Obscene

A couple weeks ago, I paid a visit to our friendly neighborhood sleep disorder center at one of the local hospitals. It was just a basic exam to see if I met the criteria for a sleep study (I do).

My appointment was at 8:30 am. I was walking back to my car at 9:05. Yea, it was great. I got there, filled out the required paperwork and was called right in. A nursing assistant weighed me (ick) and checked my blood pressure (another ick). I was ushered into one of the sleep study rooms, where I was visited by a nurse practitioner. No doc. A nurse practitioner.

Don't get me wrong...I put more trust in a good NP than I would a mediocre doc. That's not my point. I'll get to that in a minute.

She did a fairly basic neuro exam and asked me a dozen questions. She told me that I definitely needed a sleep study (I already knew that) and had me watch a 10 minute video about the procedure.

After the video, a scheduler came in and we set the date. That's it. I was outa there. 35 minutes total. I was actually in the presence of the NP for no more than 10 minutes, tops.

I got the bill Saturday. For $444.00

Four hundred and forty-four fuckin dollars. For a ten minute visit with a nurse practitioner. In a non-profit hospital.

I don't know how they can even look people in the face.

If that, dear friends, is not the most perfect...the most descriptive example of the word obscene, I don't know what is.