I've been seeing Dr Patel for both cosmetic procedures (Botox and Juvederm) and medical purposes (she has diagnosed and treated my basal cell carcinoma). The staff has always been friendly and professional. Dr Patel is nothing short of amazing. I've never waited more than 5 minutes past my appointment time. She takes time to answer my questions. After my 1st Juvederm injection, I developed a cold sore (the 1st time I ever had one), and she squeezed me in to her schedule to see me and even gave me samples of medication to use. The Botox and Juvederm may be a little more pricey than other places, but I don't mind because I feel it's worth it for Dr Patel's expertise. I definitely recommend her for both medical and cosmetic needs. read more

Shayla at the front desk is so nice and kind. Kyi did my derma planing. The whole experience was relaxing and thorough. She took the time to understand my skincare routine, ask me about my goals, and I never felt rushed. I'll be going back for more time with Kyi and to make an appointment with Dr Patel read more

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Terrible patient service. If you're a minute late, your appointment will be cancelled. A nightmare to get to this location. Dr. Patel Is extremely conservative and won't really listen to your opinion/asks. read more

Positive: The receptionist was very kind and professional! Negatives: I had to wait 20 minutes to be seen, there were 3 other people that seemed to have appointments with the 1 doctor at the same time. I should have seen this as a red flag. When I went back to the room and the medical assistant asked what I came in for. I started listing my concerns, and she said I wouldn't be able to speak to the doctor about all of them. Since when did speciality doctors limit what you're allowed to discuss during your appointment? I've never had this happen at a dermatologist before. This place seems like a scam. I got up and left because I am not paying for multiple appointments to address each concern I have. Avoid this place, it's not with the hassle of a money focused doctor. At what point will patient care be the center of healthcare again? read more

Don't waste your time or money, go somewhere else. I'm not even sure if this is a real dermatologist. I went there to get a wart removed on my thumb. I waited a month for an appointment not during working hours, had a five minute appointment where the doctor did absolutely nothing. I asked for them to refund my $40 copay, and they agreed and said they'd send it as a check in the mail. Instead, in the mail I got this lovely letter they sent to me threatening me with legal action if I posted anything on social media (see the attached photo). No check! Good luck with your "rapid and robust legal response!" :-) read more

Dermatology + Aesthetics: Chicago - Streeterville - Dermatologists Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't sing Dr. Pastel's praises loudly enough!!! She is one of the first doctors I've ever had that I feel will truly fight for me! I went in feeling defeated by my eczema. I had heard of a specific medication and it was one of three treatment options she gave me, so I said "that one! I want to try that!" My insurance denied me twice, but Dr. Patel kept fighting for me and kept me informed every step of the way. I recently changed insurance companies and we're going through another struggle. But Dr. Patel gave me a month's worth of "samples" to give us more time to figure it out with the insurance. Also, she's just a really nice person, as is Kayla! I've seriously never loved a doctor as much as I love Dr. Patel (and with asthma, eczema, and knee issues, I've seen a lot of them). read more

I saw Doctor Toral Patel on a Monday afternoon. The receptionist and her assistant were both extremely kind. Once I saw Dr. Patel, she was also very kind and genuinely listened to my concerns. She explained three options to me. I was appreciative that she was aware that some options are better/worse for alternate skin tones. She was able to give me a small treatment right then and there and I went along on my way. Three days later, everything happened just as she predicted, and I am a happy camper. My only complaint is that the location was a bit confusing to find. The pillar outside the door was says that D&A Dermatology is on the 3rd level, yet from the Randolph entrance the building appears to be only one story high. Once you walk in, you notice what appears to be floor 1 is actually floor 4, and you have to go down a level on the escalator or elevator. The outside sign, should mention its the lower 3rd level. read more

Listen to the other reviewers here - there is something shady about this practice! Most of the positive reviews are from people getting cosmetic procedures not medical treatment. The doctor is nice enough but they hustle you if you're not paying attention or not well informed. I was prescribed an expensive brand name version of minocycline and told I had to call around for the best price and then use a coupon the doctor provided to get it. I called the assistant out on the fact that there are much cheaper generics of minocycline and I wouldn't have to jump through hoops to get them. She told me She'd ask but they won't work and my skin won't improve (the FDA has proven NO difference in efficacy between brand and generic). After forcing the assistant to talk to Dr. Patel, I was immediately switched to doxycycline, which is about 6 times cheaper and equally effective. I was then prescribed Retin-A and told I can only buy it from their office - wrong. Tretinoin cream can be purchased with prescription at any pharmacy but the doctor refused to write a prescription to take to my pharmacy. I was then put on 2 other drugs and told I had to get them call to get them through 2 different, no-name pharmacies in the Chicago area. I understand the margins are narrow in a dermatology practice but this doctor/practice is DEFINITELY getting kickbacks somewhere down the line from these pharmacies and/or telling patients they have to use the coupon provided to purchase ridiculously expensive brand name drugs when the doctor knows full well there's a generic available. read more

