Am I being silly?

At the beginning of my pregnancy, my pap smear came back abnormal. My midwife said we would do a colposcopy in the second trimester. I have had an abnormal pap before, so I knew what a colposcopy was and agreed, as long as the doctor would not take any biopsies. My midwife assured me no biopsies would be taken.

Flash forward to the second trimester. I go in for my scheduled colposcopy, with a medical doctor I have never met within the practice. Our interaction was very negative. She referred to my child as a “parasite”. Which I understand the reference, but prior to making a joke like that, I feel you should read people a little better. I don’t see my baby as a parasite at all. She then argued with me about the biopsy. I told her I didn’t want them taking pieces of my cervix, as I am not comfortable with it. She said she would only biopsy if it looked particularly gnarly. I told her it did not matter how gnarly it looked, because I could have stage 4 cervical cancer and I wouldn’t dream of treating it until baby was born. I told her when it comes to baby’s safety or mine, it’s always baby, 100%. She rolled her eyes and insisted I was being dramatic, as I “have another child at home.” For the record, I do not. This is my first pregnancy and first child.

The doctor inserted the speculum and looked at my cervix. She stated my cervix was “too hormonal” to see anything. She said it is irritated and enlarged, which is normal for pregnancy, but that she could not see anything. She took the speculum out and said we would do a Pap smear after baby is born.

Flash forward 3 weeks later...I get a bill for $121 in the mail from the OB for a colposcopy. I didn’t have a colposcopy. My cervix was “too hormonal”, remember? She never applied the vinegar solution, she never examined or attempted to examine me with the colposcope. She simply inserted a speculum and looked with her own eyes. THAT is not a colposcopy, and that 15 minutes I spent with her is not worth $121.

I am under the impression my midwife also thinks the procedure was completed. At my last appointment, I was confused when she mentioned the procedure and said that the doctor hadn’t seen anything abnormal. It didn’t really click at that point, as I had so many other questions to ask.

Clearly, this doctor documented she completed a procedure she did not complete. I am a licensed professional who is held to certain ethical standards regarding documentation, and I am sure she is too. I have already called and disputed the charge. Am I being a big baby about all of this? It’s only $121, but that’s a week’s worth of groceries for us. I would rather put that money to better use. Should I just pay it and get over it?