Redundancies hurt current health system

As the health care debate rages, here is my relatively insignificant recent experience with health care.

Over the course of the last six months, my primary care physician saw some slightly “abnormal numbers.”

She referred me to a specialist, which was entirely appropriate.

The specialist saw the numbers and said, “We need to run a test.” Which he did. The test indicated a slight “abnormality.”

I was not terribly concerned. But my wife; my father, who is a doctor; and my brother, who is also a doctor, were concerned and convinced me to get a second opinion. Which I did.

The second specialist looked a the numbers from the test of the first specialist and said, “We never give this test. The numbers are relatively meaningless.” He explained why, which I understood.

He then did a simple test and called me a day later to say, “You’re fine.”

I cancelled my follow-up appointment with the first specialist, and my wife, father, brother and I went on with our lives.

I am fortunate. I have almost full health care coverage.

Recently, I received the first specialist’s bill to my insurance company — $1,400 for a five-minute worthless test.