Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 would like a refund of $215.00 to include all fees charged this establishment wrongly charged me. It is against the agreement ****. The ***** of Veteran Affairs & this establishment to provide care to veterans to charge any fees at all to veterans. This establishment has broken policy. This vendor is participating in fraudulent business practices.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2024

  We are contracted with the VA through *****, not the VA directly and no other insurance provider contract contains this ruling.  At no point were we provided the Provider Manual from the VA.  Our internal policies and procedures signed by the patient (a copy will be provided upon request) includes a Missed Appointment Fee Policy which states that a fee is charged to a patient who misses their appointment or does not cancel within 24 hours of their appointment.  Missed Appointment/Cancellation fees are extremely common and widespread in practices on a national level.  These fees assist practices with upholding healthy boundaries in the patient to provider relationship when the patient has made the choice to reserve time with the practice.  Late cancellations also prevent other patients from receiving care who could have otherwise filled that time slot.  We have record of the patient's chronic inability to keep appointments.  This history also displays that we have been generously forgiving on multiple occasions and the fee was not charged. We also have record of reviewing our cancellation policies with the patient, and the patient's subsequent disregard for those policies.  

  In this case we will refund the patients requested amount.

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/23/2024

  I have documented proof that they have recently wrongly charged me for another client's scheduling issue. In addition, this is not the only problem this establishment struggles with. The staff suggested I "self pay" for a svc. which is typically paid for by ****************** and when I inquired how I would recoop the out of pocket expense was told by the staff that I would be reimbursed by The Dept.  of Veteran Affairs followed by a stmt. " we work with a lot of veterans." I later found out the expense was not reimbursable and I should not have paid for ***** that would have been covered had that business waited until the authorization paperwork had been completed. My patient advocate at VA ********************* adviced me that this establishment should never had required me to provide them with a form of payment as part of their intake procedure anyway in which they totally disregarded. Establishments such as these should not agree to work in partnership if they cannot uphold integrity, honesty, fairness & consistency. 

  Business Response

  Date: 02/28/2024

  We ask this patient to please check her calculations for accuracy. In the original complaint the patient (*****) filed, she indicates  "I would like a refund of $215.00 to include all fees charged this establishment wrongly charged me." In her second response, there is submitted handwritten documentation indicating the amounts of "***** Late Fee 2023" and "***** Self Pay" which equals $148 total. We do not agree with either of the claimed amounts; neither do they match our calculations explained below.

  We acknowledged that we were uninformed of the VA's policy to disallow establishments to charge VA patients a Missed Appointment Fee.  Per our earlier statement, we are contracted with the VA through *****, not the VA directly and no other insurance provider contract contains this ruling.  At no point prior to the filing of this complaint were we provided the Provider Manual from the VA. Only after initiating a request last Thursday, we have now finally received the Provider Manual from the ** and understand this obligation.
  
  We have record of the patient's chronic inability to keep appointments. The patient was unable to cancel her appointment within a 24 hour window 10 times throughout her duration of treatment at Holistic Health Associates. Out of those 10 appointments that were eligible for the Missed Appointment Fee to be applied, we elected to charge her for only 2 of them, forgiving the other 8 Late Cancel or No Show appointments.  We did not assess these fees with the knowledge that it was against the VA's Provider Manual.  We assessed these fees as outlined in our office's published policies which apply to, and are signed by all of the patients we treat.  After realizing our mistake, we replied to the complaint that we agreed to refund the patient for the two fees that were charged.  However, there have been events entered by the patient since then which have prevented us from doing so.
  
  The first time this patient was charged a Missed Appointment Fee was for failing to appear or communicate with us through any method regarding her scheduled appointment on 3/29/23. The rate for this fee at this time was $50 and was charged on 3/31/23, but was later disputed by ***** and her husband through their credit card company, ********. We accepted the dispute and the credit card company rescinded the money from Holistic Health Associates.  As a result, we placed a scheduling block on the patient's account at that time that prohibited her from booking future appointments due to her chronicled inability to arrive for her appointments, and we canceled all future appointments at that time. The scheduling block would be removed upon the patient satisfying the fee.  We informed the patient of the scheduling block and the canceling of her future appointments via email and voicemail. We received no return communication. On 5/5/23, the patient arrived for one of the appointments that we had canceled. Our Office Manager spoke with her explaining the scheduling block and the outstanding fee she disputed. ***** acknowledged this explanation, checked her credit card to ensure the disputed fee had been fully refunded, and then elected to satisfy the fee in $50 cash. The scheduling block was removed since the fee was satisfied. ***** continued to schedule appointments with our office and continued to display inability to keep her appointments or cancel them within the 24 hour window.
  
  The second and last time she was charged a Missed Appointment Fee was for failing to appear or communicate with us through any method regarding her scheduled appointment on 2/7/24. ********** increased the rate for this fee to $65, effective Jan 1, 2024.  Therefore, the charged amount on this occurrence was $65. The patient subsequently entered a dispute for this transaction on 2/25/24 through her credit card company, ********. This dispute entered with ******** was after ******* initial complaint filing with the Better Business Bureau on 2/22/24, and after our response back indicating that we had acknowledged our mistake in compliance with the VA's Provider Manual and agreed to refund the patient for the total of those two fees ($50 + $65 = $115).  This total does not match either of the patient's two reported calculations.
  