The receptionists need a new job because they all have attitude problems and if you ask them a question they'll respond to you sarcastically like you're stupid. Truly gives me a bad feeling. The doctors don't even look over your face and ask about anything specific problems. They'll just give you a medication and leave the room. The nurses were really nice though. Definitely won't return here and I hope they see this review so they can change their behavior. read more

Dr. Patel spoke at an educational session I attended, and she seemed intelligent and warm, so I decided to make an appointment with her for a skin check. I arrived on time for my appointment, waited about 10 minutes in the waiting room, was put into an exam room and then sat there for nearly 45 minutes. When Dr. Patel came in, she apologized and said she was dealing with a patient with a difficult situation. This didn't really help the fact that I had already been in her office for an hour before seeing a doctor. I was thisclose to putting on my clothes and just leaving and rescheduling. People have to take time off work to come because she's only open during business hours, so I expect for my appointment to be kept on time, or at the very least not an hour late. I could probably deal with this except for what happened next. My exam was over and the doctor and nurse said their farewells. I took off my gown and was in the process of retrieving my clothes hung next to the door when the nurse walked in on me. She knocked while she was opening the door and I yelped. She quickly closed the door but not before everyone by the reception desk saw my naked body. I quickly got dressed and opened the door. The nurse said sorry about that, and I said, "Well, yeah after everyone's seen me naked now." And she said, "Oh no one saw you, I kept the door close to me." And I said, "No, that man sitting right there saw me; I certainly saw him." And she said, "No, no one saw you." I felt so violated and embarrassed. I left and felt like crying. That pretty much ruined my day. I bought some wash from the receptionist (only $14) and it would've been nice if the nurse had told her I was buying it so I didn't have to awkwardly explain it in front of the waiting room that had just seen me undressed. Maybe they could've just given me the wash for free after the whole ordeal? Poor customer service. I'll be finding another dermatologist for my next visit. read more

I will be the first to admit that I am super picky about doctors...more so than anyone else I know. I recently moved to Chicago and had to find new doctors again. With so many options it can be really overwhelming. Not so fun. I called to make an appointment here after looking at a lot of different dermatologists online. I picked this office because Dr. Patel is younger and the only doctor, the office was new, and there was a nice (navigable) website where I could request an appointment online. I was able to get in the following week on the day that I requested. The next week - this never happens with a dermatologist (I've waited 2 months before)! The office itself is brand new and really nice. I waited for a minimal amount of time and Dr. Patel herself called me into an exam room. Dr. Patel is really great. She's friendly and actually listens. I recently started experiencing breakouts...something that, in your 20s, is pretty awful. Dr. Patel seemed sympathetic to my plight - she didn't simply write off my concerns and never talked down to me (my least favorite thing about many doctors). She told me her exact plan for me, explaining every step and answering all of my questions. Only time will tell if my skin will improve with the regimen provided by Dr. Patel. If this doesn't work, I feel confident that she will find something that will. I'm really glad I was able to find such a good dermatologist. I highly recommend this office! ***UPDATE***: I first went here over a year ago and my skin was terrible. Now it's completely clear thanks to Dr. Patel. I could not be happier! read more

This place is extremely non-transparent about billing. They don't inform you of the price of anything and then you go home and get a bill in the mail 2 weeks later. Completely unprofessional and would not recommend. read more

Dr. Patel is kind, caring and listens to your concerns. She set up a cleansing regime for me within my price range and answered all of my questions. Great office staff as well! read more

