Time = Money

Insurers Fight Speech-Impairment Remedy
By ASHLEE VANCE
Published: September 15, 2009
Devices like iPhones and netbook PCs that can help the speech-impaired are not covered by Medicare or insurers.
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This story has a lot of meat. Wherever you fall on the insurance/health care debate, there are interesting issues here.

But because of my current interest-some-would-say-obsession with one thing and one thing only, here's what popped out at me:


"Doctors must still bring a patient into their offices instead of, say, inspecting an e-mailed photo of a rash if they want most insurers to pay for the consultation. Digitizing medical records is such a vast undertaking that the government is now spending billions of dollars to jump-start it."

Hmm? What? What...are you referring to? Why...why did this jump out at you. This has nothing to do with teaching, aside from the fact that everything has to do with everything in our interconnected universe Om Shanti....
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Doctors would charge for e-mail consults if they could, and perhaps they already do, except insurers won't reimburse; so, patients are free to request e-mail consults from those doctors interested in providing that service, as long as they (the patients) know they won't be reimbursed.

Now to be fair, my newest specialist actually answered an e-mail from me [for free], and I almost fell on the floor. Actually, I almost fell on the floor when he provided an e-mail address.

But that is extremely rare. In 40+ years of living, this is the first doctor to respond to an e-mail question, and it was about a matter of some importance--not life-threatening, but very important.
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How can I articulate my thoughts without exploding into a rant?

When anyone e-mails you and requires more than a terse, one sentence reply; when parents e-mail you repeatedly, badgering, hounding, even though your answer will not change; or, even in the best of circumstances when people e-mail you requesting specialized knowledge possessed only by a chemistry teacher, early childhood specialist, Spanish teacher, choral director, professional writer and editor (English teachers, that's what you are)....

Your response should be:

"I am so happy to assist you in this matter. My fee for after hours consultations is $50.00 per hour."
This may seem outrageous to you? Silly? Another doctor I have charges for certain paperwork. And, to be quite honest, I didn't blink. That didn't peeve me off. It never occurred to me that this person should not be paid for the time it takes to provide me a service. Just because they are friendly, provide a nurturing, important, vital service to society, does not mean that the secretaries, copyists, plebotomists, doctors, nurses, clerks, and technicians should not be paid. Why? They are workers, not volunteers. Their offices are not a chapter of the Red Cross.
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Phone time: A friend of mine paid a service provider for an hour long discussion on the phone.
Let that marinate.
How many hours have you spent on the phone with parents? After work hours....
Would you say, perhaps an hour a week? That might be high--let's say an hour a month, which is probably a tad low. Some teachers never call, some teachers call every parent once a month or more. Let's say you've been teaching 10 years:
10 years x 10 months x 1hour per month= 100 hours

At $50 dollars an hour.
That's 5,000 dollars. Could you use 5,000 dollars? I know I could. I could use that a lot.*

So, it's ridiculous to think that parents or the school system would pay for your time after work hours. Fine. Then withdraw your labor, and use that time after work to get a second job, play with your children, walk your dog, keep house, and enjoy your hobbies. Or volunteer--elsewhere. Make yourself unavailable. As one self-help guru observed in a flash of non-stupidity,
You teach people how to treat you.

You are good teachers. Get to teaching.




*A script you can use:

OVERWORKED TEACHER: I am so happy to assist you in this matter. My fee for after hours consultations is $50.00 per hour."
PARENT: Are you kidding me?
OT: No--I know that sounds strange, and I do not mean to be rude. But I have a second job [carpentry, installing drywall, teaching violin lessons, coaching soccer, after school child-care], and if I spend time after school hours on the phone, I will lose money that I so desperately need to pay my bills. I do not mean to be offensive, but these are the facts on the ground."

P.S. You shouldn't have to explain why you are requesting, nay, requiring, money for your labor...but such are the times--we are still operating under a Victorian model of teacher compensation.
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It cracks us up so much when Parents Who Are Doctors or Lawyers demand the most time for conferences, phone consults, etc. Also "humorous": the insistence that they take your planning time, or that you meet them before or after school--or that you get another teacher to cover your class so that you can meet with them--you know this happens. "How about I come to court and interrupt your trial? But why not? Oh...is it because you are working?'

Perhaps place a placard on your wall--"I cannot be held accountable for student test scores because I am pulled out of class to meet with parents and other stakeholders. If performance pay is in effect, I have documented the hours I am pulled off task."