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:01/02/2025

  Type:Service or Repair 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 am seeking to the help of the BBB to persuade Kenmore Optical to withdraw an inappropriate no-show fee bill.I made an appointment on their website on December 28 for an eye exam that was supposed to happen December 31. On Dec 28, I called Kenmore Optical to check that my vision insurance information was in order. The ** staffer told me on the phone that it was fine, after looking up my vision insurance with my name and date of birth. (Now I have come to understand that he meant that I could use my vision insurance frames benefit at this shop; at the time, I thought that we were talking about the exam fee.) The ** staffer did not ask about or mention my health insurance in that phone call.On Dec 31 I came to KO. When the staffer asked for my health insurance card, I asked why. Only then did I learn that KO intended to bill my health insurance for the exam. However, my health insurance company requires prior authorization for care outside of my employer's geographic area. I told the ** staffer this. He and another KO staffer confirmed that my vision insurance would not cover the exam, so I left without having an exam.I regret that the appointment slot was wasted, but I don't think it's fair to charge a no-show fee in the circumstances. I went out of my way to call the practice and ask about the status of my insurance before the appointment (and, by the way, before the cancellation deadline). If the ** staffer had told me that they would want to bill my health insurance company, I could have sought prior authorization or simply cancelled the appointment before the cancellation deadline. I discussed the situation with a KO staffer on the phone on January 1. She agreed that it was a "unique" situation because of the telephone "miscommunication" about insurance coverage on December 28, but they declined to withdraw the no-show fee and continue to send billing email.I think that KO should withdraw the no-show fee bill. Thanks for reading.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/06/2025

  **** scheduled an appointment at Kenmore Optical with the prior knowledge that in order for her medical insurance to cover the routine eye exam that she would need to seek a referral from her primary care doctor, which she did not obtain. She was also aware that her vision insurance, Eyemed, does not cover routine eye exam, and she came in our office anyway and proceeded to try and trick and persuade my office staff, insisting that her **************** does cover her routine eye exam.  When my office staff called me over to assist, I quickly was able to figure out that her vision insurance, Eyemed, does not cover routine eye exam, and that we would need her medical insurance information to try to figure out if her medical insurance would cover the exam.  When she realized that her scheme was exposed, and that she wasn't going to get her way, she quickly responded with "ok, I'm leaving".  This ***** act of leaving the office does not negate our office policy of a 24 hour cancellation/no show policy with fees implemented.  **** was given our no show policy on 12/30/2024. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/06/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]

  The business owner claims that I was aware when I scheduled the appointment that my vision insurance does not cover routine eye exams. I was not aware of that. I wasn't sure what my vision insurance would cover at this this provider because I didn't understand the various networks (Plus, Insight, Select, Advantage) that were listed on the ****** website. That's why I called Kenmore Optical at 2:41 on December 28, right after I scheduled the appointment. I spoke with a KO staffer specifically because I wasn't confident that I understood the insurance policy. I gave my name and he asked for my date of birth, presumably because he was looking up my coverage. In hindsight I should have asked specifically if the exam was covered instead of asking, "is my insurance all set?" Not being an insurance expert, I didn't realize there was a difference. That conversation was a great opportunity for KO to tell me, "actually, your vision insurance doesn't cover exams, so we'll need your health insurance information too, or you'll have to pay out of pocket, the cost will be $X" but the staffer didn't mention anything about it. If he had, this whole mess could have been avoided.
  

  The business owner thinks I had a "scheme" to "trick" the ********* staff -- what was my supposed grand plan? You think I knew that my vision insurance wouldn't cover the exam, and that my health insurance would if I got prior authorization... so I deviously made an appointment without getting prior authorization from my health insurance?That doesn't make sense. Do you think that I was trying to trick you so that my health insurance company wouldn't have to pay you? Why would I want to keep costs down for my health insurance company?
  

  The provider seems to think it was suspicious that I left "hastily" after she confirmed that my vision insurance doesn't cover exams. Why wouldn't I leave at that point? What was there to discuss? I didn't want to incur surprise out-of-pocket costs, my vision insurance doesn't cover exams, and my health insurance doesn't cover non-emergency care without advance notice. Did you want me to call my PCP and health insurance company from your office to try and arrange prior authorization at the last minute? It was December 31; the only *********************** that were open were ********** and ************** (not Internal Medicine, where my PCP is based).
  

  Your own employee recognized, when I called on January 1, that this problem stemmed from a misunderstanding about exam coverage versus glasses coverage in my phone conversation from December 28. (Incidentally, that employee also suggested rescheduling the appointment -- which they presumably would not have done if they actually believed me to be a fraudster.) Yet you are accusing me of a "scheme" and a "trick" because I accepted at face value your staffer's statement that my insurance was in order on December 28, then left "hastily" when I eventually found out that it was not on December 31.

  Once again, I request that the no-show fee invoice be withdrawn in light of the misunderstanding that your own staff recognized, and to which your staff (presumably unintentionally) contributed.

  **** *****
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  ****

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 01/18/2025

  We spoke the truth.  **** is refusing to take responsibility for her actions and intentions. 

  Since **** left our office, and she never actually became a patient, nor was she ever a client, therefore she never did any business with Kenmore Optical, we feel strongly that this complaint should be null and void. We would greatly appreciate for this complaint to be rejected and not put on the permanent record of Kenmore Optical.

  Thank you for your consideration. 

   

  Best, 

   

  ***** ******, O.D.