Dr. Bickman is no-joke my all-time favorite doctor. She delivered both of my kids and I just loved how experienced and competent she is. I also found her very personable and calming. I moved between my first and second kids and loved her so much I drove across LA just to stick with her for my second baby! Also her front desk staff is awesome. I can't recommend her highly enough. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Bickman's for over eight years and have always appreciated her clinical expertise and excellent bedside manner. However, I feel it is important to share a recent change in her practice's billing structure that significantly impacts patient accessibility. While Dr. Bickman accepts insurance, she also requires an annual out-of-pocket patient fee. Over the years, I've watched this fee climb from $0, to $500, and it has now reached $1,000 per year--simply for the privilege of remaining a patient. Key Concerns for New & Returning Patients: Cost vs. Care: For a patient like myself who only requires an annual exam and birth control maintenance, a $1,000 surcharge (on top of insurance) is difficult to justify. You can get birth control for $20/mo from online support places like Nurx or Tia. Lack of Initial Disclosure: New patients are not charged this fee for their first visit. It is only required if you choose to return. This can feel like a "bait and switch," as patients have already established a relationship and shared their medical history before realizing the high cost of continuing care. Financial Barrier: Expecting a patient to pay $1,000 out-of-pocket just to walk through the door feels more like a "membership club" than a medical practice, making it inaccessible for many women seeking standard gynecological care. I feel trapped bc i went there to get my annual pap and birth control refilled and had to leave, resulting in me scrambling to find a new doctor or care to ensure I was perscribed my contraceptive on time. Imagine if this was more serious, medication, treatment i could not go without. I would have felt even more trapped to take on the $1,000 fee. For someone having a baby maybe this is worth it but for simple annual care this is really awful experience and lastly the front desk staff is SOooooOOOOO rude. read more

She overbooks her patients and have them wait for 3+ hours regularly (at least half of her patients go through this experience on a daily basis). She's unapologetic and rude if you bring this up. Front desk are equally rude and dismissive. read more

Terrible customer service. The employees for the front desk is HORRIBLE. I am in shock, the lady yelled at me and hung up the phone!! What? Dr. Bickman if you are reading this, its time for you to hire a new team. Terribly managed and do not care for their customers / patients. read more

Run away! This office is terribly managed and they Do Not Care about their patients. I went to the Dr for a routine annual gyno exam. Here are the highlights: - waited for over an hour to see the Dr - had to come back because the nurse didn't pull enough blood for my tests - after retuning for my follow up visit, told I had to pay $1,000 to see the Dr out of pocket - watched Dr Bickman leave the office during my appointment time while I was trying to understand why I needed to pay $1K - asked the office to fax my test results to a new Dr and was told I had to wait 14 business days. For a fax. In 2026 - after the office told me they were faxed, my new Dr never received them Dr Bickman was actually a good Dr for the 10 mins we interacted but her office is a dumpster fire. I hope she uses that $1K per patients to hire better staff and more Drs. read more

This office withheld my colposcopy results in 2021 while transitioning into implementing obscene office/admin fees. At the time, previous reception staff informed me that I could not access my lab results until my office balance was paid. After that experience and the treatment I received from the office staff, I spent years fearful of returning to the gynecologist altogether. I have since transferred my care elsewhere, but I am still dealing with ongoing health issues that may have been impacted by not having timely access to those results years ago. What is especially concerning is that even today, despite my current doctor urgently needing these past records in order to continue my care, Dr. Bickman's office is still stating there is a 14-day waiting period to access or transfer my records. I never thought to look at the reviews before, but after explaining my experience to my new doctor and mentioning Dr. Bickman by name, I was told that many patients leave this practice for multiple reasons -- none of them positive. No patient dealing with gynecological health concerns should have to fight this hard to access their own medical information. read more

I am so grateful to have had Dr. Bickman as my OB-GYN. From start to finish, my experience was excellent. Her staff is super sweet, lovely, and incredibly helpful, and the office is in a beautiful Santa Monica location which makes every visit feel calm and easy. Medically, I felt extremely well taken care of, but what stands out most is how Dr. Bickman handled a medical emergency during my birth. She was calm, decisive, and completely in charge of the situation at St. John's. I never doubted that she could handle the complexities of my case. Some reviews mention additional fees. That is true because she runs a private practice and there is a modest extra cost. But here is why it matters: those fees guarantee that Dr. Bickman herself will be at your delivery, not an on call rotating doctor like in big hospital groups. For me, that peace of mind was worth every penny. It is also worth noting that her C-section rate is lower than both the state and national averages, a reflection of her expertise and commitment to evidence based care. Dr. Bickman has a serious, no nonsense disposition. Some people may not find her super chatty at first, but she is caring and goes above and beyond to ensure the safety of both mom and baby. She is always on call which shows her deep dedication. If you want an OB-GYN who is highly skilled, steady under pressure, and truly there for you when it counts, I cannot recommend Dr. Bickman enough. read more

