I was on the morning/day shift, and he got dropped off just a few minutes before the end of my shift. Seemed like a nice guy, my first impression – later to be proved wildly wrong – was “gentle giant.” Looked about 6-foot-2, 220, not bulging out of his white T-shirt but still looking very powerful. Very red face, and I don’t remember noticing it at the time, but some sores on his nose and cheeks that he had ointment for.
We didn’t have new Clients sign this Consent for Services form when I started, as far as I could figure out, we had only been doing this for a few weeks. They had already signed a similar version when they entered Detox, this one gave permission for us to do UA’s, Breathalyzers and a few other things. In a classic “bury the lead” – or, perhaps, “hide the grenade” -, the last section outlined costs: $100 per UA, other tests in the hundreds of dollars range, and Residential services of $3,000 per day.
“That’s per day?” JB asked.
Correct, I said, then confirming he had insurance to cover it. He said he did, but wasn’t sure of his co-pay. As I did with others, I told him that this was what is billed to insurance – but if for any reason insurance didn’t pay, it would be his responsibility.
“You OK with that?” I asked, sliding the signature keypad – the form was on the computer screen – toward him.
“Don’t have much choice,” he said, and scribbled his name.
Notes from the Shitshow 