I've been going to Dr Uppalapati for a little over a year now and very rarely have I been inclined to write a review. To start, I have a specific health insurance that doesn't require a referral or authorization number and I've been with them for almost 18 years so I would say I'm pretty familiar with my insurance. So the biller which is also the woman that schedules the appointments made an appointment with me back in April 23, which I saw the doctor ( had to do bloodwork) then another appointment was scheduled for May. Mind you, almost every appointment I've had the biller constantly tells me I need a referral and authorization number which I know I don't. This has been a back and forth debate with her as she never spoke to my insurance directly when I asked her to because she would've known. So the day of my May appointment, as I'm sitting in the office waiting she calls me and says they have to cancel my appointment because my pcp sent over the referral but no authorization number. At this point I'm upset that I took off the morning to make my appointment and received the phone call to cancel while I'm there, so I asked why couldn't you tell me this yesterday and no, I don't need any of that! She then says she tried calling my pcp that morning and I should try calling her. So at this point I said whatever, I need to make another appointment, she says no you can't until we get an authorization number. So she insists on calling me back when that happens.
I'm a diabetic on insulin and the doctor needs to see me before she gives me more meds. So now the summer passes, I get a bill in August for $97 so decided to call, while questioning the bill and make a appointment. Spoke to the same biller/ lady again and she made the appointment for September and said she would send the bill back to insurance. Now the day before my appointment I decided to call to mk sure everything was ok. The same biller then tells me again, my pcp sent the referral but not the authorization number and at this point I have a weeks worth of insulin and diabetes medication left so I'm like no, you need to call my insurance directly, I don't need those things. She also tells me that she called my pcp and they confirmed sending a referral but said they can't give an authorization number so I'm asking what does that mean, then she says we'll you should call your insurance provider. So I did, which they confirmed again I don't need a referral or authorization number. So now I call the office, tell them my issue including I'm on my last of my diabetic medications to then be told that, as per the doctor, I shouldn't be given an appointment until my bill of $97 is paid. Now I'm totally confused and disgusted!!! A bill that was sent to my insurance was never and issue? So my life saving medication is being withheld for $97 that I didn't even know about !!
So then I called the billing headquarters and spoke to a professional that knows insurance, she then got on the phone with me and my insurance company, which they confirmed I don't need a referral or authorization number, they also confirmed the bill of $97 which I then PAID on the spot once I knew they paid a portion. The Knowledgeable biller apologized for the lack of knowledge from the other office biller and for the months of the runaround I received from this place. For this I decided not to give them my business or waste any more of my time. The cherry on top was the doctor deciding not to book my appointment until this $97 was paid that I was unaware of ( didn't know my insurance didn't pay that portion).
It's sad and unfortunate to see that this doctor was ready to keep life saving diabetic medications ( insulin , metformin, glipizide ) from her patient hostage for $97... wow
This definitely made me look at her in a different light. She's not someone that I would trust my life with!
If her biller is going be the one to make appointments as well, she needs to listen to the patient and receive more knowledge with different healthcare providers. read more