Tristan E. Bickman, MD - Doctor holding baby - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Had the unfortunate experience with Tristan Bickman as both a patient and a colleague. As a teenager, she loudly disclosed my health information to the entire clinic, which was both embarrassing and a HIPAA violation, during my first ever Pap smear . Come full circle 10 yrs later and now I have completed undergrad, medical school and am in residency at my local community hospital. She dumped her hyperemesis gravidarum patient on our service because didn't want to round on the patient. The patient then switched to us for the remainder of her prenatal care. And then yet again, had another not-great experience with Tristan bickman when failed to make it to a delivery and, as an intern, I had to deliver the baby alone. She is also verbally abusive to staff, medical students and residents. Not sure how this doctor is still in business read more

TLDR: She charges $1k annual fee for non-pregnant patients, and $3k for pregnant patients. Nobody tells you this until you're already standing there at your appointment. She's fine as a doctor. I was a patient for 5 years, since before the ridiculous fees. A couple years ago, I had a pretty easy, healthy pregnancy and she helped to deliver my son safely. The practice, however, is very predatory. A few years ago, she announced there will be an annual "concierge" fee to stay on as a patient. I was hesitant to pay extra for what seemed like a basic level of care but I was pregnant for the first time and didn't want to change doctors, so I paid it. On top of that fee, every single time I went to that office I found myself paying for more B.S. "administrative" fees - like $75 to process bloodwork, only to find out weeks later that I would also be paying even more fees for this same bloodwork? Not to mention, most of the times I would go to this office, I'd find myself waiting upwards of 30 minutes to see the doctor. I thought the point of this concierge fee was to cover administrative costs and create a better experience for patients? After I had my son, I didn't go back for about a year and a half until recently when I had some concerns that I wanted to get checked out. Upon arriving at the office, they informed me that they had TRIPLED their annual fee since the last time I paid it. That means non-pregnant patients pay $1k a year, and pregnant patients pay $3k a year! That is INSANE!!! I was not informed of this hike in price when I called to make my appointment, otherwise I would not have come back at all (last time I was there it was about $300 for non-pregnant patients). I told them I couldn't pay that, and can I just leave? They said that would incur me a $150 "late cancellation" charge for canceling my appointment. What the actual....??! I'm just speechless. I'm sad because I would have liked to stay on with the same doctor for my next pregnancy but I just cannot justify these costs on top of insurance. And it's also the way that they spring the costs on you, as if you have no choice but to pay them once you've already received care. It strikes me as unethical and very predatory. I will not be returning. read more

Their website says "covered by insurance," but you also have to pay a new $1,000 "annual fee" just to be a patient -- which they failed to tell my daughter when she booked on the phone. So she shows up with her insurance card and they spring this annual fee on her. I told her to leave, but it's $150 cancellation fee. So we either have to pay this new $1000 fee for a rude and unhelpful doctor with terrible bedside manner (based on last year's appointment) or $150 to leave. They only waived the fee because my daughter is moving back to NJ. What a scam! read more

I wish I had read the reviews before coming to my first appointment with her. 1. My appointment was scheduled for 10AM and I arrived early at 930AM. However when I was called back to the patient room - around 10AM- I noticed I was waiting for almost 30minutes before I saw her. 2. I told her my reason for coming to her clinic and the next thing she asked was "what would you want me to do?" I'm a physician myself so I was shocked. You're an OBGYN! You should be telling me what your plan is for me. Not asking me what do I want to do. I had to tell her from my previous experience A,B, and C happened soooo what are you going to do? As a black woman and knowing how black women are treated in the medical field, this lackadaisical attitude is extremely disturbing. 3. What clinched it for me was the $800 administrative fee. WHAT THE HELL? The way the secretary quietly slipped the folded up piece of paper was ridiculous. I just had my appointment yesterday and yet I'm seeing recent posts where her "fee" is $600. So she basically is just making up a number to charge people. All a ghetto hot stinking mess. read more

Tristan E. Bickman, MD - Ridiculous $800 admin fee - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I went in to have my hormones checked by Dr. Bickman and was hit with surprise costs from the start. The office suggested bloodwork and quoted me over $600 for the tests alone, plus I'd have to pay separately for preventative tests. It felt opaque and overpriced from the beginning. Dr. Bickman prescribed birth control for three months and told me to call for a refill as needed. When I tried to get a refill, the front desk said I had to come in for a Pap smear and pay more money to obtain it. That requirement didn't seem related to birth control and came across as more about pushing additional procedures than focusing on patient care. Communication and customer service were major issues. I felt like there was more emphasis on money than on helping me as a patient. The front desk staff, especially the person I spoke with about the refill, was rude and dismissive, which greatly diminished my experience. Overall, I don't feel heard or valued as a patient and I wouldn't return or recommend this practice to others. read more

