As I see this practice accumulate raving bad reviews already in the year 2022, (and it's even less than a week into it), I wonder if my jumping on the warning wagon is necessary. I'm unsure especially when I feel unwell after treatment I got in the clinic: I'm no patient but a cash cow. Still, or all the more, here's my fair share of the formidable experience in Garden O.
My visit here was for an annual checkup. Given I'm a case of 'multiple issued/high-risk' with regards to health in general, though, I had more than a few reasons to be unnerved for being in any facilities, let alone medical. Prior to this, I had been here once, going back some time ago. The doctor then seemed good while our encounter was brief & her involvement limited. In my distant memory, the impression was forged as: no MD in the house, staff came across as dysfunctional. I had to sweat their referral system, claims remained unsettled & bills continued coming until much later. I opted the location out ever since until a month ago. At least the location appealed to me: nearby. This time, my 'not that great' impression of this practice went to 'wreaking havoc.' Now I can only regard anything about Garden O and whoever involved as 'Medical service scandal garba**' and report worthy. No real human's available but robot calls and 'Klara the text system' they boast, which I never received anything back, except poorly composed words twice.
The day of my visit, at least an MD materialized. An MD on-site performing service was a far cry from my visit years ago? I dunno because this provider turned out to be 'out of network (!!!)' according to the insurer's veryfication. This piece of info was thrown at me after I had already gone to see the provider and got all the service including tests and lab work done, on top of referrals for further examinations (as I said earlier, I am a multi-issued and high-risk patient). Now that I'd be liable to all service done at this point, or so the insurer warned, I'd need to know how this disaster happened. In making an appointment, I couldn't emphasize more to the phone rep that I'm under the specific category of network and not allowed to see anyone beyond it or derail the system. Yet, everyone I brought this issue up to vehemently denied it. Why do they have to deny the status of their doctor's participation and non-participation in plans when it is public information?
It took forever but finally a phone rep of Garden OBGYN admitted that the said provider was not participating in my plan after vetting her number against the list. It also meant any referrals she issued couldn't be validated with regards to the insurance protocols. Was I considered as a 'private visitor' and to pay out of pocket, then? I do hope not. If that's the case, however, what to make of it when it was caused by their administrative error and outrageously neglected communication system? Or is Garden OBGYN knowingly accepting out of network patients because they have a way to collect money in the way the insurer and I do not recognize? With these questions UNEXPLAINED, the phone rep told me to go for the referred exam 'by mentioning another provider's name from Garden OBGYN's because it'd do resolving the insurance bureaucracy glitch.' Also she saw to it that I'd be, from then on, the name lending MD's patient for the disguise but only his female PAs see me in visits so no worries (?)' The rep arranged to have the troubled refferal's reffering physician's name switched and made it issued by a PA 12hours before the referred exam. Consequently whether this rep's arrangement helped or not was unknown because the result of the exam wasn't delivered to the team, or the clinic, or whoever I was supposed to (or got to) see when I came back for follow-up and test result collection. What's more, the one who sat down with me (a PA of the aforementioned 'out of network' doctor) so they got back to the denial mode or did they mismatched me again, knowingly?)) was completely clueless why I was there and treated my visit as inappropriate disturbance, telling me to go back to my PCP (?!) This is sheer insanity. Who received the result? How was it treated? Don't I deserve to know what that meant to my health wreckage?
I tried to seek someone responsible and knowledgeable in this disturbing situation but nobody became available in their system. The site's receptionist told me to make an appointment to get staff engage in any manner in person/in the lobby, to caution me 'not to pop up' or to bring more business: more visits more money? This is only half of the horror story that would/might render later when bills come(?) That's when I file a complaint to the state. Or even without any bills, I should, with their practice too unsound and opaque to continue without being flagged and ultimately closed. Anyone who shares the same opinion should refer to the NY dept of health or BBB or wherever to report this practice. read more