I contacted the office because I was in need of an adjustment. I was looking for a chiropractor who was "in network". This was on a Tuesday, they said they could see me Thursday. I asked if they had any appointment availability on Friday. It's an hour from where I live to their office in Billings. I had several appointments on Friday already. One appointment was a massage, which I had hoped to get before the adjustment. They said, "they don't see new patients on Fridays". Ok, well I was in discomfort, so I will make a trip into town just for this appointment. Appointment set for Thursday. Then they asked for payment for the appointment right then on the phone. I should have seen the warnings. That has never happened in 35 years of going to see Chiropractors. Every time payment was requested in the office at the appointment. Sometimes before the appointment, sometimes after but never on the phone when scheduling.
I show up Thursday, excited to finally get the adjustment that will bring me relief. I so much as tell the girl behind the desk that when I sign in. As a new patient you go through a consultation, a spinal scan, and x rays. I have been seeing chiropractors for 35 years, in 3 different states. That is pretty much standard procedure and followed by an adjustment. I understand the liability a chiropractor faces and the reason for the x rays. At Bare Chiropractic, during the consultation, the screening and the x rays, I repeatedly mentioned I am in need of an adjustment, that I am in discomfort. That I have been looking forward to the adjustment to get some relief, since scheduling on Tuesday. After my x rays, they go to set up my "return of findings" appointment. It was then that I asked, "am I going to get adjusted today". The answer, "we are sorry no, we can't!!" SERIOUSLY! Not once did anyone correct my belief that I would be getting an adjustment that day. Ok, I guess I will go see my "out of network" chiropractor for relief, while I wait for the return of findings appointment.
The availability for my next appointment was the upcoming Tuesday at 2 pm or Thursday at 8 am. Mind you, I am in discomfort, I work from home, and again an hour drive to their office in Billings. I asked, do you have anything around 3:30 or 4 in the afternoon so I only need to miss an hour or so of work? The answer, "sorry, no. Those times are reserved for when we schedule our adjustments, we don't onboard new patients or schedule return of findings appointments during those times."
So, to wrap this up. The office is incredibly friendly. But incredible friendly does not align my spine. I would have preferred them to be incredibly rude and aligned my spine. That is after all what a chiropractor is supposed to do, and why I contacted this office. The office, in addition to being incredibly friendly, is purposefully misleading and health insurance oriented. They made sure to check all the billable insurance boxes, "office visit, consultation, screening, and x rays" before telling me I would not be getting adjusted that day. If I had been told that up front, I would have scheduled an appointment to get an adjustment with my "out of network" chiropractor and not waited for 2 days uncomfortably for this appointment. Had they been honest up front, I would have still gone to their appointment, as I wanted an "in network" chiropractor. Because they were purposely misleading, I will be staying with my "out of network" chiropractor. He is patient oriented, respected, and would never tell a patient who is in discomfort to come back in a week. read more
