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:03/03/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  On Weds March 1 at 5:58pm, I received a threatening voicemail from a Patty with Dr. M******** office stating that i have a large overdue balance and wanted to give me a chance to call before they would send me to collections the very next day. I called the office around 12:17pm on Thursday March 2 - left a vm with this so called Patty - Office manager title from website. She called back. I explained that I had no idea what she was talking about, I demanded answers, proof etc. I haven't received a bill, a call NOTHING! I haven't been there in almost 3 years. I asked to speak to the doctor and she refused, told me she was sending me to collections and hung up on me.
  I called back the office to someone else answering and asked to speak to the doctor. He was unavailable and i left a vm. Haven't heard back from anyone. I reached out to the **** ****** and filed a complaint. I was threatened not once but twice with my credit. I will NOT have this without proof.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/10/2023

  Dear *****,

  I would like to take this opportunity to respond to complaint #********

  This patient complained that I "threatened her when I left a voicemail stating that she had a large overdue balance and wanted to give me a chance to call before we sent it to collections". 

  This was not a threat but instead an opportunity for this person to avoid the actions by a collection agency.

  As she stated she did call the office the next day and demanded to speak to the doctor about her overdue balance. I explained to her that the doctor was with patients and had entrusted me and our billing company to handle overdue balances for him, as he is a busy physician. 

  I certainly did not hang up on her as she stated. I, in fact, gave her the phone number to our billing services to discuss further. She did call them and they reported to me that she was "screaming at them." She then threatened legal action. I was assured by our billing agency that she did indeed owe this overdue balance.

  Ms. *** stated that she did not have proof of this overdue balance. I sent her a certified letter with full statement details with very detailed information about her services, dates provided, insurance payments, insurance write-offs and her payments etc. We have proof from the **** that she has received this information.

  Ms. *** owes our company hundreds of dollars for over 2 years for medical services provided.

   I wrote a note on the certified letter that as a courtesy we will provide her with two more months of time to take care of her balance before we pursue assistance from our collection agency.

  If the BBB would like to receive a copy of information/statement of  this large, very overdue balance please reach out to the patient, get consent for HIPAA purposes and then to our company for further assistance. 

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Patricia S. 

  Office Manager 

  Adult and Pediatric Allergy and Asthma of CT

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

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/15/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  1) I have been out of town for a funeral and just returned with a **** peach paper that I missed a document sent by "M******". I haven't had time to get to the post office yet to sign and pick up. So the office manager is incorrect stating that they have proof from **** that I received this information - happy to show you the "missed delivery paper" that was in my mailbox. 

  2) I am finding many
  discrepancies - I was very firm on the phone with this office manager due to
  her voicemail, I had every right to be upset learning about a large balance
  that I was told was ZERO in March of 2021 via mail. Office manager refused me to talk to the doctor. SHE hung
  up on me, not what she is stating.  Not very professional if you are
  dealing with people's medical information and bills. She threatened me again on
  that phone call that she would send me to collections without me getting a word in edgewise. I asked for proof and
  got nothing. I was not told what dates of service I was being billed
  for, or how to get in touch with the billing office for details. Just hung up on me and said, I am sending you to collections.

  
  3)
  I haven't been to this office since 2020 and have not received a statement since March
  2021.

  4)
  I haven't received one additional bill beyond proof of a "Balance is
  0" on a sticky note from the office in an envelope via mail and stamped on
  March 14, 2021 that I have saved.
  

  5)
  BUT I do have proof of a ZERO Balance – happy to share it with you
  

  6)
  I also never received a phone call about an outstanding bill throughout these
  years 
  

  7)
  However, interestingly enough, I got an email on March 8, 2023 that I have a
  new statement from Adult & Pediatric Allergy and Asthma for $545.50. I was able to log in to mychart to review and print.
  

  8)
  As stated, I got this first voicemail from the office on March 1, 2023. All of sudden, I have a new balance? Very interesting!
  

  9) I printed the
  statement and see more discrepencies as I cross-referenced. My original bills
  shows ' discount (self-pay, uninsured) " for many statements while we
  worked out the ** ***********. Dr. M****** personally
  agreed to discount my out of network charges by 25% until the network
  discrepancy was corrected so I would be able to continue treatment at their
  office.  I told
  the staff due to the issues with the marketplace, that I would find another
  doctor so I don't have extra bills. They were wonderful back then as they said
  that they would talk to the doctor and figure something out for me.
  

  10) Now, this new statement appears
  to have removed the "discount" part out and add money to the new
  statement - isn't this tampering with medical bills?  
  

  11) I found the billing service’s phone number after
  some research, and was told since they were not in business with the practice
  during these dates of service, they could not help me so I am left with no
  person to discuss my balance with. I spoke to a woman named Susan, not Carol as office manager mentions. Office manager did not give me a phone number to the billing service so that's incorrect. 
  

  12) I am now to believe with all my
  proof and this office managers attitude, there is something very fishy going
  on. She is not the office manager that I worked with before. The old one was
  understanding, helpful and very compassionate with patients. She went out of her
  way to make her patients happy and unfortunately, this new person that the
  doctor hired is not a medical professional in my opinion. 
  

  13) I also believe that they are
  trying to rectify losses in their business by going back and changing old
  statements.
  

  14)
  Now, this new statement appears to have removed the "discount" part
  out and add money to the new statement
  

  15) If this is happening to me, how many others are they trying to do this
  to? I would like to help other patients out there.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* ***

  Business Response

  Date: 03/16/2023

  I would like to respond firstly with the fact that Dr. M****** has decided to PERSONALLY take care of YOUR bill himself, not for any reason other than he does not want people treating his staff the way you have. You were sent a certified letter that not only informed you in detail why you have a large balance on your account but also a letter of dismissal from the practice and care of Dr. M******. He will not tolerate such uncontrolled, aggressive  behaviors from people towards his staff. He had the intention of a valid attempt to bill you for a balance that you rightfully owe him for his services. It is not legal or ethical to provide services with a "self -pay discount" to patients with insurance. We have a contract with insurance companies that we will comply with. I assure you that as an office manager I am compassionate, and caring etc however I do not intend to let patients not to be held accountable for accounts that had unethical write-offs granted by an employee that had no right to  put a doctor's practice in this position and I will not tolerate the way you have behaved toward me.. I would like to finish by letting you know that you should be ashamed of your aggressive behavior towards other individuals and your refusal to pay a bill that legitimately is your responsibility and not that of the doctor that treated you.

  We do wish you health and happiness.