I was over at your Sterling, IL facility at the end of Aug. 2013 for an eye exam with my daughter; we had received a phone call from Bard saying we were due for our new glasses per IL Medical Card rules. Both Sarah and I had our eye exams, and picked out our frames. Since we are were on the IL Medical Card at the time of our exams, it was found by the Bard Optical employee that my prescription and frames were not eligible to be renewed until Nov. 2013. Our state medical coverage expired Dec. 1, 2013.
I was verbally assured by your Bard employee that my prescription would be turned into the State in Nov. when it was eligible to do so. When I had not heard anything from Bard by the middle of Jan. 2014 I called the office to inquire about my glasses. (I am aware that it takes up to 3 mos. for state glasses to be made). When I phoned Bard Optical in Jan. 2014 I was told that my prescription was still in my file and that it would be turned in that day.
I received a voicemail from Amy at the Sterling Bard Optical Store on Monday, Mar. 3, 2014 telling me that they had received a denial letter for my glasses and that my glasses would not be made. I tried phoning Amy back on Tues. Mar 4, 2014 and was told by Amanda, who answered the phone, that Amy was not in that day, but asked if she could help me. I explained the situation to Amanda, that had my prescription been turned in as it should have been in November,2013, then the glasses would have been made. Amanda told me she would phone the home office and see what they said to do, and would then phone me back. Amanda phoned back and said the home office was going to send a fax to the state of IL to verify I had coverage in November.
On Friday, Mar. 7, 2014 I received a phone call from Amy at Bard Optical asking if anyone had explained to me about what had happened with my glasses. I explained, AGAIN, to Amy how I had talked to Amanda earlier in the week, and what Amanda had done. Amy said that she had spoken to her boss and was told that, and I quote: "In instances like this when the eye exam is done before the glasses are due, it is on the patient to call us and remind us to turn in the prescription. Therefore, if you want your glasses, it will be $234.00 and we will need a $150.00 deposit." I told Amy that I should not have to pay for my glasses since it was Bard Optical's error in not turning in my prescription in November 2013 as it should have done. Amy said she understood but her hands were tied, and we said goodbye.
About five minutes after this last phone conversation, Amy calls me back and said she called the home office and that the home office heard back from the state saying that they will not back date the claim for my glasses because it is insurance fraud to do so. I am not asking the state to back date anything, They were just supposed to VERIFY that I had coverage for glasses at the time that BARD OPTICAL WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN MY PRESCRIPTION IN!!!!! Amy again said she understood and apologized for "the incident" and said that SHE DOES PUT EMAIL REMINDERS ON HER COMPUTER TO CALL CLIENTS WHEN THEIR GLASSES ARE DUE TO BE RENEWED, BUT THAT SHE ONLY WORKS THREE DAYS PER WEEK AND IF THE REMINDER POPS UP ON A DAY SHE IS NOT THERE NO CALLS ARE MADE!!!!!!!
I am very upset with Bard Optical and feel they should provide my glasses as promised, free of charge as it was THEIR MISTAKE for not turning in my prescription on time in Nov. 2013!
Kelly M. Allen read more