Very disappointing and unprofessional experience with Dr. Matthew Watson and the team at Blacksburg…read moreAnimal Clinic
I brought my dog to Blacksburg Animal Clinic today for a scheduled veterinary appointment, and unfortunately, we were not even seen because of an issue involving a $300 balance that I believe should have been handled directly with the ASPCA.
A few months ago, my cat had cancer and required surgery on his ears. The ASPCA in Roanoke agreed to pay the $300 balance, and I provided Blacksburg Animal Clinic with documentation stating that the ASPCA would be responsible for the payment. The front-office employee who was working that day was the same person I spoke with today. She had originally scanned the documentation into their system and also spoke directly with the ASPCA representative by phone while I was there picking up my cat after surgery. I was told the ASPCA would be sending the clinic a check in the mail.
Today, before my dog's appointment, I was suddenly presented with a statement saying that I still owed the $300. I explained that the ASPCA had agreed to pay this amount and that I had already provided the clinic with documentation confirming that arrangement.
At first, I was told they did not have the paperwork on file. Then, after I explained that I knew it had been scanned into their system, they acknowledged that they actually did have the documentation.
I also explained that I am disabled, live on a fixed income, and simply cannot afford to pay an unexpected $300 balance that I was told the ASPCA was responsible for. I was not refusing to pay a legitimate bill; I was trying to understand why I was suddenly being held responsible for a balance that had already been arranged to be paid by another organization.
While I was speaking with the front-office employee and trying to resolve the issue, Dr. Matthew Watson came out and asked, with what I felt was a very obvious attitude, "Are we still doing this?" referring to my dog's appointment.
I told him that I was willing to proceed with my dog's appointment as long as I was not being made responsible for the $300 that the ASPCA had agreed to pay. I explained that I simply wanted the billing issue resolved and did not feel comfortable accepting responsibility for that amount.
He then essentially told me that if I didn't like the situation, I should take my dog to another veterinarian. He opened the front door and told me to go to the other vet.
I have never been treated this way at a veterinary clinic. I was not yelling, threatening anyone, or refusing to pay a legitimate bill. I was attempting to resolve a billing/documentation issue that appears to have resulted from the clinic's own failure to properly maintain or process the paperwork they had already received.
What is especially upsetting is that I clearly explained that I am disabled and live on a fixed income. Instead of showing understanding or professionalism and trying to resolve the situation, I felt dismissed, embarrassed, and essentially pushed out of the clinic.
I cannot speak to whether this legally constitutes disability discrimination, but I absolutely felt that my disability and financial circumstances were not treated with appropriate consideration.
My concern is not simply the $300. It is the way this entire situation was handled. If the ASPCA payment had not arrived, the professional response should have been to contact the ASPCA, review the documentation, and work toward resolving the discrepancy--not confront me immediately before my dog's appointment and then have the veterinarian tell me to take my dog somewhere else.
After being a client here, this experience has completely changed my opinion of this clinic. I will be taking my dog elsewhere.
I hope management reviews what happened today, including the documentation regarding the ASPCA payment and how I was treated when I questioned the balance.
