Charged late fee, don’t feel informed. Anything I could do?
I don't know if this is the right place for this, but I have a bit of a conundrum and i'm unsure how to proceed. I live in Florida and I have HMO meidcare affordable care act marketplace insurance. I have recently started therapy, online. The therapist does her own practice out of her house so it seems she is a one woman show and handles the administrative side herself as well. I had an appointment on Thursday. The day before Wednesday I didn't feel so good but I didn't think it'd be it a big issue because the therapy's on video so I could feel mediocre and still make myself show. So thursday happens and I don't feel good in the morning and end up going to sleep then waking up 30 minutes into my appointment. Obviously i'm apologetic, and I contact the therapist. I basically say like Hey I'm not feeling good like I don't feel like go into the appointment, especially if there's only thirty minutes left what's the point. She kind of says, are you sure but doesn't really give a reason, And I apologize again, and then like cancel it. She thanks me for contacting her and then says in the future to cancel twenty four hours in advance. Then, a few days later, i'm hit with a hundred dollar charge. Typically each session is ten dollars. I contact the therapist and she basically says oh, this is a late fee it was in the intake paperwork this policy applies to my clients etc. Personally, i'm a bit ticked off on this because not only does she know i'm on medicare and a student, But I feel like I wasn't adequately informed. Okay maybe it was in the patient intake paperwork I signed months ago and I don't have access to look at. There is no patient portal or easy way for me to access any of that information like with other doctors who aren't doing it themselves. And I feel it shouldn't opportunity to remind me about that policy, but she chose not to. I let her know that I felt like I wasn't adequately informed and she just reiterated that I signed this intake paperwork and emailed me a copy. I could be wrong here but I feel like I shouldn't have to pay this charge and the whole way that she went about it has honestly made me a little uncomfortable. Is there anything I could do? What do you recommend? This charge went to my card directly. I tried to research if this applies to any laws are protections but I was a confused. I feel like it would be a bit extreme to report it for fraud immediately and i'm honestly at a loss of what to think, or what would be an appropriate course of action.
submitted by /u/hipster87
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