Hidden charge - unfair?

vikkimcd

Hi. I recently had to take my dog to the vet for an injured leg, X-rays etc. I paid up front, to claim back from insurance. I completed the insurance form and took it to the vet for a signature. When I spoke to the receptionist to ask for the form to be signed, he said, 'Oh, we can send that off for you'. I was pleasantly surprised and asked if I would need to do anything else. He said I would not.

The next time I went in a few weeks later to pick up some painkillers, I was told there was an 'admin fee' for sending off the form. I questioned this, clearly stating that no charge had ever been mentioned. I was told I would need to speak to the man who took the form off me. Today, I rang and spoke to a woman who stuck to her guns, even saying, 'at least you'll know in future'!

My question is, am I right to contest this fee? I have never signed any joining Ts & Cs or documents, and feel that this fee was whacked on without my knowing. I literally could have picked up the form and e-mailed it over myself had I known there would have been this fee.

This feels really underhand - is it okay for them to do this?

Brie

This sounds like one of the times I would act like a broken record and have "I was never told there would be a charge" on repeat.

Meanwhile take a look at what you can see at their reception, a list of standard charges perhaps. Maybe it's only on their website which means they should have told you to look there prior to giving them the form for sending away.

The problem of these situations is that someone is likely to say "well everyone knows that…." which only means that those who know will know. Everyone else who is there in a emergency situation won't know and it's a failing on their part to not recognise this.

sheramber

i think most vets now charge for completing or checking the form. They are not going to sign something without checking the information on it.

My surgery has a notice in reception about charging.

vikkimcd

There are no notices up with any charges. I was wondering if I could quote some sort of standard or law? I was very nice when I spoke to them, however when she kept stating there was a charge, I asked how I could make a complaint. She told me the 'reception manager' is in tomorrow, so she will leave her a note…

I am assuming there must be some sort or policy on this. It is all very wishy washy!

vikkimcd

In the meantime, I thought I would go and check what they had charged me, even though none of it is itemised. I have noticed I have been charged £24 for a bottle of pain medication which online is £4-6.00. That is with a discount of being part of the monthly 'vet club'. Are there no rules for set charges at all?

KxMx

Vets are individual businesses that set their own charges, as any for private human healthcare do.

There are recent moves to improve transparency across the Veterinary industry

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-concludes-market-investigation-with-major-reforms-to-veterinary-sector

A Vet practice and online pharmacy have vastly different overheads, storage capacity and buying power.

Amazon versus corner shop is a fair comparison.

If you had asked for a prescription to buy online then almost all Vets charge for writing them. Buying online also delays the pet receiving the medication.

sheramber

Are there rules to prevent the corner shop selling Heinz beans for a higher price than Tesco?

vikkimcd

I understand that they can charge what they like. However, all of this feels hidden. I have been charged different prices for the same thing. I only noticed this when I checked receipts (at the time I was busy worrying about my dog). They seem to come out with a random amount every time. And as for the 'admin charge', surely any business should be up front about any costs before any transaction? It was not mentioned at all when I took the form in to be signed. All it needed was a signature, and he took it off me like he was doing me a favour, no mention of a charge at all.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81954934#Comment_81954934

price will vary depending on what the cost of the medication was.

Vets are required to buy from specific sources. They cannot shop around for the best deal.

They can only carry limited stock due to having to dispense it before the ‘use by day’.

Online pharmacies will have a bigger turn over so can buy in bulk.

You are entitled to an itemised bill so ask for one.
My current vet uses a fixed fee for some procedures so these bills is not itemised.

My last vet had a notice in reception of the cost of the most common services/ medication, the cost of a prescription ( to allow you to buy online), and the maximum time between consultations for repeat prescriptions.
He did not charge for dealing with insurance claims.

My current vet does. Claims are emailed direct to the insurance company.
After all, somebody has to take time to sign the form and then email it off. Nobody works for nothing.

You do have the option to use another vet if you are not happy with your current one.

elsien

it’s not a question of simply sending the form over though.

the Vet also has to complete their own questions around when the illness was first noticed, confirm confirming treatment et cetera. In my Vet Surgery that is what the charge is for - I can email a form and send it directly to the insurer but the vet still has to take time to answer the questions they are being asked and the admin fee covers that as well.

So I would suspect that this is a case of the receptionist not explaining it properly rather than it being a hidden charge as such.

vikkimcd

I totally understand that. However, I now know that had I left the form there, I could have simply picked it up when they had completed it and just scanned it over myself, for free. The receptionist took it off me saying, 'oh, we can send that off for you', with no mention of a cost, like it was a simple task. I hesitated, as he was so breezy about it, no charge mentioned, and no charges displayed. He made it seem as though this was being done for free. That is my issue.