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:07/08/2024

  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.

  I used this facility for an emergency vet service over the past weekend. My daughter’s 8 week old kitten became very suddenly sick. Upon arriving at Tri State Clinic I was in a frenzy to get our kitten inside and under their care as she was very ill. The assistant handed me a clipboard of paperwork to fill out with. I quickly went through and signed the papers as I was upset and did not pay the attention I should have to everything written. Soon after they took our cat back and within thirty minutes returned to tell me she needed a blood transfusion. I had already informed the vet that I was on a budget but did want to make every attempt within that budget to save the cat. There was no mention of pricing at any point throughout our visit until I asked about the cost of the transfusion. It was at that point the vet informed me that I was already owing $607 to the clinic for services rendered. Somehow in 20 minutes with no medications, surgeries, a diagnosis or any briefing of the steps they would be taking outside of a fecal testing they had done $607 worth of care to an 8 week old kitten. About five minutes later they informed she had passed away. The vet told me I had signed a consent form stating the price of the services they were performing such as cpr and a catheter. I find it very unethical that they allow someone to walk into their clinic under a stressful situation hand them a paper to sign that they make no attempt to clarify anything within then proceed to never mention pricing during the brief time the vet was in the room with me and then proceed to perform services in that large amount of money without a consult. I would never have agreed to that because I was very much unable to afford it. I am now stuck with a bill I will struggle highly to pay and my credit is at risk as well. Please help me atleast get a pricing adjustment. I am financed through scratch pay as well.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/12/2024

  Good Morning,

  *** ******** called our clinic at 11:13am to make an appointment.  We were able to get her an appointment time of 11:30am.  The client came in at 11:50 am, however we were still able to accommodate her and her pet.  I was able to verify through our camera system that *** ******** came into the clinic calmly with her kitten and was placed in an exam room at 11:52am with new patient paperwork.  I have attached the paperwork that goes into detail of CPR what it entails and the cost of that CPR.  Client has choice to select DNR or CPR.  At 12:02 (ten minutes of client in the room with paperwork) our vet assistant goes in take history and go over treatment plan and cost.  Owner approved all diagnostics and testing.  Our policy is that we go over all pricing before beginning testing.  Once the kitten was taken to the back it became unstable and the team began CPR per the request by the owner on the new patient form. 

  While we feel the frustration I'm sure *** ******** has for the price of the CPR, it was indicted on the form with time to read thoroughly.  The team worked hard and did everything possible to save the pet.   I can understand that Ms. Burchett's frustrations, however all approved diagnostics were ran and CPR was given with consent.  

  I am happy to go into more detail if it is needed in regards to the situation. 

  Sincerely, 

  ***** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/16/2024

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

  I have downloaded the attached pdf provided by the clinic. Unless I am missing it, I do not see the portion of the form containing the boxes about the CPR etc.. Am I just missing where that was attached somehow? I only saw one form. Also, immediately they are giving misinformation. I was NEVER given an appt that I was late to. I called the clinic and asked if I would be able to walk in to which they responded yes, I told them I was driving and would be about 35 minutes away at that time. An appt time was never mentioned. I was never late, because an appointment was never made. She took some of my information over the phone in order to save time upon arrival, but never mentioned an appointment time. Also, the very did come in and mention doing some testing of feces/blood to which I did agree to if needed, but again pricing was NEVER mentioned. Also, **** ****** has stated it is their policy to go over pricing before any procedures are started. Price was NEVER mentioned to me. I do realize I may have missed something in a paper that was again NEVER went over with me one time, but at no point was price mentioned to me until AFTER I owed them over $600. How can I be forced to pay something when the business did not follow their own policy?
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 07/16/2024

  Good Afternoon,
  I have re-uploaded the new patient form
  that speaks of the CPR and pricing with the sections highlighted for easier
  review.  I am also attaching the doctor’s
  assessment from the medical record stating where pricing was discussed for the diagnostic
  testing.  The diagnostic testing was $223
  before taxes, that included the CBC, Office Exam, Blood Glucose Check, and
  Fecal.  This is everything that the Dr.
  and Tech covered.  When the patient went
  into cardiac arrest, the team was able to see that she was a CPR status and
  began immediate life saving treatment. 
  The purpose of outlining the CPR and the pricing on the new patient
  forms is so that the team can work quickly to try to save the pet.  Every second counts in those moments.
  AUC takes great pride in being transparent
  with clients in all aspects of their visit, financially and medically.  Many times at AUC we see people in some of their
  worst moments, and work hard to do everything we can to ensure full transparency
  in the times people need it most. 

  Sincerely, 

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2024

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

   I have read over the recent responses from the office manger of the vet clinic. Immediately this response went abruptly into dishonesty. I never had an appointment at this clinic. I called as my local vet office was closed that day. The office assistant let me know I could be seen I assume as a walk in that day to the urgent care facility. I advised her I was about 35 minutes away en route at that time. I never had an appointment time to be “late” arriving to. **** ****** stated they have a policy to discuss all treatment plans and pricing prior to beginning them. If this is in fact office policy as I was not previously even aware of this, why is it that this policy was not honored with me? I had absolutely no idea of the cost of any of the treatments outside of this cpr even until the moment I myself inquired about them at which point I was informed I was already owing over $600 to the clinic. How can a facility have a policy, not follow it, and then proceed to be dishonest about it once they have not followed it? The ethics are sorely misguided here. Those minutes I was left in the room waiting on the veterinary assistant I was holding and attending to a sick cat, and I was one hundred percent upset,  whether that be visible to someone via security camera footage or not. At no point was pricing mentioned, at no point was anything within that paperwork discussed with me, and at no point did I verbally agree to anything in regard to finances because they were never discussed with me. I even voiced that I was on a budget to the vet and the vet assistant, as I was waiting for pricing to be mentioned. I would have never agreed to anything in this price margin had I ever at any point been made aware of it. I have never heard of any field involving finances not requiring a verbal agreement of fees as large as these to be made prior to treatment. I am a single mother, I work two jobs, I could not afford a bill this large. I never would have imagined to be charged over $600 for taking a sick 8 week old kitten to a vet clinic. It is disheartening enough that she did not survive, but to be treated so unethically and on top of that for the clinic to be dishonest about it is very upsetting. If nothing else they should at the very least have to honor this supposed policy of going over treatment prior to conducting it, that’s the entirety of the rest of the visit outside of the cost of the CPR.

  
  Thank you,
  
      ****** ********