Help, Ive been defrauded by my hospital!

[mint]

OK, we're not talking big bucks here, a mere 5 euros, but I thought I'd put this out there to see if anyone else has experienced it.

I went to the anaesthesists' department recently to have my pre operative RV.  Visit over, the receptionist handed me my carte vitale back and said I had to pay 50 euros.  Out came the credit card machine and I typed in my code.  She gave me what turned out to be a devis and said here is the receipt.  I noted 45 euros on the "receipt" and pointed out that I had paid 50.  No, no, 45 she said, look, pointing at the figure on the paper.

I was loaded up with the usual files, had my VSL and driver waiting, had my co-passenger waiting, a whole sitting-room of fiddly patients waiting for me to finish and I did think that I must have somehow misheard.

Anyway, after my hospital stay (should have been 1 night but turned out to be a dramatic 5; but I digress) and going over my bits and pieces of paper at home, including my credit card statement online, I noticed that they had indeed taken out 50 euros.

Just as a small bit of information in the course of our small talk, I mentioned the matter to my nurse who is calling at my home everyday.  I asked her, do you think that that was a deliberate policy on the part of the department to defraud their patients?  To my huge surprise, she answered, yes of course it is, they do it all the time!!!

So has anyone else had a similar experience?

I shall email the accounts department together with my credit card receipt and the devis which, looking back, I should not have perhaps paid.  I wasn't too bothered knowing my mutuelle would cover all fees including déparsements honorairs and that I'd get the money back.  But, I just felt too flustered and yes I suppose intimidated by the large, unfriendly receptionist.  And, after all, I was a nervous small woman needing an operation and she was a very large, overbearing and extremely unfriendly "authoritarian" figure![:-))]