A doctor's bill that makes cents

My friend, Bob, recently went to Mercer Health Systems, located in the heart of Mercer University’s campus in Macon. If you’re unfamiliar with Mercer Health, it’s a clinic that provides a variety of services, including X-ray and laboratory work.

Bob lives in Warner Robins and works at Robins Air Force Base. After the paperwork was filled out, and the health insurance was filed, a bill was sent to Bob for the costs not covered by his insurance plan.

His wife, Sonya, was most amused when she opened the bill.

It was for 38 cents.

And how much did Mercer Health Systems pay for a stamp to send them the bill?

39 cents.

Well, Sonya wasn’t about to write a check for 38 cents and send it back to Macon with her own 39-cent stamp. She was coming to Macon anyway, so she decided to have a little fun and drop off the payment at Mercer Health Systems.

She claims she used up a couple of gallons of gas just trying to find the place. It is located at 155o College Street. It is part of a campus maze blocked off to prevent people from cutting through between Coleman Avenue and Little Richard Penniman Boulevard.

“Did you know that you can't get to College Street from College Street?’’ she said. “ I could see the building, but so much of the campus has changed and so many roads are blocked off making me ‘go around my elbow to get to my thumb.’ ’’

Anyway, she finally got there. Time to break the bank with that 38-cent check.

“After clearing my throat, coughing, and jingling my keys to get someone to the front desk during what appeared to be their lunch hour, I met a sweet lady named Vickie who was not all as amused as I was regarding the 38-cent bill,’’ she said.

As it turns out, this paltry sum to accounts payable was not at all that uncommon. It was "all the computer's fault."

Sonya asked if people actually wrote checks for that amount.

“Of course,’’ the woman said, “especially the government agencies they provide services for."

"In fact", she told Sonya, "we've deposited a paper penny before."

Trust me, if I ever get a doctor’s bill for just 38 cents, I will gladly pay it.

I will even pay the postage.