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DOCTOR. I went to Dr. Bickman in 2023 for a routine annual exam after moving back to LA. I had consistently received normal Pap smear results since 2017 and had been with the same partner for several years. After this visit, I received lab results indicating high-risk HPV (strains 18 & 45) along with abnormal cell detection. This was extremely alarming and emotionally distressing, given my medical history. I was then advised to undergo a biopsy to determine next steps. At the time, I was informed that proceeding with the biopsy through this office would require additional visits and associated fees. Because the results were so unexpected, and given the added cost and commitment of continuing care there, my fiancée and I decided to seek a second opinion at another practice. I had the biopsy done with the second doctor, and the results came back clear, with no abnormal cells detected. Since then, my annual exams with my new provider have all been normal. This experience was incredibly distressing, and based on what happened, I personally would not recommend this provider. read more

DISCLAIMER: Long review but worth the read! Skip to the bottom for my conclusion. I've visited this office twice & am sharing feedback based on over a decade of experience running high-caliber medical PRIVATE practices across California (LA and SF)--including dermatology, plastic surgery, and hair restoration. As a Practice Director, I've renovated practices and led admin & clinical teams (10-50 ppl) across multiple locations, so I know what quality care and operational excellence should look like in healthcare. It should always be white gloved, elevated and premium care ESPECIALLY if your fees are high. Positives: Appointments ran on time (patients should always expect a 20-30 min wait at any doctor's office) & staff, including Dr. Tristan, were polite & respectful. Dr. Tristan was knowledgeable, direct, & even handled a patient emergency in the lobby with professionalism on my first visit. The first desk was so understanding & rescheduled my initial second appointment without charging a fee when I hit traffic--much appreciated. Grade for professionalism & timeliness: B-/C+ (Average) Negatives: Cleanliness & Office Conditions The office needs a deep clean and/or renovation--dim lighting, cheap lobby chairs & floors, dusty equipment, flies in the treatment room (swatting one in away in front of doc today) unsanitary foot pedal covers. I could hear another patient's conversation through the vents--a serious privacy (HIPAA) concern. Walls and doors were visibly marked (dark or cracked), the TV in lobby was off/broken, and overall, the space felt neglected. The clinical staff was genuinely sweet, helpful, and caring--with well-groomed appearances, clean makeup, and neat hair. That said, the overall presentation could benefit from an elevated, more polished look that better reflects the standards of a Santa Monica practice. A simple upgrade such as providing new scrubs and shoes would not only boost team morale but also enhance the visual professionalism of the office, especially when paired with a deep clean, fresh paint, and updated lighting (or full-blown remodel). Grade: D- Not an F because I don't think the staff & Dr. T don't care, but it felt unaware and unpolished. Billing & Admin Fees At my first visit, I was charged for copay, cultures, & sent bills for lab work (post visit), even with good insurance--understandable, but transparency was lacking. The real issue came at my second visit, when I was unexpectedly told to pay a $800/year "Administrative Fee." This was not clearly disclosed, discussed, or justified during my initial visit. Yes, I was given the paperwork to sign; however, anything outside the norm (regarding payment) needs to be highlighted and pointed out! That in itself is a more transparent concierge service! The admin fee states it covers things that are typically already included in standard patient care e.g.: 1. Prescription call ins- takes 2 mins to call in an Rx 2. Referrals - Drs. trade referrals 3. Emergencies - Somewhat understandable. (not worth $800 a patient for the year) 4. Processing Insurance - That is the obligation of the office, so you are billing my insurance and charging me TO BILL MY INSURANCE? 5. Dr. availability - Doctors set their own hours?!? You have emergency line to ensure your patients safety and/or PA/NP on standby if unavailable, that is considered concierge service, which most offices don't charge for. 6. Continuity of care- Seeing Dr. T (unless told) is expected/norm in aesthetically pleasing polished clean (not there) private practice that is charging. Explanation fluffed! I've managed practices with & w/o insurance, I know when something's off. If this were a concierge model, I might understand with an insurance-based practice, but this felt like an upsell without the experience to back it. Grade: F for cost transparency and fee justification. Additional Red Flags: I was told I had an infection (something that affects 1 in 3 women) but not inherently alarming (like others have yelped) due to the infection (non STI/STD) probably in 1/3 population of women can happen several times a year. However, I DID notice many other black women on Yelp reporting negative experiences here, and as a biracial (black & white) woman, I find this pattern too consistent to ignore. Racial bias should never have a place in care delivery. Final Grade: D (Below Average) Conclusion: Despite some positive experiences with Dr. Tristan and the front desk, the office overall feels outdated, unsanitary, and lacks the professionalism you'd expect--especially with a steep $800 admin fee and Santa Monica price tag. The experience simply did not match the cost or expectations for a female-led, female-focused/patients first private practice. I will not be returning. If you're okay with high fees and a subpar environment, this may work for you--but it wasn't for me. read more

