DO NOT GO HERE! You've been warned! They scam you and have no empathy or patient care at all! AND THEY SEND SURPRISE BILL! They cannot be trusted! When your health is on the line - you must trust your medical providers!
I thought this would be a good place to go to based on the review and how my doctor told me to go here because that is where she does procedures (so really I didn't have much of a choice either) doctors orders.
I made sure that this place was covered by my insurance in network etc. Called the medical staff to know what the payment would be BEFORE the procedure, because I here these stories about surprise bills. They called me two weeks before and said it would be $210.90, 30 min later another lady said $703... so I say you need to double check, which one is it? Because if it's $703 please cancel my appointment I do not need it. She said I'll call you back. Called me back and said I was wrong the first quote was right.. I said, ARE YOU SURE??!! Because I do not want a surprise bill... LITERALLY SAID THAT. And she said yes $210.90.
Right before the procedure, YES THE ACTUAL DAY, as I am handing over my credit card, ID and insurance card- I ask WILL I RECEIVE ANOTHER BILL?!!! She checked and said nope and I quote YOU WILL NEVER RECEIVE ANOTHER BILL FROM LA VETA MEDICAL CENTER. She said maybe from the doctor cause they are contracted but not from La Veta. Then I said okay if I will not receive another bill then I will get the procedure done.
Got it done, I think I got overdosed (side-note).. AND two weeks later..SURPRISE BILL of $492.10...
Called the billing office, talked to Stephanie she and kept saying well this is an estimate, I always tell my staff to say estimate.. WELL THATS NICE, BUT THATS NOT WHAT THEY TOLD ME.. SO EXCUSE ME FOR NOT CARING WHAT YOU TELL YOUR STAFF... . As if all staff members listen... and then kept cutting me off to explain to me what I honestly don't need to know, because what should've been done was not done. So why are you telling me this, you guys didn't give me the right estimate. IF THEY SAID oh it might range from $210-703.. then that's a different story. I was GUARANTEED! And she kept saying her notes.. WELL MY NOTES SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT!
If the procedure code is the same before and after the procedure and NOTHING WENT WRONG... WHY WOULD THERE BE A $500 difference??!!! Am I crazy??!! IS IT NOT THE PROVIDERS JOB TO CALL AND CARE FOR THE PATIENT AND MAKE SURE THEY GIVE A ACCURATE BILL??!! Why would the insurance process it differently, should you not have asked. Did I not pay you to do this? Am I not choosing this place because I TRUST YOU AS MY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER??!!! Should I question you?? My life is LITERALLY in your hands through the procedure. Of course I have to trust you guys. And on top of that I guarantee most patients do not understand their benefits, they use confusing lingo period to protect their a**.
I add, I have excellent credit and she says well you haven't paid yet and another statement is coming so we will have to send you to pre-collections.. WTF. Granted I told her I am in the process of talking to insurance (not my job, but I care about my credit) can you please hold the bill. She did, PTL.
I asked to talk to her supervisor (Rachel). She calls me but I couldn't pick up at the time. Called her back 3 times and left three messages AND SURPRISE NO CALL BACK!
You guys CLEARLY do not care for the patients well being. You guys are in the art of conning sick patients. And you guys call yourselves healthcare?
So if you like surprise bills, want your life to be more difficult then it needs to be and want to hurt you health even more dealing with all this stress then you've found your provide
Update: finally talked to supervisor Rachel and she is following up. We shall see. read more