Before I founded Biomeme, my wife called me frantically on a Saturday morning asking whether she should take our 3 yr old daughter to the doctor. She said there was a bad rash on her leg and she wasn’t sure whether it was poison oak or chicken pox. I was skeptical – I’ve seen both and thought this was just poison oak from playing outside. I’m also pretty stingy and we’re on a high deductible HSA so that means everything comes out of our pocket…doctor visit, tests, medicine. And, most importantly, after daycare, the doctor’s office is probably the best place for our kids to catch a bug. That said, I wasn’t there, Mom was worried and what are you gonna do? This is our little baby girl.
My wife called me back later to explain the pediatrician thought it worth ordering a rapid test for chicken pox and she’d call us the next day in time for us to know whether to take our daughter to daycare Monday morning. OK, sounds reasonable. Sunday passes, Monday passes, my wife calls the doctor Tuesday to learn they still haven’t received the results. “We’ll call you either way when the results come in.” Nothing Wednesday, Thursday. Meanwhile, our daughter has missed some daycare but, thankfully, the rash is clearing up.
I’m pissed at the whole experience – any parent knows that a doctor visit is really a daylong affair requiring a lot of juggling. My wife and kids wasted a whole Saturday, $150 on the doctor, wasted daycare costs early in the week…and what greets me in the mailbox like 6 weeks later?
A bill from the central lab diagnostic company...for a test that I still believe never even occurred. The bill was for about $250 but, because we had insurance, the lab was kind enough to give us their discounted price of $39. I read the bill and thought: No f***in’ way. Now, think back to when you, as a customer, were totally wronged in every way imaginable. Your plans were disrupted, you were made to wait, misled, dissatisfied, and then told to pay.
But then I saw what the bill was for – a real-time PCR test for chicken pox. I texted a photo of the bill to my co-founders and wrote, “That test fiasco we went through was the same tech were making for the smartphone.” And I still have that bill taped to my wall right in front of me so I’m reminded everyday of why I’m doing this.
Please email me your experience – better yet do a quick YouTube video and send me the link. I’m compiling experiences and Biomeme could really use your thoughts