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Do not come here if you aren't loaded. Insane amount of hidden fees -- and I'm not talking the $800 annual administrative fee. No one cared to inform me that my insurance didn't cover some lab fees and LabCorp isn't great at notifying either. So I had to learn the hard way: I got a "final notice" from LabCorp that I had a mountain of unpaid bills (totaling $137) from my initial checkup and a follow-up appointment. That number was getting higher and higher due to late fees and NO ONE informed me until that final warning. I don't know if it's poor managerial skills or if this is just what they do. The doctor herself is great and knows what she's talking about but they clearly don't care enough about their patients as humans if they're just letting all of us get screwed over this way. read more

I've never been the type to genuinely write a bad review but I have never experienced something like this :/ Told them it was my first time getting blood drawn. The nurse didn't take any of my vitals- but drew blood for some tests. Asked what the procedure is for post-bloodwork (again, I'd never had blood drawn so didn't know if I should wait for a bit or maybe drink water?)- she told me I can leave immediately. I went to the front desk and FAINTED for the first time ever in my life lol. Then the doctor questioned the nurse about why none of my vitals were taken and the nurse didn't have an excuse. Then they told me AFTER my appointment that if I return for a follow up, it would be $725 out of pocket which couldn't be covered by insurance. I've genuinely never experienced anything like this and only writing this because I hope no one else has to experience this or they change how much they care about people. read more

I rarely leave reviews, but I feel obligated to share my experience so other women can make an informed decision. This practice requires a $500 annual membership fee, which is presented as a way to ensure elevated, personalized care. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. Despite the fee, appointments were frequently delayed -- on one occasion I waited over an hour in the exam room before the doctor entered. During visits, I often felt rushed and unheard. When I tried to discuss ongoing concerns, I was interrupted or redirected without meaningful discussion. Nearly every issue was addressed with another prescription for antibiotics, with little effort made to explore root causes or alternative treatment options. I have never been prescribed so many antibiotics in my life without a deeper investigation into why symptoms were recurring. It felt like a money grab from me and my insurance provider. The office also regularly canceled or rescheduled my appointments same-day due to the doctor being called into labor. I completely understand that obstetrics is unpredictable. However, when I needed to cancel an appointment the day before due to my cycle starting, I was charged a $130 cancellation fee -- more than I would have paid for the actual visit. There was no flexibility or consideration. Between the high annual fee, inconsistent scheduling, and lack of collaborative care, I cannot recommend this practice. Patients deserve to feel heard, respected, and supported -- especially in women's health. read more

WARNING. I guess we are more victims of the scam that is this office. Office visit that went well and then were hit with hundreds in bills that were not discussed and not asked for and then on the phone they literally made up a conversation that never happened. My wife went in for a regular Pap smear which is never more than 40 dollars out of pocket. Then we got bills for a slew of blood tests QUOTE "For concerns brought up during the visit." We never ordered, asked for or were told that they would run addition texts for anything because at the visit, that never happened! And when they give such a vague description, of course it's a scam. They have nothing to stand on. Disgusting lies and trying to take advantage of a situation where you can bill for an unrecorded conversation which, in our situation, never took place. This office is a predatory scam and a racket. Judging by allllllll of the other reviews here. This place needs to be taken to court and shut down. read more

I'm normally not someone to write a poor review, but after reading all of the other recent comments I now know that I'm not alone and have also been scammed and treated poorly by this office. I went in for testing on several occasions for an issue that I was having and had spent thousands of dollars out of pocket. I continued to go to Dr Bickman even after I changed jobs and my insurance was no longer covering her. I now know this was a mistake. I finally went online and checked all of the tests and blood work myself. When I called in to confront them about something I was not made aware of I was told "I thought they had already told you," which was not fair or kind and then made to feel bad about how I felt. I'm not sure what happened here because I did truly love her... : ( but I feel scarred by my ending experiences with her. I hope to find a new doctor soon that is caring and compassionate. Please think twice about visiting this office. read more

Customer service here is TERRIBLE. I personally did not get seen here. I made an appointment and called to confirm they accept my insurance. The lady IMMEDIATELY answered with a attitude. Then proceeds to tell me thy are going to charge me $150 to cancel my appointment because and I quote "it clearly says on there website they dont take my insurance, and there is literally no way I couldve missed it." That is what the rep said before proceeding to tell me "We will NOT be seeing you" then hangs up in my face. She never actually canceled the appointment because I kept getting reminders about it and they emailed me saying I missed my appointment. Anywho, I never put a cedit card down, never been seen there, never will go here so good luck billing that $150. read more

