Update: I strongly caution anyone considering Pam Smith, Dow Segraves, Your Best Life Psychiatric &…read moreHolistic Wellness, or Arlington Counseling & Wellness: CHECK EVERY CHARGE AGAINST YOUR INSURANCE EOB.
What began as a billing discrepancy has escalated into an active fraud investigation with Surest, a BBB complaint, disputed accounting, contradictory responses, and over $2,000 in disputed amounts and resulting financial damages.
While insured, I was repeatedly charged approximately $90-$110 for appointments. My EOBs later showed some visits had $0 patient responsibility and most others only $10-$20.
After I lost insurance, Pam's published self-pay price was $90. My records show I was still charged over $100 for multiple visits.
I repeatedly requested an itemized ledger and receipts showing each appointment, insurance payments/adjustments, my responsibility, my payments, and how my money was applied. I still have not received documentation that adequately reconciles these amounts.
I filed a BBB complaint. Their response included an internally prepared ledger I had already disputed because I believe the accounting is incorrect. I responded with EOBs and payment records identifying the discrepancies.
Their subsequent response stated that I WASN'T A PATIENT.
This was particularly confusing because their earlier response had already discussed information concerning my treatment.
There is also conflicting information regarding the relationship between these providers/practices. Pam continues to be publicly associated with the practice/location, and providers there have personally confirmed that relationship to me. Dow Segraves has told me he no longer associates with Pam. I am documenting this conflict rather than claiming to know why the statements differ.
After filing my BBB complaint and continuing to dispute the accounting, I received an EVEN HIGHER BILL while still awaiting the accounting and receipts I requested. Given the timing, this concerns me greatly. I cannot establish the reason for the increase or anyone's motivation.
I reported the billing concerns to Surest. Surest informed me there is an ACTIVE FRAUD INVESTIGATION concerning the matter. To be clear, I am NOT stating Surest has determined fraud occurred; I am reporting the investigation status communicated to me by my insurer.
The financial consequences extend far beyond the original disputed charges. The money involved contributed to overdrafts, late fees, difficulty paying rent, and additional losses. I estimate the disputed amounts and resulting damages now exceed $2,000.
This also concerns me because it involved psychiatric care. During treatment, Pam regularly asked about my finances, bills, support system, whether my parents helped financially, and how I was managing. She knew I was struggling.
Given the subsequent billing dispute, those conversations now make me extremely uncomfortable. I do NOT know whether that information had any relationship to my billing and am not alleging that it did. It is part of my experience and why this situation concerns me.
Mental-health providers are entrusted with extraordinarily sensitive information. That makes transparency and accountability especially important.
I have retained my EOBs, payment records, communications, billing documents, and BBB correspondence. I am pursuing appropriate complaint and regulatory processes and will allow those organizations to determine what occurred.
If you are or were a patient here: PULL YOUR EOBs. Compare every appointment and payment. Save every receipt. Keep billing communications in writing. Do not assume an amount collected necessarily matches what your insurance says you owe.
I wish I had checked sooner.
DISCLAIMER: This review reflects my personal experience, records, communications, EOBs, and information communicated to me. Where matters remain disputed or another person's intent cannot be established, I have identified them as such rather than presenting them as proven facts.
