I went to a Summit Medical Group surgeon in Florham Park. I paid a $125. consultation fee. The office was supposed to do their due diligence and get back to me with my out of pocket costs and other information. I waited...nothing. I called and spoke to people several times and was told they'd track down the information and get back to me...nothing.
I then went to a second Summit Medical Group surgeon and asked if they'd wave the $125. consultation fee because I already paid it a short time ago to the other surgeon and I would get the documentation directly from them. I was told no.
So, I wrote a letter to the SMG corporate office and told them that I thought this practice was unethical. I held up my end of the bargain, the SMG surgeon and their office staff didn't. I didn't understand why I had to pay that fee again.
It took quite a while to hear back, but when I did it was agreed that I would not be billed again for an initial consultation. I ended up going to see Dr. Momeni in Basking Ridge. I paid so many thousands of dollars to SMG and to Dr. Momeni, I can't even say if a consultation fee was billed or not.
Dr. Momeni, the office staff and surgical staff were nice. But, nice is not all you need when you're getting surgery. My end result is really bad. Not a little bad...but really bad. It was a complicated surgery, and I was not expecting a fabulous result. But this surgery has left me physically deformed.
Dr. Momeni said he would help with the financial costs surrounding HIS fee if I wanted to have an additional surgery. But in the same breath he also made it clear that it is his job to make SMG money, so that was all he was willing to do. I was surprised that he didn't feel as though his job was to help and fight for his patients after a bad result.
I certainly can't afford an additional surgery. So, I again contacted SMG corporate. I spoke with another nice person...Shaina Fraguela. She took my information and I sent her embarrassing photos. She said she'd get back to me. I waited while she did what she needed to do, and I finally heard back from her today.
Bottom line...I signed forms prior to having surgery basically stating that if the surgery is unsuccessful neither the doctor nor SMG is accountable. Understand, please, that you can't have this surgery without signing these forms. I did not have an option.
What a racket. My God. Kind of feels like I'm in a mafia movie or something. My question now is "Why was I given any hope at all in the first place"? Why did Shaina put me through the process when she surely knew the end result? Deny, deny, deny. Seems like a sick joke...having me think that I could possibly get the needed surgery and could stop walking around feeling and looking like a freak!
But, in my case, SMG, their doctors and their patient relations coordinator are more concerned with their bottom line than their patient.
Very sad! But very telling! As health care corporations get larger and larger, the less they seem to care about those they serve.
My hope is that one day large conglomerates like these come crashing down and are put back in their place. Without patients, they would not exist. read more