Dr. Tristan Bickman is the first doctor I've ever met that was a scammer. I refused to see her again when her team surreptitiously tried to bill me $800 in admin fees, due at the time of my first follow up visit. I paid my copay for the first visit, and thought I was done with her. Then 6 weeks later, she sent me an invoice for an additional $110.03, claiming that my insurance didn't cover my appointment. I followed up with my insurance company, who followed up with her billing company, who said to ignore the bill--"the system needed to be rebooted". But what if I had paid the bill? I don't even trust her office to have access to my credit card number. I am so disappointed in her financial practices, not to mention her callous demeanor. I asked the customer service rep at my insurance company to flag her practice. I hope they did. I hope that one day she isn't allowed to scam anyone else. read more

AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!! I went in for my annual - she asked me last time I got a pap smear (1 year ago). I was told that anything sent to a lab would $45 so i opted out of pap smear as women aged 21-65 should receive a Pap smear every 3 to 5 years. I was only there to get a birth control refill - she gave me 3 months of birthday control without telling me it wasn't for the year. I called to ask why this was, and the lady said it was because I had to come in for a pap smear - which she never told me!!! They also handed me a paper (did not say what that paper said or meant just slipped it to me last minute) that said next time I come in they wont be taking insurance anymore. It'd be one thing if they were upfront with how they did business, but there is something so shady about this place read more

I feel scammed. I will never be returning due to the shadiness of this practice. My credit card was almost obligated to put on file, when this is the first time in a medical office that they have asked me to do that, when I said clearly I wanted to pay with cash. It is an weird practice. I called multiple times to make sure that my insurance would cover my visit and as I was leaving I was told I was going to be charged $50 out of pocket for tests they had already administrated and then was handed a sheet of paper saying I would need to pay $1000 out of pocket to return for administrative fees, saying that is for emergencies,etc when I do not need that. They are so beyond unethical and a total waste 2 hours and money. I wish I had read this reviews earlier. If I could give 0 stars I would read more

I really enjoyed my appointment with Dr Bickman the first time and retuned 3 months later so she could check on a cyst. The front desk asked me if I was OK to be charged the full admin fee to my credit card. I said sure, thinking it was maybe a couple hundred dollars, as last year my friend who recommended Dr Bickman to me said she paid $200. Turns out they charge $1,000 which is their yearly admin fee, which was hidden in multiple pages of paperwork they have you sign. I should have read them more closely, so lesson learned, but disappointed in the cost of this fee and how the front desk will not just tell you up front how much it is. As someone who only needs to visit once a year this fee does not make sense for me. I will unfortunately not be returning. read more

What kind of respectable doctors office doesn't mention that there is a $1000 admin fee!!!!! The burry it in the paperwork and don't even tell you? They also do this on the second visit and all but trick you into it. Awful. Do not see this doctor. read more

Do not let this place scam you. They will outsource every test so you pay a much out of pocket as possible. They said they were covered under our insurance only for a year later after our daughter was born to drop us with a we aren't in that network and wanted to charge us an additional $350 per visit during the pregnancy(they ask for biweekly visits btw just to say... looks good and you leave). This is always after asking for thousands for the other fees during the pregnancy. read more

Overall, I would not recommend this doctor, especially if you are someone who does not have a lot of money and do not have a medical background. My appointment was delayed by a few days due to an outside issue with the building (which I don't blame the doctor for, they were actually quite helpful with rescheduling). However, once I got to my new appointment, I had to wait an extra 30 minutes, and then once I was let into a room, I waited another 20 minutes, making me almost an hour late from actual appointment time. Once I actually got to see Dr. Bickman, she was rushed and angry when I asked her questions. She gave me the impression that she did not want to take the time to speak with me, answer my questions, or explain any sort of medical problems thoroughly. I am someone who asks a lot of questions and I do not have a medical background, and I left my appointment more confused than when I came in. Even when it came time to prescribe me with medications, she did not go over other options, pros or cons, side effects, etc. She just prescribed me with a medication with no explanation. The final straw for me was the sneaky $1000 charge based on the office's "policy." After my appointment and after paying for all of the extra fees that my insurance apparently did not cover (I had to pay a copay, labs, etc.), they handed me a piece of paper and just told me that I should read it before my next visit. The paper was a long paragraph just to say that they are charging their patients an extra $1000 every 12 months to retain Dr. Bickman's services. I was so surprised when I first read this and did not understand why this extra charge was being applied. I called the office a few weeks later, and they reminded me to read the policy before coming in for a follow up. At that point, I asked the reception about the policy, what the money was going towards, etc. She could not give me answer. The only thing she repeated was "it's the office's policy." For what? What could you possibly need an extra THOUSAND dollars from every single one of your patients every year for?!! I cancelled my follow up and knew that all of these extra charges were scams. When I cancelled my appointment after telling the receptionist that I could not pay that fee upon arrival, she met with me hostility and judgment, asking "You can't pay that, even in three installments?" Safe to say they lost a patient. Do not let her scam you. There are other OBs you can go to who will not take advantage of you and will listen to you. Women deserve better than this classist, elitist, and predatory office. read more

