This doctor's office has been a nightmare for me. I scheduled a routine pap as a new patient and had to wait months for my appointment date. I waited for the appointment because I was told she was a great doctor. I went for a routine pap and was asked about my medical history as a new patient. I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis in the past and continue to struggle with it so I talked with her about that. When I was checking out, as expected, I was told that I did not owe a copay because it is covered under my insurance plan for women's wellness. I received a bill a short time after for the visit and was told by my insurance company, BC/BS, that Dr. Ross had coded the visit as a "problem visit", and the visit was now subject to a high copay. It feels absolutely violating to me that as a new patient, you can be billed for a copay after your appointment for answering questions honestly during what is supposed to be a covered yearly women's wellness exam. The insurance company told me that this is a common way for doctors to get out of having to honor the Affordable Care Act's women's wellness provisions. My insurance company told me that there was nothing I could do about it and that every visit is subject to whatever the doctor codes the visit for. I called the doctor's office and was told that because we discussed my medical history, it was considered a "problem visit". When I talked with management at Touro about this, they informed me that whatever the doctor codes the visit for is what I have to pay.
What is the point of a women's wellness exam if you are a new patient and talk with your doctor about your medical history when they ask for it and then it gets coded as a different kind of visit after you leave the office? It is fraudulent and wrong, especially as a female doctor. This is the kind of greed that the Affordable Care Act is supposed to help correct, but it looks like doctors and the healthcare industry will always find a way around the law.
Before I received this bill, I had scheduled follow-up exams for handling the problems that I was billed for in the "problem visit"/yearly pap, and had to have lab work done. Dr. Ross is in my insurance network and all labs are to be covered at 100%. The doctor's office was not sending the lab work to in-network labs and I received additional bills for the original pap and another lab in follow-up visits, now subject to out of network co-pays. When I called the insurance company and the lab about this, I was told that the doctor's office was using out-of-network labs and not submitting the claims properly. I just received another bill stating I am going to be turned over to a collection agency for labs that are covered by my insurance at 100%. I have called Dr. Ross' office at least five times regarding these bills and have been told that they would look into it and take care of it. The insurance company told me that even though this doctor is an in-network provider, doctors can send labs to wherever they want and the patient is responsible for the lab bill no matter what the doctor chooses and what your insurance policy says.
What a racket!
When doctors and insurance companies wonder why patients are disgusted by the healthcare industry, this is why. Thinking about it all makes me sick to my stomach.
In general, I found Dr. Ross to be disinterested and condescending when speaking with her. In my experience with OB/GYNs, it is difficult to find a caring doctor when you have female medical problems, but they treat pregnant women with a lot of respect and care. It always makes me feel terrible. Dr. Ross was running considerably behind schedule for every appointment I scheduled with her as I waited and watched pregnant women come in after me and leave one after the other while I was still waiting for my appointment in her office. Dr. Ross literally left me with a shrug about the problems I've been experiencing and it made me feel like I am not a human being.
I would strongly urge anyone not to choose Dr. Ross or the Touro network if you are looking for good healthcare. This doctor's office/network is concerned with booking more patients than they have time or care for and making as much money as possible from you while you wait for appointments and figure out billing problems yourself. Do not expect high-quality service or care here. If anyone reading this has experience with a great OB/GYN, please let me know! I am searching for a doctor in the area that will treat me and the problems I'm experiencing with respect, care, and honesty. read more