Read the reviews!!!!! I'm not the only one. I experienced multiple problems with this office, though my provider, Dr Ida, was fine. The office messed up my billing multiple times; I found the office through my insurer and verified online and over the phone that they were participating. Once I had my first appt, they assigned me to a physician in their practice who was non-par, without telling me. Once I received my EOB, I called them back, explained to them how to bill the claim using another provider's tax id and keeping Dr Ida's NPI, so that the claim would pay as in-network. They assured me that they would. However, over 6 months later, I received another bill from them, still showing that I was subject to an out-of-network benefit. I called them again, I explained that I had not selected Dr Ida when I made the appointment, that they themselves had assigned me to him. I explained to them, again, about how they needed to bill in order to have the claim be covered in-network. They refused and were rude. I reminded them that I had both called and looked on my insurer's website to be sure that they were participating, and that it was no fault of my own that their office, though listed as participating, had a provider who is non-par. I neither knew that, nor did I select Dr Ida specifically. Because it had exceeded 6 months since the service date, the window for me to appeal the decision had expired with my insurer. So, I paid the balance, Beyond messing up their billing and the above gaps in communication, they also overlooked telling me that they would not authorize my prior authorization without a follow-up within six months (Dr Ida wrote my prescription for 12 months, but, the prior auth was for 6, per my insurer's rules). When I attempted to remedy this situation, the office was both uncooperative and dismissive, telling me that it was not their fault that I didn't understand their policies. Needless to say, I've switched to a new dermatologist and filed a complaint with my insurer about this practice's poor treatment of participating patients. Avoid this office; they are uncooperative and unprofessional. I have worked in public health for 15 years, and have a long experience working for insurers; I understand how to identify participating providers, and how to bill claims accurately. This office is inept at doing so. read more

If there is a better dermatologist than Dr. Toral Patel, I don't know who it would or could be. She is patient, as empathetic as is human possible, and extremely knowledgable. From the first time I found her when she was in a practice at Northwestern, to the opening of her own office in Lakeshore East, she is determined to please, and make sure the patient is comfortable, and knows exactly what she is doing. I am so choosy about what Doctor I see and especially when it comes to my skin. She did a full body work over and found a few spots that she said we should keep an eye on, and she did a few filler procedures, like Botox and Juvederm. She is so caring and feels bad that there is any pain associated with the procedure. I adore her warm and caring manner, as well as her extensive knowledge and expertise. I have never, ever waited in the outside waiting room for more than 5 minutes and she does not pack in her patients. She prefers not to be that kind of doctor. I cannot come up with more wonderful words for Dr. Toral Patel. She is the best ai have found in my 60 years of experience! I have been her patient for 5 years. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. James Ida for 2 years now. He's a great doctor and very knowledgeable - also explains to me anything I'm concerned about and is very helpful. Highly recommend if you are looking for a dermatologist read more

I love this office and Dr. Patel! I went in scared as I could be because I haven't been to a dermatologist in over 4 years. I'm in the sun a lot and am pretty tan most of the year. Dr. Patel and her staff were the best. The office is beautiful, sleek, and clean. Dr. Patel was so kind to me and put me at ease right away. The skin exam was very thorough but I didn't feel violated in any way. She found two spots on my back that she said look fairly innocent but recommended I have them removed. So I'm going back in two weeks for that procedure and I'm not dreading it at all. :-) I highly recommened this place! read more

This was my first time seeing a dermatologist, and Dr. Patel is wonderful. She is thorough, kind, and explains everything the way a doctor should. She's very sensitive and understanding, as seeing a dermatologist usually has a lot to do with your appearance. I've never had a doctor be more involved in my appointment before, and she really knows her stuff. As a bonus, I easily booked an appointment on ZocDoc and didn't have to wait weeks+ to see a great specialist. If you're looking for a wonderful dermatologist, book with Dr. Patel. read more

Dermatology + Aesthetics: Chicago - Streeterville - Swanky waiting area. - Dermatologists Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After a few years of having skin allergies and not getting better with the other dermatologists I had seen, Dr. Ida immediately put a plan in place, figured out what was going on and gave me really great help to avoid allergies in the future. He and the team are awesome and I'm so grateful! read more

I would give zero stars if I could. I am an African-American woman who suffers from melasma. I also have other sun damage all over, and dark patches from chronic eczema breakouts. I told the doctor my concerns and he assumed I wanted skin bleach and dismissed my concerns. And they had the nerve to send me a bill of $300 after my insurance. He did nothing for me and quite frankly I have never been so offended in my life! He has no respect! read more

I'm solely giving a review based on the receptionist who is "a ray of sunshine" - not. There are actually 2 ladies I've seen working the front desk. The younger one is nice and usually does check out but the lady checking you in is curt and unfriendly. I even pointed that out to the nurse after I was escorted into the room. Dr. Ida and the rest of the staff have been nothing but friendly and informative. However, if clients are greeted by their grim receptionist, I doubt it'll retain customers. read more

