Would you tell this lie to help an impoverished loved one?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Today’s story, set in 2007, is about Sharon–a pharmaceutical sales rep–and Jean, a seamstress. Both in their late 30s, The two women are first cousins: in fact, each other’s only living relative. Sharon has a comfortable middle-class income, lovely apartment, new car every other year, and so on; that said, she’s a low on liquid assets at the moment because she’s made some long-term investments. By contrast, Jean is scraping by. She lives in the house she grew up in, inherited from her parents; that house and a fifteen-year-old Saturn are her only significant assets. As kids they were as close as sisters; as adults they’ve drifted apart, but Sharon still loves Jean; it’s just that Jean doesn’t fit into her high-powered, hard-partying life. She’s tried to help her financially out from time to time, but Jean, very proud, always refuses to accept anything more than dinner at Taco Bell.

As our story opens, it’s a blistering and cloudless summer day, and Sharon is driving on a South Memphis street on her way to awsales call. Stopping at a red light, she sees Jean walking along. Sharon makes an illegal U-turn and pulls up beside Jean, and asks where her car is and where’s she’s going. Jean replies that the Saturn needs a new transmission, and that she is on her way to the low-cost clinic a mile up the road. Seeing that Jean is drenched with sweat, Sharon hands her a bottle of water and offers her a ride, to which Jean gratefully agrees.

So to the clinic they go. Not wanting Jean to have to take another long walk or rely on Memphis’s spotty bus service to get home, Sharon cancels all her appointments for the day while her cousin checks in. When Jean returns, Sharon asks what illness she is suffering from. Jean replies that she doesn’t know exactly–only that vision is compromised, she isn’t sleeping well, and her blood pressure that morning was something like 190/110. This is the first time she’s seen a doctor in years, and even the twenty dollars this visit will cost will really hurt. She has no insurance.

Just then the receptionist calls Jean’s name–but not so she can see the doctor. To get that extremely low price for an office visit , you see, Jean had to provide proof of income; but for a couple of years now, the only work she’s been able to get is for herself and for cash, and what documentation she has is not adequate. Jean will have to pay $80 up front, plus for whatever blood tests and such are required, and of course for whatever drugs she needs.

But the receptionist has a suggestion. If Sharon will write a note saying that she lives at Jean’s address (already on file) and pays all the bills – in other words, that Jean is her dependant – the price of the appointment will be the $20 Jean was expecting, and any tests will be comped; she will also be able to get her meds at a considerable discount from the clinic pharmacy.

Jean is very reluctant to ask Sharon to do this. It’s not just her pride; it’s the fact that she hates to lie or to ask anyone else to do so. But she’s short on options, so she does.

Sharon is as honest as Jean–and almost as worried. Do you think she should do as the receptionist suggests? If not, what’s your suggestion?

2

Turn the receptionist in for suggesting they lie. Furthermore, tell the Dr that the receptionist’s suggestion sounds like a great story for the local newspaper, and you will be calling them, unless some sort of long-term accommodations can be arranged.

3

Find another clinic that’s not Pay to Play. Report this clinic to the state authorities.

That said, can Sharon help Jean by pointing her in the direction of a job opportunity, preferably one with benefits?

4

I think Jean should turn Sharon in for making an illegal u-turn. There are laws for a reason and the safety of us all.

5

Sell the house, move into a cheap apartment and purchase health insurance with the proceeds from the house.

6

Yes, Jean can probably accomplish that in one afternoon

7

It’s a good long term solution though.

Like most others, I wouldn’t lie. That always comes back to bite me in the ass.

If I were Sharon, I may drag her off to the side, do the “real talk hands on shoulders” thing, and tell her I’m paying for this and we’re getting her set up with a real doctor pronto. That covers the short term, longer term will require more details.

8

I guess I will be the first to admit that I wouldn’t hesitate to vouch (lie) for her. The receptionist is just sharing a tip on how to deal with bureaucratic rules that aren’t meant to stop people like Jean from getting reduced price care anyway. Jean just doesn’t have the paperwork to prove it.