  In addition, when ***** filed the dispute with Discover for the $65, this prevented our company from being able to process the refund through our software, as the money is automatically rescinded by the credit card company.  If ***** rescinds the credit card dispute herself, then we can process that part of the refund ($65) through our software, and issue a check for the other portion of the refund ($50).  If ***** does not rescind the dispute, we will be obligated to provide documentation including any correspondence or records concerning this transaction required by the merchant processor (documentation which will now include all of the elements of this Better Business Bureau complaint).  We encourage the patient to decide which avenue she would like to have the refund processed.  We cannot both refund the patient and process the credit card dispute.  We called ***** attempting to explain this to her but she did not take or return our call. A voicemail was left with the information.
  
  To address the "***** Self Pay" refund claim the patient made in her handwritten documentation: the patient is incorrect in the amount and incorrect in her claim.  The patient was charged the amount of $84.00 for services rendered to her at her appointment on 9/29/23.  This amount correlates to our self-pay rate for massage ($105) minus the offered discount for military of 20%, equal to $21.  The VA requires an authorized referral to be in effect in order to cover services rendered.  If an authorized referral is absent or exhausted, the VA will not pay for the services rendered.  ***** had exhausted her previous authorized referral at her appointment on 8/11/23.  ***** was advised at this time that she could either make the choice between keeping her future appointments and paying the self-pay rate (no reimbursement), or she could wait to schedule until an additional authorized referral was received from the VA.  ***** elected to keep her appointment on 9/29/23 and paid the self-pay rate (with military discount).  ********** never guarantees payment of services (retroactive or otherwise) by any insurance company as we are not party to that decision.  ************ performed in our office that are not eligible for insurance coverage are subject to the self-pay rates.  We include this information as part of our office's paperwork presented to all patients and it is listed in our training and resource documentation for staff.  We did not communicate to the patient that her self-pay service would be eligible for reimbursement from her insurance company and best efforts were made to educate the patient on this standard process.  We understand that it is possible the patient may have misinterpreted information at some point, however, over that, we have no control.
  
  ******* next appointment was scheduled on 10/17/23.  We had still not yet received the authorized referral from the VA when ***** called to follow-up on 10/16/23.  ************* Coordinator returned her call on 10/17/23, the date of the appointment, to confirm that the referral had still not been received.  ***** expressed that she could not sustain paying the self-pay rates and the appointment was canceled with no fee assessed.  ***** returned for treatment once the additional authorized referral was received from the VA.
  
  After research, we did not find any evidence to support that the patient wrongly charged for another clients scheduling issue.  All transactions are related to Karens account and this has been verified through the credit card merchant.
  
  We accept ownership, in full, of the mistake made by charging Missed Appointment Fees to a VA patient.  We can process the refund for those two fees (totaling $115), upon the patient making a decision for how that refund will be processed which we explained above.  We are not refunding ***************** as the service was rendered to the patient.  The patient elected to have the service freely and willingly, and was educated on the financial responsibility prior to the service.
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/29/2024

  As atated prior said establishment is in the wrong for requiring a form of pymt. to keep on file for me from the beginning as I was not to be personally charged for any fees, services etc. They were to only bill through the agengy they contract with. It is at no fault of the client (me) that Hollistic Wellness Associates was not in the possession of the appropriate policy/manual necessary to conduct their Veteran Svcs. accordingly prior proceeding poviding svcs. Fees of $50.00, $98.00 & most recently $65.00 was charged & totals $213.00. That total may actually be slightly higher based on my self pay fee charged back in Sept/Oct. 2023- They have exact figures listed on my billing acct. So them stated they dont have these figures, they're playing foolish unprofessional games. This "Self Pay fee" again, I must reiterate was illicited my misguidance from the front desk staff assuring me of its reimbursability by the company they contract with.  I am advised by the establishment ************************* is contracted with or works through to coordinate care ********************** a sector of The Dept. Of Veteran Affairs that all payments whether initially agreed upon by me or not should be immediately refunded in full back to me. This business has made no efforts to do so. Its been a few weeks since this request of full refund has be relayed to them. This business is making an already bad experience worse by turning a billing complaint into a messy soap opera. BBB is a place of business, not an episode of the ***** ******** Show. Excuse yourself & give up your seat to someone professional.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/29/2024

  In an effort to reach resolution and as a courtesy to the patient, we will be refunding $213, the amount most recently documented in her rebuttal.  We have already issued a refund to her credit in the amount of $65 and will be issuing a check in the amount of $148 ($50 - Missed Appointment Fee and $98 - Self-Pay Appointment Fee) in the next few days.  This will satisfy the $213 refund she feels she is owed.  We have attached a copy of the refund receipt for the $65 credit card charge.
  
  We thank the Better Business Bureau for allowing our practice to respond with fact-based evidence to support our position on this matter.  We wish the patient all the best, and consider this case closed.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2024

  As requested by BBB, here are my records on charges Hollistic Wellness Associates has collected from me from 3/2023 to 03/05/2024.

  Please view attached files.

   

  It is unfortunate that the mediation assistance of BBB had to be enlisted to ensure the refund process took place.

  I have been informed by the paying contracting provider *********************** that Hollistic Wellness Associates had previously agreed in discussion to refund all out of pocket charged fees a couple months ago with no evident action behind it.

  Thank you greatly for your assistance in reaching a resolution to my grievance with this company. I plan to follow up on this case # if I do not receive the agreed refund.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******