I am an international student who had a little pegmentation problem area..the receptionist told me that doesnt cover by my insurance .. so i decided to pay ... it was 50$ to get an appiontment ... then ive paid around 200$ for 2 creams which ive found them online both for like 60$ ... bottom line ... i think they are very expensive. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Patel for over a year. She is attentive, knowledgeable and communicates with compassion. The treatment she prescribed substantially reduced my risk of a more serious outcome. I have the uppermost respect and gratitude for Dr. Patel and I recommend her highly!! read more

I went because of eczema. Dr. Toral was real nice and explained well about my condition. She was also super nice when I asked of other concerns. The office is pretty new so it is nice and clean. The staff there are nice too. Super plus is that it's not too hard to set up an appointment quickly. read more

Being that a new dermatology office opened steps from my place, and that my other derm office was on Kinzie, a 10 minute walk I decided to try out D&A. I can say when I called to make the appt the person making the appt kind of made me not want to go here and gave me a different image than what the place is about-The person seemed confused and not really sure of times or what is going on-Maybe it was a fill-in person? When I walked in that morning for my appt I was impressed with how modern the place was-So sleek and contemporary, really cool vibe inside with lots of magazines, yay! Since I was the only one there I went right back and had the assistant ask me questions on my skin, products I use etc. This visit was to see what products I should use due to the fact that RevaleSkin care was going to be discontinued-I didn't want to go searching by myself for something and play games with my face and see what works and didn't and waste money- Dr. Toral Patel came in and I addressed my concerns and she was able to see what I needed and told me about the products she recommended and as well told me what she uses-I really loved that she told me what she used and that it didn't bother her skin-We both were using the RevaleSkin Cleanser so that helped me to trust her recommendation would be good- The assistant provided the list of what I should use/try and as well I was given samples of Glytone Cream Wash Step 1 kit and an eye cream-I used the products as soon as I got back, scared I would have reaction face but nothing bad happened- I am actually using the Glytone products that was given to me, I bought the full size (on Amazon, much cheaper) sorry Dr. Patel :( As well I use the Vivite Hydrating Cleanser, Vivitie Day Lotion, Exfoliating Scrub and the Luminere eye cream-I am happy with all and my skin looks so different since going to see Dr. Toral Patel-She knew what she was talking about and none of the products irritated my skin-I would have never known about these products if it wasn't for her- I would buy products there but they are so much cheaper on Amazon and since I am being sucked dry with my rent here at Aqua I have to do all I can to save money- But I can say Dr. Patel did not lead me in the wrong direction, I had no issues with the products she recommended and honestly my face looks so radiant now just after a month seeing her- I will go back if I want any treatments, maybe light exfoliation or to ask about masks etc. I really like her and her staff and to be honest what made me feel so relaxed was the decor and the office itself-Just so clean and had no medical feel to it at all- Ladies in the area I suggest Dr. Patel, she was so nice, professional and helpful- read more

Dr. Ida is by far the best Dermatologist (doctor) that I have ever seen! He is compassionate and has a very caring bedside manner. One of the most difficult times of my life (being diagnosed with cancer) has been easier because of him. He put his "kid gloves" on for me and although he isn't an oncologist, has stood by me every step of the way through my diagnosis phase. I am truly thankful for Dr. Ida and would recommend him to anyone looking for the best Dermatologist around! read more

I had an irritating itch and needed to see someone right away. D&A was able to fit me in the same day. I was even able to fill out my paperwork online prior to my visit to speed things up which was great! The office is very nice, clean, new, etc... Within a few minutes, I had an extremely professional consultation. It was obviously busy being that they squeezed me in, so I was given updates every couple of minutes on when they'd see me. Dr. Patel was extremely thorough, diagnosed me, took a sample, and had me out with a prescription. There was a glitch between my insurance/pharmacy/office so my prescription didn't make it to the pharmacy that evening. Dr. Patel called me at 9pm that night to check-in and be sure I got my prescription but my pharmacy was closed. Never had a doctor call me after hours for something so minor. My prescription was filled by 9:30 am the following day. Definitely top notch! I'm very impressed! read more

Saw Dr. Ida. Was nervous because I was going in to test a mole that had been changing. This was in network for my insurance and so I thought I'd give it a try. For being nervous Dr. Ida basically spent no time with me. The nurse was great, answered a lot of questions, but really Dr. Ida was in my room for maybe a minute before deciding to biopsy, then he left for about 10-15 minutes, came back for another maybe 3 minutes to do the biopsy then left. DIdn't ask if I had questions, never followed up with me. Wouldn't return here. read more

