Can a clinic charge you a no show fee, even without a signed consent?
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Can a clinic charge you a no show fee, even without a signed consent?
I wanted to establish care with a new doctor and when I made the appointment I wasn’t told about any fee and never got an phone call reminder which I asked for. I also had a dental appointment that morning for a root canal. I was told by my dentist I would be okay to go to my other appointment with no problem. I had about 5 hours until I saw my new doctor. I began to get extreme pain from the root canal and had to take some narcotics. I ended up falling into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up till about 8 pm after there clinic had already closed.
Asked on May 12, 2016 under Business Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
Yes, they can charge you a fee if you miss the appointment without canceling in advance. The clinic did its part: they were ready to see you. And they may have given up the ability to book someone else for that time slot when they booked you. Under the circumstances of them being ready and able to fulfill their obligations and losing the potential revenue from having a different patient at that time slot, they can bill you for the appointment when you simply never showed up.
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