I have used Touchstone Imaging for many years - always reliable, friendly staff, billing was never an issue UNTIL their partnership with US Radiology in Dec 2018. Billing since then was a very big issue starting in January 2019. All because Touchstone's insurance/billing dept did not code my procedure correctly (they kept coding this as elective testing!). I had to contact their billing dept after each procedure since their new partnership (January, 2020, June 2020 and January 2021) to ask them to correct their coding errors as they kept sending me invoices of amounts owed. I was able to have these billing issues resolved with one phone call until my cat scans in June 2021.
June 8, 2021 - My cat scan appt based on orders from my oncologist, post cancer surgery (Dec 2015). I had these done twice a year for five years (2016-2021) - these are not elective tests. When I checked in, I was told I would need to pay the portion insurance (AETNA) wouldn't be paying. I questioned this as my coverage with AETNA covers these tests at 100% - again they are not elective!). The woman at front desk said if I didn't pay my portion I would need to reschedule after settling billing issue with my insurance company. (!) I explained I had been having these cat scans done twice a year for 4 years at Touchstone and my insurance covered this at 100%. She told me that was not their problem but problem with my insurance coverage - which made no sense. My insurance coverage hasn't changed in 10+ years. I ended up paying $276.45 in order to have cat scans done that day.
Jul 7, 2021 - I spoke with Anna in billing. I told her I had contacted AETNA and confirmed they would pay for cat scans at 100% and the claim they were sent by Touchstone was incorrectly coded. Anna said they would contact AETNA, correct the coding error, reprocess my claim and reimburse me as she saw that with corrected code AETNA coverage would pay this claim at 100%.
July 27, 2021 - As I did not receive my refund yet, I spoke with Miguel in Touchstone billing who reviewed notes of my conversation with Anna and said based on my records, they owe me $84.75. I explained to him Touchstone owed me $276.45. He said he would speak with his manager and one of them would call me back. My credit card was credited on July 30th for $84.65 and no one called me back to discuss the remainder of refund due ($191.70).
July 28, 2021 - I spoke with AETNA representative (Ella) who works in-house at my Husband's employer. We discussed the refund issue I had with Touchstone and she suggested we have a 3-way call with a billing CS rep at Touchstone which we did. We connected with Karen with Touchstone billing and had a lengthy (55 minute) call discussing the billing and refund issue. After much discussion, Karen asked for a document from Ella in order to correct their records and be able to process the remainder of my refund. We stayed on the phone while Ella faxed Karen paperwork requested and Karen acknowledged she received it. She confirmed Touchstone owed me a refund of $191.70 and said refund could take up to a week to process.
August 26, 2021 - having not received remainder of refund ($191.70), I called Touchstone billing and spoke with Phillip. We had a lengthy discussion as he needed to read through notes of all the prior conversations I have had with Touchstone billing. He agreed that a refund of $191.70 was owed me and he would be sending both their refund dept and Karen a message to process this refund asap. We agreed I would call back in two weeks if I did not receive refund.
September 15, 2021 - I called Touchstone billing as I had not received my refund and spoke with Fred. Again, lengthy conversation as he had to read and review notes in my chart and had to follow a script of questions he is supposed to ask all patients calling into billing dept. I patiently let him follow his script then asked what he would be doing to resolve this billing issue. As I waited on the phone while he drafted a message to his supervisor, he said he was requesting a 24-hour call back to me from his supervisor to handle resolution of refund. I confirmed he had my correct cell# and email. I did not receive a call back or email.
November 11, 2021 - I decided to give this refund issue one more try (6th time). I called Touchstone billing and got Fred again. When Fred starting going off his script, I reminded him of our conversation on September 15th and told him we did not have to have a repeat conversation and I was at the end of trying to get my refund. I was giving Touchstone one final time to correct their error and asked what he was going to do to make this happen. He assured me he would send a message to his supervisor requesting a 24-hour call back which I never received. Former patients on several sites have had billing issues with Touchstone. I won't be using Touchstone in the future nor recommending them. read more