I went to Dr Patel a week ago and I was extremely happy with my visit. The office is beautiful and clean, with state of the art equipment. From the front desk women to the Dr. everything was professional and efficient. Dr Patel answered all my questions, I felt comfortable and didn't feel rushed. I highly recommend Dr Patel and will be visiting her office again. read more

This place rocks. I take my daughter here and they have always been friendly. One time they messed up the appointment time but they were able to squeeze us in. THey overheard us talking about the fact she may miss karate because they were squeezing us in and they immediately came over, gave her a lollipop and got her in with the good doc. Dr. Patel is nice as are her nurse practitioners. parking is a breeze. it is a royal pain in the ass to find it the first time, but once you know, it's super convenient. read more

I called back today, and after snipping at the assistant working the desk, got my good-ol'-tried-and-true prescription sent in. After cooling down a bit, I'd like to explain. It's not that I think Dr. Patel is a bad dermatologist. I bet she's great! But I went in and was given a very complex, poorly explained list of creams and unguents and gels. Maybe Dr. Patel's list would have made my skin glow from across the street. Maybe I would have been stopped on the street and asked how my skin was so flawless and perfect. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that I walked in and Dr. Patel just listed a bunch of things for me to do without taking the time to explain or expound on her reasoning. I didn't WANT an overly complex skincare regimen. Nor did I, as mentioned, want an overly expensive one. But I wasn't part of the equation. Dr. Patel knows best! You would never expect this treatment from another doctor - if your gyno prescribed you an IUD birth-control without talking through the risks and basic functioning, you'd be incredibly pissed. If she just told you she was running a bunch of tests for cervical cancer without first explaining why she decided to do those tests, you'd be terrified. But Dr. Patel thinks if she says the name of a medicine, her patients will blindly accept the treatment. I'm not questioning Dr. Patel's expertise. But I'm the one in control of my body and what goes on it and in it. I go to doctors because they help me make informed decisions, not because they decide for me. Yes, I freaked out, picked out the name of the medication I was familiar with, and griped until I got something I knew. Maybe the medications Dr. Patel was prescribing would have worked better. But she didn't explain that to me and I don't appreciate being treated like a child. I will not be returning. The medication she gave me (after my complaints) will be enough to last until I go back to my regular doctor. I'll be asking her for a recommendation, instead. read more

I saw Dr. Toral Patel in 2011, I believe this was at her old practice. She was great. I have a skin condition that multiple dermatologists had told me they could do nothing about. Most of them would just start to shake their heads as soon as they saw me. When I saw Dr. Patel however, she evaluated me with an open mind, and made a recommendation that actually ended up helping! It didn't fix the problem totally, but made it visibly better, and improved my self-confidence significantly. It was amazing how just a slight improvement affected my state of mind. I would never forget that actually. P.S. I hope this is the same Toral Patel.... Is there more than one female dermatologist in Chicago with that name? read more

I've been going here for years to see Monica. I was so sad to find out she has left. She was amazing! She was so knowledgeable about skincare and truly made my skin better than it has ever been. I have struggled with pigmentation and hormonal acne and she is the only aesthetician who has been able to help calm and heal my skin. Between the price increases and staff changes I would not recommend this practice any longer. read more

Yes, bad reviews about the office staff are unfortunately true. Called in and spoke with Natalie. I explained my lengthy situation to her only for her to cold transfer me to another receptionist to make the appointment. Next day, Natalie left a voicemail asking me to call back to push the appointment up. Before I could even call back, she changed the appointment without my permission. When I did speak to her I told her to cancel the appointment. She huffs and sarcastically says okay. That's when I asked her if she likes her job....Doctors, your office staff are frightening patients away. read more

I was nothing but pleased with my experience with Dr. Patel. I went in with an idea of the treatment I wanted. I knew there were some other options that were cheaper, but I knew they wouldn't work for me. She was kind, sympathetic, understood my concerns, and then gave me an objective explanation of all my options, totally respecting my ultimate decision to go with the treatment I originally had in mind. Honestly, I've had terrible experiences (relatively speaking) with physicians in Chicago and have trouble finding good ones. This was the only truly positive experience I have had, and I highly recommend her. read more

