***Complete money scam.***
Lets start off with my experience working in a physicians office, cardiology specifically, where it's even costlier to seek medical advice. Never have I held a patient responsible for a change in our contracted medical plans when they have been a serviced client in the past under that same plan and the office failed to notify them or charged them a copay in honor of their believed accepted insurance. We always waived their visit expense. We did not deceitfully take the money of their "copay" and later bill them the full amount because we didn't accept their insurance anymore. That would be a disgusting and dishonorable practice to let someone believe they had coverage (by accepting a copay and/or not telling them we no longer accept their plan) and then giving them a call back and insisting they were responsible for the whole bill. I'm sure a majority of clients would seek medical advice elsewhere where they had insurance coverage. You're insurance information is visible on your patient profile and that is how they know how much to ask you for a copay. The staff should immediately advise you before you see the doctor of the change, or even after the visit when once again they see your insurance.
I had this happen before at another doctor's office (gynocologist) in the past where they accepted my copay and later dismissed my bill because they no longer had a contract with my insurance and they mistakenly didn't tell me of this. They had an understanding that the staff should have notified me when I came in for my visit and not have charged me a copay if they didn't accept my insurance. That was a proper way of handling the situation and keeping their practice's name in good standing which to this day I have a respect for.
Not here. I would not have visited this practice if I knew I had to pay for my visiting full when I could have just paid a copay amount (an almost $200 difference) at another doctor's office. I had lost my insurance just after my visit because I lost my job, I couldn't afford this bill and although they gave me a discount on my visit, this shouldn't have ever happened to begin with because I wouldn't have seeked medical advice here if I knew my insurance plan was no longer accepted. I wouldn't have been able to afford a full bill then, and definitely not now. I have never been so disappointed in a medical group. I went to this office since I moved to this city, they had wonderful doctors that helped me through a bad ailment for that went on for months. To have that same group turn on me in another time of hardship, that was a disappointing surprise.
A practice should take responsibility for their mistake and not point the finger at their client. Educate your staff better, keep your patients notified and put them first. read more