I'm never one to leave a review, but I've been dealing with this office and their scams for nearly 2 years. I really hope this sheds some light into how unprofessional this office is and how they aren't transparent. I saw Dr. Bickman for an annual pap after I heard a friend say good things about the office back in 2023. I set up my appointment via Zocdoc and was assured my insurance was taken by the office. When I arrived for my appointment I double checked with the front desk and they checked my insurance and said it was within network. I paid my $40 copay and proceeded to wait over an hour to be seen. Once Dr.Bickman came in, she did the exam in 5 mins and told me I needed to get my blood drawn to check on a few things. I agreed and was told I would get my results back in 1-2 days via phone call. The phone call never came (shocker) and I tried to call the office 2 times for the results but no one was able to give me answers. I decided not to go back as the whole thing felt off and left it there. 2 months later (early 2024) I was hit with a bill that amounted to almost $2k for the pap and blood work. I thought this was a mistake and called the office plus my insurance. My insurance company found out that the office was never in network even though I was told twice that it was by them! I filed a complaint with the doctor's office billing department and was told they would waive the fee since it was a discrepancy on their end/ figure it out. Cut to today (December 2025), I get a call from them again saying I owe the bill. I'm currently in contact with their billing department who seems to have 0 clue what's going on and my insurance who is trying to reduce the payment in anyway. It's been almost 2 years since I saw Dr.Bickman and I regret it. It's not worth it. They should be ashamed of themselves and how they treat their patients. I've never been to a doctor who was never transparent about payments and it's just incredibly heartbreaking they do this. Please save your money and time and go somewhere else. This place is super scammy and it's only a matter of time before they're outed. If read more

It's hilarious that this woman is still engaging in the same scam. The medical board has failed her patients by letting her continue practice medicine. That 5-star review Camren left is probably fake. She had awful reviews on Google and, I guess, got tired of paying for fake reviews to counter her bad (real) reviews. Here's a copy of what I said to the medical board: This doctor is conducting unethical behavior. Please protect patients by doing a thorough investigation of her practice. I booked through Zocdoc to have an IUD placed with Dr Bickman. Before my appointment, I confirmed my copay with the office, and they assured me that I would have no other same-day cost. This was a lie and bait/switch tactic as they informed me that I would need to pay a 90-dollar admin fee/testing fee. What doesn't make sense here is that they informed me that this was a mandatory fee but waited until after my appointment to tell me and charge me. (I also had fantastic insurance so coverage for test was never an issue) At the beginning of my appointment, they charged me my copay, and then they hit me with the hidden fee at the end. They called me and informed me that I needed to take a course of meds because I had an infection. I do as I am instructed and finish my course. Some time passes, and I have another appointment to get swabbed again and get my IUD placed. At my appointment, I got hit with some paperwork that states I have to pay for Dr. Bickmans concierge fee(360), and if I choose to opt out(180), I must pay anyway, this is right before I'm seen for my appointment. Only scam artists need to trick people into paying for things. I have no problems with DPCs, but I have a problem with money-hungry, scamming women who hurt other women. This, unfortunately, was another bait-and-switch tactic that put patients in uncomfortable positions. I was so appalled by this I told the office that this was unacceptable and left. Thankfully, my fiance is also a doctor who knew this was dead-ass wrong and was able to defend and advocate for me when he picked me up. Isn't it odd that ALL of her patients have infections? Y'all want to see something else that's funny? I have a screenshot from her old Google business listing of her leaving herself a fake review. She already knows what she's doing is wrong, so she goes to such great lengths. read more

Tristan E. Bickman, MD - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Wanted to provide an update (I have a previous review). This office fraudulently billed my insurance. I called my insurance to inquire and they confirmed the office billed insurance with NO services rendered. Had I not done something about that, my general gyno exam for the year wouldn't have been covered at a different office. Yikes on this office ‍ Previously posted about how I waited 40 min past my appt time and wasn't seem. There were multiple women there who owed hundreds of dollars and didn't understand why. There is a $600 fee to be her patient. A woman from their office called me and told me (5 times): "I'm sorry you couldn't wait longer" when I expressed not having been seen (I did have a medical emergency). They also are very unclear about how they charge for lab work. The tone of the staff was very defensive, hostile, and bitter. I didn't understand why they spoke to me like that. So very unfortunate to see a woman in medicine taking advantage of her power, rather than using it to empower other women. as a daughter of a physician, I have immense respect for the doctors of our world. However, this clinic does not represent the tenets of healthcare for all. I would go somewhere in which staff are able to stay professional and contained, be timely (and I was willing to wait and did!!), and kind. Again, I have faith in this organization to work on themselves as individuals and as a business, so they may provide the quality care our community deserves. With hope and love, minna read more

