Terrible. Deceptive business practices. No graduate student at Penn State should go here.
I am a Penn State graduate student and made an appointment to see Dr. Werner after finding him on the vision provider website. I had blurry vision and eye pain that had been getting progressively worse over several months. I was told by Dr. Werner's office they took both my insurance (vision) and medical. The medical insurance I was told would only be used in the event that it was a medical issue, so bring both cards to my appointment, either way, I was told I should be covered. After my appointment, Dr. Werner said that I did not have a medical issue and that my vision was ok, although it got slightly worse due to age, I have nothing to be concerned with.
Melanie, the billing person then told me that I had to pay $160 right then and there because they were having problems with Aetna. She said that I would have my refund at the end of the month. When I asked a receipt she said that they're unable to give me one and that she would mail it to me. After several weeks of not receiving a receipt, I called and asked that I have an itemized receipt. I went in person, and got a receipt that wasn't itemized, only the doctor's fee of $160. I called Aetna, and they said they did not get a call from Dr. Werner's office about my claim. I then waited until the end of the month and still had no refund.
I then called Melanie again, at which time she said I needed to have a referral from my primary doctor. This was the FIRST time that anyone at Dr. Werner's office indicated that I needed a referral. She said I should asked for it to be backdated. After a back and fourth with the University Health Services, I was not issued a referral. I contacted Melanie was very matter-of-factly said that she didn't know what I was talking about, and I would not be issued a refund.
Any respectable office would not schedule an appointment and perform an eye exam without informing the patient of what is required. I was told by the University Health Services that this is not the first time that Centre Eye Physicians and Surgeons has done this, and I am disgusted by their shady and fraudulent business practices.
Besides the shady financial practices, the customer service is awful. I was frequently ignored, particularly by Melanie when I came into the office to discuss the claim.
Deceptive business practices. read more