I've been going to Dr. Patel for a couple years now. I think she has a great bed-side manner. I receive weekly emails about their specials for chemical peels and such. I made an appointment with Monica, the new aesthetician, and had a wonderful experience. I did the SilkPeel special, and it was my first time! She explained everything, was very gentle. I left feeling clean and well-informed! Bought a package and will be definitely returning often for more treatments. read more

I had an appointment with Dr. Toral Patel about a month ago. I have a sebaceous cyst at the back of my neck. She said she couldn't remove but told me to contact another doctor at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She was with me for no longer than 2 minutes (seriously) and I just received a bill of $190 for the consultation. She is charging me 190 dollars to tell me she can't remove the cyst. I do not recommend her. read more

I went to see Dr. Patel for a regular skin care checkup as I'm fair skinned. The office - new, modern, clean, super friendly front desk personnel. Dr. Patel was a riot. She was really fun to be around, listened and laughed at all my jokes :) Will definitely be seeing her again even tho the office is in a little bit of a weird location for me. read more

Worst experience in office management and patient service I have ever had! This place is an appointment mill, plain and simple. Patient care and service means nothing. I had scheduled an appointment with Dr. Patel in November for a full-body skin scan and removal of some growths. After waiting one month, the office called and cancelled saying the doctor had a personal emergency. Ok, I can understand that. BTW - they had charged me a $50 deposit to hold the appointment against no show, which they did not refund. So, I made another appointment for today. Filled out all of the paperwork in advance, detailing my concerns. Receive a call in the morning from the office manager saying they would not be able to address cosmetic concerns in this appointment, just medical. That was fine with me. So, they had clearly read all of my concerns. Get to appointment five minutes before scheduled. Wait 30 minutes. Taken to office after being charged my $25 copay to be told that all that the doctor would have time to do today was to review my skin and any growths. Any removal would have to scheduled at some point in the future. Seriiously? After waiting for 4 months and being very clear about my concerns? In tears, I pleaded for them to reconsider. Placid, non-emotional, robotic staffwould not budge and doctor never even came in to apologize. How could you ever trust a doctor who without seeing you would have the staff say that they wouldn't address something that day? Who after cancelling appointments and not refunding a deposit in November can be viewed as anything but a medical business in the worse sense of the word. I've seen wonderful skin doctors over my life, who are caring, responsive and treat paitents as people, not part of an assembly line to build their bank accounts. As a Northwestern alum, I am saddened that this practice is affiliated with this great name and will make sure they are aware of the treatment patients receive. read more

This is review is not so much for Dr. Patel (as I never got to see her) but her receptionist Cathy (I believe that is her name). I arrived at D&A Dermatology only to be told by Cathy that I might have out of pocket costs beyond the co-pay. Since I had provided my insurance information before I made the appointment, and been told that I was only responsible for the co-pay, I was irritated and upset. I asked Cathy if she would verify my benefits and confirm that D&A was an in network provider (I have BCBS). Cathy told me that I could make the call if I wanted to check the benefits. She instructed me to step outside by the window (you don't get cell phone reception in the office). I thought it was rude, but I agreed to do it because I wanted to make sure that D&A accepted my insurance (tying to avoid an expensive bill should D&A not accept my insurance). Turns out I needed additional information from D&A Dermatology, so I had to hang up with BCBS, walk back in the office and get the info, and then make another call to BCBS. You'd think Cathy would attempt to be helpful since she wasn't doing any of the work, but no. She made it clear that I was not a top priority. She took phone calls and filled out paper, all while I was standing at the counter. The process ended up taking so much time that I decided to leave and see another dermatologist (my appointment was at 1:15 p.m., and I didn't get the info I needed from Cathy until shortly before then). I don't know if Cathy's behavior was a result of laziness, unprofessionalism, or discrimination but it reflects badly on the practice and on Dr. Patel. Luckily, I have been able to find another dermatologist (who comes highly recommended) and who was willing to verify my insurance information before the office visit. Dr. Patel may be a great doctor, but her staff is probably the worst I have seen in the medical field. If you can get pass Cathy, you may have a good experience. I didn't. Tip: if you decide to see Dr. Patel check your insurance eligibility yourself. You can't trust them to do it for you. UPDATE!!!!! I read the response from D&A and I want to be clear. Before the appointment they told that I would only be responsible for the copay. That information did not change until I was physically in the office. I have the BCBS Basic PPO federal employment plan. There is NO deductible. The only reason the info D&A gave me would have changed is they never called the insurance company. Do not be fooled by their excuses. read more