I received a text to share my experience with Dr. Bickman's practice and finally feel comfortable leaving a review. My experience was traumatic and gave me an incredible amount of anxiety, not to mention that it felt completely unethical. Below is what I shared in response to their request for information, but there are no words to adequately state what I experienced and this high level summary doesn't even remotely do it justice. My experience with Dr. Bickman's practice was terrible. I shared on all documents that I am allergic to amoxicillin and was still prescribed ampicillin, which led me to another allergic reaction. I was told that my files indicated I was allergic to anesthesia, which is entirely false. I also had to call the office several times to follow up about whether a medical device was approved for me, and every time they were incredibly unhelpful. I ended up connecting with my insurance myself and connecting them to the office. Additionally, I was informed I needed to pay a lump sum to continue care for the year. And finally, I requested my records no less than 8 times (via both email and phone) and still have not received them. Per the medical board of California, if you make a request for the records to be sent directly to you, the physician must provide copies to you within 15 days. I would never recommend this doctor and have experienced severe anxiety from my experience with this practice. I am relieved to see that the CA Medical Board is investigating further so nobody can experience what I and many others went through. read more

She is a scam. Horrible Horrible Horrible. Stay away from this practice. Made the biggest mistake by not googling her and seeing her reviews. She is terrible. My wife insurance changed at work so we had to find an OBGYN. Made a big mistake by not googling and seeing her reviews. We waited two weeks and we went for our appointment and they are telling us we need to pay $3,000 for admin fee?!!!! My wife has a PPO plan. I told them their website only says $400 I even showed them a screen shot they said sorry we have to update our website. What a joke. My wife wanted to see a doctor so we paid them $500 extra to see her. Omg again what a mistake, the place is dirty, she sees us for 5minutes. This place is a SCAM. There is no way any of the good reviews are real. BS. Stay away I promise you will regret it and will write a review. Thinking to even report her to the board. read more

I wanted to like Dr. Bickman, I've been having borderline emergency problems and they were able to get my booked in quickly. The wait time was low, and bedside manner was decent. I was prescribed something to help with the problem quickly and then the fees started. First, I was told a blood test would be $75. Then I was offered a more full panel to check for more things, and given my situation, I did consent to the $500 out of pocket fee. While sticker shocked by the price, I was assured it was the better option because they've had patients get hit with even higher bills from the lab later. Then when I checked out I was handed a piece of paper about their "administrative policy." They are charging $800 annually, due (at least in part) at my follow up appointment in a couple weeks, where I may have to have a procedure, how much would that then cost? I called and asked about the fee, there are "payment plans" available of breaking it down into three installments, and they waffled on if/when/how much is due. And further, when I looked up her webiste (after booking through Zoc Doc) the fee listed on the site is lower, $600. Which is it? What other fees await? This kind of practice is deceptive and cruel, preying on people seeking care in one of the more difficult specialties in which to find the right provider. How they can operate this way and retain patients is beyond my comprehension. I have canceled my follow up and will be going elsewhere. read more

Ok first of all, I haven't got my insurance yet but I was really excited about my pregnancy so I called them and they said it's gonna cost $700 for the visit and everything needs. I didn't think twice and I made an appointment. When I got there, they said $700 is only for just seeing Dr.Bickman. What do you mean? She is not even gonna do ultrasound? They said another $360 for the ultrasound. I was really confused. But I did it because I wanna know if everything okay with me. After done with the first visit, the staff just gave me a paper which is I have to pay $800 out of pocket for administrative fees. I have to pay every 12 months. I thought that was normal and I made the second visit appointment after I got my insurance. I was about to pay $800 but the staff gave me another paper which is $1000 per trimester not $800 yearly. What's going on? It's so hilarious that she wants more money on top of the insurance? What a waste of time. I told them I'm gonna find another OBGYN. I should've read the reviews. read more

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I checked many times with them to make sure they accept my insurance and also doctor's name was listed as an in network provider for my insurance. My insurance company has been asking for my medical records and the doctor's office is not providing them what they need! My visit date was 4 months ago and the documents still have not been submitted. They are charging me $1200 for an annual simple check up for which I have already paid $270 out of pocket at their office. I had to take today off and go there in person and ask for my records in person and submit them to my insurance while this is not something that should be done by me!!! I don't recommend this place. read more

