Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/14/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had reserved a preventative cervical screening with ***** ****** for a screening service that was supposed to be free. The office staff and ***** confirmed that they have received pre-authorization from *************** on this visit so that I will not be billed. The staff also confirmed that there will will be no other charges billed to me. There will be no 'first time patient' office charge! After service on2/19/2/, I got billed for $200. I clarified from billing that this charge was incorrectly submitted by ***** and that they will the submit corrected charge to *****. To date after over 2 months, nothing was corrected or resubmitted to Cigna. I have not got any results of the test back. I called the office several times and have not received a call back on status of my results.I called Cigna, who called then ***** and per the office staff, this was a first time patient charge- something that contradicts what the billing office manager ***** mentioned in the attached email.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Please see the attached response

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2025

   
  Complaint: 23192726
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Im in the process of sending back the requested  authorization today 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/09/2025

  Please see the attached letter outlining the events/communication

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/16/2025

   
  Complaint: 23192726
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Getting this matter reviewed externally was important because no one in the office returned my calls as the reception desk *** told us that many people are calling about billing and we are short staff. You can go ahead and leave a voice mail for ***** or email her. This happened on all the occasions that we called to get clarity on the billing. Is this your definition of promptly addressed imply!! 
  ***** however did respond .after about a week to our email on the coding disparity. 
  We did not email the office to get the exam results as we figured this could result in second consultation visit billing to Cigna!! If you disagree, how would we know if no one cared to clarify or communicate on the exact fixed cost that will be billed prior to our visit. Not once was there a mention of established patient concept from anyone after we told them that Im new to the office!!
  This is the first time we are hearing about this and that is after a complaint was filled! 

  See attached bulleted responses to your defense on my initial complaint. 
  
  
  ****** *******

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2025

  Better Business Bureau
  PO Box 191279
  *****, ID *****
  
  June 2, 2025
  RE:  **********
  Subject: Response to BBB Complaint Dated May 20, 2025
  To Whom It May Concern:
  This correspondence is in response to the letter issued by the Better Business Bureau dated May 20, 2025.

  
  You noted in your complaint that your calls were not returned and referenced a statement allegedly made by a "receptionist desk guy" indicating that "many people are calling about billing and we are short-staffed."
  Please be advised that Partners in Womens Health does not employ any male staff. Therefore, it is unclear with whom you spoke. We strive to ensure accurate communication, and any specifics you can provide would be helpful in identifying the source of this statement.

  
  If your concern relates to a lack of response from the billing department, please note that billing inquiries are managed by an independent third-party billing service. Their contact information is provided in our automated phone system for patients to reach them directly. If there was a delay in response, it would be appropriate to address those concerns directly with the billing company. Partners in Womens Health does not have control over their operations or responsiveness.  As for the response of the payment, as of May 5, 2025, your insurance company covered your visit and you are at a zero dollar balance.

  
  With regard to your test results, Physician Assistant ***** ****** contacted you via phone on February 26, 2025, at 8:10 AM and left a voicemail confirming that your lab results were negative. Our standard practice is to notify patients in this manner. Additionally, most laboratories provide results directly to patients. Since you requested that your lab work be sent to Quest Diagnostics, and we do not routinely coordinate with that lab, any lack of follow-up from them should be directed to their office.

  
  You referenced confusion regarding the designation of established patient. In accordance with standard medical practice, patients who are new or have not been seen within the past three years are classified as new patients. While we understand that this may not have been explicitly explained during your visit, it is a widely recognized industry standard.

  
  While we understand that you may have had a less than satisfactory experience, we must respectfully state that repeated formal complaints to both the BBB and the Department of ******************* (****), particularly in the absence of substantive evidence, consume valuable administrative and clinical resources that are better directed toward patient care. We note that your prior complaint to **** was dismissed due to insufficient grounds to warrant the commencement of formal disciplinary proceedings",which we believe supports our position that our actions were consistent with appropriate standards of care and professional conduct.

  
  We regret that our efforts to address your concerns have not met your expectations. However, ******** and damaging accusations against our providers and staff are deeply concerning and affect the morale and operational capacity of our team. We have made multiple efforts to address your concerns and have not received further clarifying information from you.

  
  Accordingly, we will not be engaging in further correspondence on this matter. Our priority is to provide high-quality care in obstetrics and gynecology, and we must remain focused on that mission. We respect your right to seek medical care elsewhere and encourage you to find a provider that better aligns with your expectations.

  
  Sincerely,
  **** C. ******
  Director of Operations
  Partners in Womens Health
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2025

   
  Complaint: 23192726
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  **** is not the ultimate authority and thus their rejecting the complaint does not mean anything. It just means they need more proof than what I had provided. Do I have more proof? 

  Per your response dated 4/25/25, your organization has to comply with ***** laws. Your most recent response on 6/4/25 puts the blame on the third party billing, taking the blame away from your organization, even though they helped me fix the issue by understanding the incorrect coding provided by *****. Per the ***** law and under the Outsourced Medical Billing And ***** Compliance section, the outsourced medical billing services are considered business associate. In such cases, per the *****, the covered entity providing the services is still considered to be a business associate. 
  

  The original code for the visit was not entered correctly, and thus it ended up being denied by my insurance. The medical office provided the correct billing code to ***** in billing after I had filed 2 formal complaints. All of this was not necessary, if someone from the office had returned our calls.
  I did not note the name of the male at reception who took my messages for a call back from *****, but generally do you care to know the name of the person who transfers your call to a voice mail or writes down your messages more than the person who you are trying to reach!!

  Sincerely,
  

  
  ****** *******