If everybody did billing like doctors and hospitals
As the surgeon returned to car dealership to pick up his car, he wasn’t happy. He had taken his Land Rover for a tune up and to check out where the liquid on his squeaky clean garage floor was coming from.
The dealership had found the leak, did a full tune up, and even had cleaned his car in and outside. The free detailing was part of the superior service Land Rover provided its customers.
And yet, the doctor was not pleased. He was surprised by the bill: it was much different from what he was told when he had dropped off the car: Tune Up $449 + leak detection: $150 = $599 estimate.
He received the following combined bill:
- Regular Tune Up: $449
- Oil filter and oil: $200 - this was apparently not part of the original fee. The regular tune up fee is only for the facilities, oil drain pit and access to the shop. It doesn’t cover materials.
- Recycling fee: $15
- Overalls cleaning fee: $25 x 2 = $50
- Covid surcharge: $25
- Leak mechanic: $260 - He is not affiliated with the dealership and uses his own billing service. His fee was not included in the original estimate, yet nobody informed the doctor.
- Oil mechanic: $130 - He too uses his own billing service, though he is part of the Land Rover network, and therefor you get a discount.
- Gasket: $25
After swiping his credit card, the dealership explained that his balance was now $0. However, he may receive still a bill from the liquid diagnostic lab.
Have a nice day and come again.