1 star is the overstatement of the year. Dr. Bickman's practice is a unprofessional as it gets. Her administrative staff is horrible and unhelpful, they instantly scream at you when you ask a single question and hang up without providing help. They constantly over-charge you and don't know how to fix it, mis-schedule appointments and cancel on no notice, and are unprepared to answer questions. They charge you an administrative fee that appears to vary by the day (we were charged $2,000 but the reviews on Yelp that are timestamped as within months of us vary from $600, $800, and $1,200). This fee is stated to provide you with constant access to the doctor (she never responds), administrative processing and insurance management (they outsource to a third-party that messes up and can't help you), and access to medical care 24/7 even when Dr. Bickman is out (she literally no-showed a scheduled appointment 12 days out from due date and the response to replacement care was to "just go to the hospital"). She refers out to another doctor for anatomy scans (Dr Tabsh) who is the single most unprofessional doctor I have ever experienced in my life. Horrible experience, horrible staff. Do not go. read more

I found this doctor on Zocdoc and should have looked for reviews before commiting to the appointment. It is true about the dirtiness of the office and exam room, including blood on the exam table. PS they also have the absolute cheapest paper to lie on so by the end of the exam my butt was just on the actual table. No one wants that. Then, as you leave, you are given the letter about the admin fees. Out of some sense of desperation, I paid half in order to be seen again for some lab work. In the letter, there is the promise of faster, almost concierge service, but that wasn't my experience. During the LA fires, I had a phone appointment that she ended up being four hours late for. Why couldn't someone from her office call to say she was running so late? My nerves were shattered during that time and she didn't seem to care much when I asked about the late call, which had been around 8pm. Anyway, the lack of hygiene and surprise "admin" fee ended up being pretty alarming. Oh, lastly, when I saw her in person, she was more than an hour late for that too. That gave me the opportunity to see lots of women leave because they couldn't afford the annual fee. read more

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VISIT WAS IN JANUARY 2025. This was the most horrific experience I have ever had with medical care; and it was just a potential new patient consultation. Dr. Bickman was judgmental, unprofessional and hostile. In my first consultation appointment, Bickman was 1 HOUR LATE. When she arrived, she flat out refused to discuss my medical concerns and kept cutting me off while I asked questions. She is not someone that will listen to you, advocate for you, or fight for you. Worse yet, she will villainize you and attack you. Additionally, the office was DIRTY-- hair clumped on the floor and blood stains on the cabinets. This is the level of care you get for a $800 annual fee, 100% out of pocket tests and labs, and having to submit your own paperwork to insurance for coverage? Really? UPDATE: Her office billed my insurance $225 for "diagnosing me with infertility". They did not do an exam, they did not run any tests, and they did NOT diagnose me with anything. HOW CAN THEY JUST LIE LIKE THIS? AND AT MY EXPENSE? read more

I feel scammed. Although I really liked Dr. Bickman I will never be returning due to the shadiness of this practice. I called multiple times to make sure that my insurance would cover my visit and as I was leaving I was told I was going to be charged $90 out of picked for tests they had already administrated and that they failed to inform me of and then was handed a sheet of paper saying I would need to pay $1000 out of pocket to return for a second visit for my IUD insertion. The form said to call if you have financial hardship or can't pay and when I called to tell the practice as a 24 year old I can't afford this unexpected charge I was told to not return. They are so beyond unethical and a total waste 2 hours and $90 (which I will be disputing and telling my credit card company they are running a scam). If I could give 0 stars I would read more

This was one of the worst health care experiences I've ever received. First off, I waited an hour before I even entered an exam room. Then another 45 minutes before I was seen by the Doctor. The reason for my visit was to get my IUD changed. I filled out all the insurance paperwork to get it ordered from the Pharmacy. I was told by the office, that if I didn't hear from them in two weeks to contact them and they'd check in on the pharmacy. After two weeks of not hearing anything, I called the office twice in one week. Both times I was told they'd call the Pharmacy, and then call me before 5pm. Neither time I heard back. After a 3rd time calling them, I was eventually put on hold while they contacted the Pharmacy. This time, I was told the Pharmacy never got prescription from the doctor. The pharmacy called me the next day and told me they got a 'referral, not a prescription' but the office didn't include basic information on the fax like the name of the doctor and the phone number. One week later I got another call from the pharmacy, stating THEY STILL HAD NOT RECIEVED THE PRESCRIPTION. And that they had tried to contact the office 3 or 4 times with no response. I called the office, they said they'd contact the pharmacy immediately with the prescription. Today, I called the pharmacy and they told me the order was canceled for 'max amount of times trying to contact the doctor with no response.' So now, I refuse to go back to this office, and will have to start the whole process over again. Never go here. It's disrespectful how little this medical office cared about my health care. read more