I went there eight times in total. My doctor originally recommended another physical therapist to me. Since that physical therapist was too busy and couldn't make an appointment with me until 6 days later, I found Panther on the Angie's List due to my acute pain on my left knee, left leg, lower back and left hip.
Sean gave me physical therapy six times, and his colleague Kelly treated me the rest two.
1) Sean did better than Kelly, in terms of skills and desire to help patients recover.
2) I am not happy and very disappointed with the billing issue. When I called Panther over the phone on March 15, I tried to ask the front desk, how much the clinic is going to charge for the first visit. She said she didn't know since it depends on what the physical therapist would do. I asked her how is about approximate amount of the total charge of the visit. She still said she didn't know that. Since my acute pain bothered me a lot, I decided to ask her face to face during my first visit.
During my first visit on March 16, Sean changed my appointment time before the scheduled time because he needed to pick up his child. I arrived in a hurry due to the short notice and didn't get a chance to ask the front desk before the first consultation and treatment. When Sean finished the treatment, I asked the front desk again regarding the total charge for my first visit. The front desk said she didn't know again.
Since the first treatment made me improve a bit, I went back again the next week on March 21 and March 24. During that week, I asked the front desk again regarding the total charge for my each visit. The front desk said she didn't know again. My friend went to another good physical therapist and paid by cash; that physical therapist just charged my friend $60 each time. So I thought Panther's total charge for each time might be about $20 more since I am going to pay through my medical insurance.
I didn't receive my first billing statement until late April. It shows that on March 16, Panther charged $167 in total; on March 21, Panther charged $163 in total!! Out of my own pocket, I need to pay $123.80 for March 16, and $116.85 for March 21. I couldn't believe that for each time's treatment, Panther charged way more expensively than the physical therapist that my friend went to!! Panther's total charge for each visit is also way more expensive than my primary doctor charged (for the 20-minute treatment by the physical therapist, 30-minute self exercise on the out-of-date equipment, and 10-minute for lying on the heating pack, and 20-minute for an equipment which my parents bought by themselves)!! Then I stopped going to Panther immediately.
In May, I talked with Panther's billing lady and Sean (the general manager and care provider). I expressed my disappointment because when I asked the front lady regarding the total charge at least three times, she didn't tell me the amount of number which she actually knew (Sean admitted today that the front lady knew the total charge of each visit). Sean said the front desk might think that I was asking what I need to pay out of my pocket. The truth is that I asked the front lady at least three times about the total charge for my each visit. Sean and the billing lady refused to give me any credit or discount because of their front desk lady's failure to answer my inquiry directly.
So when you plan to see Panther in near future, please make sure that
1) you ask and know the total approximate charge for each visit in advance.
2) try not to book the appointments with Kelly, even if you agree with their service price. Sean did better than Kelly; both of them charge the same price. read more