This thread came with enough problems built into it already but that isn’t enough for some of you. We might as well close down a clinic serving poor people while we are at it or at least get someone fired for sharing a tip to try to help.

9

Since Jean’s health is in danger I’d consider the lie. I’d look into something else to do, spend the 80 bucks myself if I could, but if this was preventing Jean from getting proper care, and there were no alternatives I’d go along with the game. I think there are alternatives though.

10

Well, that’s admittedly a long term solution.

I wouldn’t lie, I would probably just pay the costs and then work on the long term solution.

Also, is this scenario at all fact based? Can claiming you live with someone else as their “dependent” get you reduced doctor’s fees and comped lab tests?

11

If I’m lying n the tub, unconscious and with the water about to rise over my face, because I slipped on the tile and hit my head, the long-term solution is to place a rnner in the term that has better traction, preventing a recurrence. But I need the short-term solution a hell of a lot more.

I can see saying that Sharon should tell the white lie I can see saying that Sharon should put the $80 on a credit card that moment and explore other options later, But aiming for a systemic ready when Jean is sick THAT MOMENT is … SheldonCooperish.

12

I think you’re getting a little too worked up over this. Yes, it is a long term solution. There’s nothing wrong with proposing that in addition to whatever short term solution is also proposed. It’s not like the clinic receptionist is going to break out the flamethrower if they don’t pay up in the next 30 seconds. This is not a life or death scenario - this is a billing question. Hell, Jean can probably defer payment to next week/month if she really needs to.

In fact, in can sometimes be a good idea to get someone thinking about the long term first, so they understand that the short term solution is not the permanent fix. In fact, the receptionist’s solution is in fact a long-term solution (although a bad one) being proposed as a fix.

13

:: yanks Evil!Skald helmet off **kayaker’s **head, smacks him with it ::

Soulless misanthropy is NOT A TOY!

14

I’m sorry. If Jean is Sharon’s dependent, wouldn’t the cost now depend on Sharon’s income? That’s how the household thing has always worked for me.

15

At the real-life clinic I am thinking of? Nope. All that would be necessary was signing a handwritten note, un-notarized note. Not even a witness was required.

16

Same here.

17

No, wouldn’t lie.

18

Is it (selling the house) really, though? The house’s value is not included when determining her eligibility for benefits such as food stamps. If she sold it, the cash WOULD be considered. She’s got to have a place to live, and depending on the house’s condition and local rents, it might be cheaper in the long run to stay put. Health insurance is also very very spendy. I’m guessing the house isn’t worth that much, and between insurance, rent etc. the proceeds would be gone within a year or two.

For the long term, I vote stay, get whatever assistance she can lined up, and perhaps get a roommate to help with expenses.

For today: Sharon could theoretically get in trouble for fraud. I would avoid lying if at all possible.

And “prove you have no income”??? how on earth do you do that??? The proof is that she has no W2 or other tax presence. She could show her bank statements. The whole scenario sounds fishy as hell.

19

$80 is already ridiculously cheap. If I need to pay the $60 myself, I’ll do that before I put something untrue in writing.

A lot of people are acting like the house in Memphis must be worth a lot of money, but I happen to have some clients who own real estate in that area and it wouldn’t surprise me if the market value of Jean’s house is around $30,000. Maybe much less if it hasn’t been maintained well; and not likely to be more than about double even if it’s nice. That kind of money can be be eaten up quickly by health insurance.

Of course, if she has such low income, then she should qualify for FREE health insurance thanks to Obamacare programs.

So, to summarize my position: I’m not lying to the doctor; I will pay the difference now to make sure no one dies; I will make sure Jean starts taking advantage of public assistance that she qualifies for; I will give her a kick in the butt for not being a responsible adult in general.

20

I would give her the money or nothing. Asking me to commit medicaid fraud over a petty sum to spare her feelings is unreasonable.