the services provided is not something you want to do.”

“Well that’s what we thought,” said Dr. Bigheart.  “We just felt bad for him that he was out the $400.”

“How do you know he was?” I asked.  After a long pause the clinician said, “Well, he told us he was.”

“But he could be taking advantage of you or the client correct?  He could be getting the all or part of the $400 from you and getting the full $400 from the client, right?  Could he also be a confederate of the client’s and working to get her free services and both skip along into the sunset with the reclaimed $400?”

After the realization of what was not known sunk in, we then talked this out a bit more and they felt more secure with their “business-is-business, but no, so sorry” decision.

Have you been stiffed or scammed?  Or have you ended up providing discounted or even free services to the seemingly benevolent soul?  And finally, have such policies changed in your practice over time?