You’ve got to be kidding me. $14 for two pieces of paper.
When, where and how did the pediatrician’s office get permission to charge $7 for a freakin’ immunization form?
It’s one flimsy page. The information on it is important, of course. I get that. But you want to charge me for the form?
What about the time I took to drive there? Is it free if you email it? No.
How about the fact that my daughter has had two appointments in the past month, including one to get her 4-year-old shots? If I’d asked for the form during the appointment would it have been free then? No.
These are the things you find out by accident as a parent. Or maybe I’m just the only uninformed mother in Atlanta?
I called ahead for the forms. There was no mention of a fee on the phone. So I get to the pediatrician’s office. First it takes them five minutes to find the forms. (I later understand the resistance to just reprinting them.)
Oh, here they are, the nurse says. Have you paid yet?
My mouth falls open wide enough for the woman to see my tonsils. I slightly tilt my head and ask: Paid. For. What? I intentionally pause after every word to make my attitude known.
She informs me the forms are $7. EACH? My tone has changed, and I’m clearly slightly annoyed.
She nods, and I go into crazy mama mode. You know, that person you say you never want to be or the person you claim not to be. Yeah, I went there. I’d rather not repeat here what I said in the pediatrician’s office that day. I later regretted it. Momentary lapse of sound judgment.
“Well, you have to pay for the nurse’s time,” she said with her own tilt of the head.
Time? What time? WTH? She pressed control P, and picked up a pen and signed and dated the form.
OK, wait, let’s see … at $7 a form, let’s say it took her 5 minutes (I’m being generous here). That’s $84 an hour. Let’s say she works an eight-hour day. That puts it at $672 a day. OK, so the nurse makes $672 a day, $3,360 a week. Clearly I went into the wrong line of work.
I digress, and I’m exaggerating at make a point.
I had to go back to my car to fetch my wallet, because I assumed the forms were free. Afterward, I immediately did what any good mother would do and I texted my mother.
"Can you believe I just had to pay for immunization forms? That’s just ridiculous," I say.
I never actually address my mother with greetings and salutations, I just start my text messages with whatever is on my mind at the time.
Mom’s reply: "You used to go pick them up for free. Wow, everything is about money. My ankle feels a little better today.” That’s code for, you forgot to ask how your mother was doing.
I still have a copy of the small, light-green book where my mother wrote down every shot I ever got. Clearly I need to get me one of those books. Oh but then I’d still have to have the forms. THE FORMS! Form 3231 and Form 3300 to be exact.
I left the pediatrician's office and looked up the laws on this to see if my pediatrician had pulled a fast one. Nope, it's for real. Even the health department charges, the nurse told me. (Visit dph.georgia.gov/immunization-faq for more information.)
Suppose I didn’t have the money? I’m blessed with a good job, but just suppose I couldn’t afford it? These forms are required for preschool registration. I know the pediatrician has to make a living, too, but really, something just ain’t right about this.
Before I left the pediatrician’s office, I checked to be sure the forms were what I actually needed for fear of being charged a fine-print, undisclosed, you-forgot-to-check-the-form fee.
That’s my story. Now here’s a look at the item’s you will likely need to register your child for pre-K.
Items you may need for registration
- Immunization record
- Social Security card (for your child; child must be 4 on or before Sept. 1)
- State issued birth certificate
- Photo copy of parent's ID
- Proof of residence (current lease agreement with parent/guardian name and address ,or current utility bill with valid address, or a notarized statement of residency. Note: Telephone bills won't work. Don't ask why, just find another bill.)
- Proof of income (Current pay stubs with gross income for all household members and parent or guardian's name and address info. "Current" means the month prior to verification. A tax return might be required if you're self-employed.)
- If you receive public assistance, yep, you'll need to show proof of that, too.
- If you're active duty, yep, you may need to show proof of that, too.
- And like me, you might also need to show proof of foster care/state adoption.
- And, don't forget, the most important thing: your wallet! There's something you forgot that you'll have to pay for.
Oh, and don’t forget to get your child’s blood type and fingerprints. They might need those, too. I’m kidding, but you never know.
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