Edit 9/3/2022 - Forefront leadership did work w/ me to come to an agreed lesser cost. I do believe it should have been zero but I didn't realistically think they would do that. I voiced my concerns to them about how they disclose the potential cost to their new patients... I guess we'll see if they take any of that to heart.
Cost conscious potential clients beware - Forefront Dermatology doesn't not seem to have client cost on the "Forefront" of their business practice as important to disclose to clients...
I had done a bit of searching on the internet, and came across Forefront to remove to skin lesions. I called to make an appointment at my local office. During the call, I asked if there was any consultation costs. I never have had an elective procedure done, and wanted to ensure I knew what I was getting myself into financially before I moved on with the process. The response to me was that there was none, so naturally I make an appointment. A short while before my appointment, I get a text and e-mail to complete online registration, so I do so. During the registration, I do not recall seeing any pricing listed for consultation, and it seemed to be just for medical history, so I complete it and think nothing further of my appointment. The day of the appointment, I check in at the front desk, and since I had already registered online, they only asked for my insurance card and verified some information for me, and I was done. Again, nothing was disclosed to me that would alert me to any cost of my visit. I'm pretty happy thus far. This is where my happiness with the process starts to wane.
I was scheduled to see Andrew Duncanson. After about 10-15 minutes of waiting in the waiting room, I was called back. The nurse was pleasant and made small talk, saying about how easy my medical history made her job, and that she was going to get the Dr. This process took all of 1-2 minutes. The wait for the Dr was approximately 5 minutes. Dr introduces himself, and confirms reason for visit. I tell him I'm simply looking at removal, and showed him the two locations. He grabs a small ruler, holds it up to each skin lesion and reports sizes back to the nurse. This took all of 1 minute. At this point, he seems like he's rather un-interested in my case, as he quickly discloses the process of removal in their offices, stating that they can shave the lesions off, but they have the likelihood of growing back, or I could seek out a plastic surgeon for full removal with no further detailed medical explanations as to pros and cons to each method outside of scarring. He jots down a piece of paper the estimated cost for each removal, and instructs the nurse to run the procedures through insurance and send me a letter with post insurance cost. That was it. Less than 5 total minutes in the office, he departed, and I was guided out of the room by the nurse and I was to expect a letter in the mail with costs after my insurance was consulted.
4 Days after my appointment, I receive a letter with the costs after insurance, but don't elect to do anything yet, as I wanted to get a cost estimate for full removal via plastic surgery. 11 Days after THAT, I get a notification from my insurance that Forefront charged $291.03 to them, and my patient total was $217.30 after insurance paid their part. Almost $300 I found I was charged for a grown man to hold a ruler to my face, and jot two prices down a piece of scratch paper. After calling their billing and voicing my displeasure, they told me they'd put it into dispute, and a total of 3 weeks after my appointment, I was called and told the Dr reviewed my dispute and said charges were valid. No where during my entire process was I told there was a cost to a client visit, because had I been told the cost was shy of $300 just to have this experience, I most definitely would avoided that appointment.
In this economy, I feel absolutely fleeced. Even after insurance, $217 feels like I just got taken. Forefront doesn't seem to care, because they're $217 richer for zero services rendered, and not having me as a client wont hurt their bottom line. As you can imagine, I didn't bother to pursue them for removal with them. Potential clients - know costs are not cheap to just speak w/ them. If this review helps even ONE person save their hard earned $$, it will have done it's job. read more
