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:03/25/2025

  Type:Order 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.

  Hello,I started receiving a letter for the first time from a collection agency last december 2024.They were telling me to pay a debt coming from empire city lab from december 2023.I contacted the lab, and could figure out that it was coming from a visit I did in an urgent care where they did lab work (no one told me the lab work would be extra, i dont remember if i signed something about this or not).I connected to my health inssurance and found out that they are in network and I told them they should claim the money to my insurance *********** the end they told me its too late for them to get refunded by my insurance and i need to pay.I never got any bill or contact from that company before the collection agency contacted me, so i dont think they are allowed to do that, also i cannot even claim the expense to my *** because its too late.What could we do ?Best Volodia

  Business Response

  Date: 04/10/2025

  we already billed to insurance on 03/24/2025 and removed the account from collections 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/10/2025

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/05/2025

  Type:Product 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.

  Empire City Laboratories sent me to collections for a bill that my insurance, Emblem Health, ******* appears that Empire City Laboratories sent the bill to the incorrect address of ************************************ instead of my home address of ***********************************************. The bill is for $344.00.I did not have any knowledge of such bill until I was recently contacted by the collections agency through text ********** insurance Provider, ************* confirmed that they issued a payment by Check to Empire City Laboratories. The check # **************** was processed on 7/2/20**. ************* stated my responsibility was only $20.00 because the services were covered. The Emblem Health medical claim number for this bill is # ************** contacted Empire City Laboratories for assistance, and the agent, ***** ***, was unhelpful and careless. Told me there was nothing he could do.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2025

  Sorry for the inconvenience. Initially we billed to insurance and insurance denied us as COB the claim number is ************* and primary insurance is inactive on date of service
  we send bill to patient three times and after that it goes to collections, during that time the insurance reverse the claim and send us the payment with the ** of $20.00 in ************
  Now we are updating your account. you only have to pay $20.00 and i am also updating the address so you got the bill to the correct address. and also removed you from collections

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/30/2025

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ****
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/12/2025

  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 am disputing charges from Empire City Labs. My son and I both went to ******************* in ******, ** in January of 2023. I provided my insurance at the visit, had my insurance processed for the *********** and paid my co-pays without issue. I have been to this *********** before and never had an issue.Fourteen months after the visit I received a bill from Empire City Labs for swabs done on that Jan 2023 visit. I immediately called their billing department to ask why my insurance was not processed. I could not get through after many attempts. Since my calls to Empire City Labs were never answered, I emailed their billing and help email addresses and did not get a response. I followed up by email again and still no answer.A month ago, January 2025 I received a bill from a collections agency requesting money for the bill from Empire City Labs. I made many good faith efforts to contact them to have my insurance processed and nobody picked up their phone lines or answered their emails. After the collections letter arrived, I called again and stayed on for over an hour to get through. I was connected with a gruff, aggressive and dismissive representative who told me I should have tried to resolve it sooner when I got the bill because 14 months later was too late to add insurance. I reiterated that 14 months later is exactly when I received the first bill and since I paid the urgent care **** had no reason to believe I would receive any other bill.He did not acknowledge the gap in billing by 14 months and did not acknowledge that nobody answered the phone or emails.Empire City Labs was 14 months delayed in sending me a bill, made no effort to collect my insurance information from the office that sent them our labs, did not respond to any of their listed contact information and never even sent a second bill. I tried everything I could reasonably think to do to resolve this and I am now officially disputing these two bills. Please advise.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2025

  We will remove it from collections and close the balance please disregard the bills

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2025

  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 and the matter has been resolved. The company, Empire City Labs, stated in their reply to the BBB that they removed me from collections. I called collections and verified that this was true (attachment of verification). I also emailed Empire City Labs to verify that they also closed their account with me so I can stop receiving these bills altogether. Attached is the verification that they did close my account. While I am still overall disappointed in this company for mishandling my account and causing so much strife and additional work on my end, I am glad to know they responded to my BBB complaint and ultimately closed my account. Thank you very much for helping me with this matter. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/11/2025

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  Empire City Labs sent me a bill for diagnostic testing when I was fully insured because my PCP had given them an old insurance by mistake. Empire City Labs then refused to re-bill my updated insurance after multiple calls and also refused to give me an explanation of why they could not do this. I spoke to their billing representative on November 13, 2024 and provided the new insurance and they said they would re-bill, but I did not receive any notice until the old bill was sent to a collection agency. I have called them and emailed them numerous times and they aren't able to tell me why they can't send the bill to my insurance, which would fully cover this charge for routine diagnostic testing.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/25/2025

  Hi,
  We already resolve the issue, and billed to insurance on 02/07/2025 please see the attached
  Accession: **********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/28/2025

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *****
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/13/2025

  Type:Order 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.

  My wife and one of my children attended an urgent care center in December 2023. We have attended this urgent care center before and they are covered in our network. In January 2025, we received a notification from a collector agency, on behalf of Empire City Laboratories, claiming that we owe $350 + $275 for unpaid bills. Empire is covered under our insurance and it has never been an issue before. I spoke to ***** from Empire, who claimed that despite Empire previously receiving payment from our insurance on other occasions, they didn't have our insurance information (that has not changed) and we were responsible for the $625 total. He also claimed that since it was one year past the date (convenient that they reached out exactly one year after the date of the appointment), that they couldn't put in another claim with insurance to be paid. Beware when using urgent care centers that use Empire City Laboratories as their lab. This is ridiculous that something covered by our insurance is going to cost us over $600 for something that wasn't our fault.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/14/2025

  Hi,
  Accessions/Accounts
  **********
  **********
  Please see the attached. We received requisitions from the doctor office with no insurance information.
  Initially we billed to client but client never paid to us. Than we billed to the patient
  After three notices when we did not get any response from patient than its goes to collections
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  Our insurance company requested the following:

  (Aetna Request): We will need the claim from Empire City Laboratories sent in with proof of timely filing so that the claim can be processed. Please contact them and provide them with your insurance information so they can submit a claim.

   When I spoke to ***** from Empire City Laboratories, he told me that a year has passed and he can no longer take insurance information.

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2025

  You need to call your insurance, and make a conference call and when insurance assure they pay than we remove you from collections
  You can contact our Billing Manager ****************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/03/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  My insurance has requested the phone number so we can contact Empire Labs together.  Empire suggested a conference call- then provided an email address instead of a phone number.  These are the games we've been dealing with this December. 

  Thank you.

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2024

  Type:Product 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 went to a local clinic to get a covid test before a trip on February 1st 2024. I gave them my health insurance information at the clinic to submit to ******A few months later, I get a call asking to confirm my insurance because it didn't go through. I gave the details and was told they would get in touch with Aetna. I get another call about a week or two later asking for my insurance information again. I gave them the same details and asked if they needed me to conference in *****. I was told no.On August 2, I get a text from a collection agency asking for payment. I have never received an invoice or statement from Empire Labs so I had no idea $125 was owed. I called collections and they put a hold on my account while I dispute the issue. I tried to call Empire Labs several times and keep getting forwarded to a full voice mailbox. I looked up the business on **** and there are several reviews stating the same issue. **********************************************************************************,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/01/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, my complaint, ID ******** regarding Empire City Laboratories, Inc. has been resolved.
  

  (By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2024

  Type:Product 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 am owed a refund from a over payment on blood lab work , Empire City Lab. After I had a physical, I received a lab fee from Empire. My Dr ****** had miss **ded the blood work and after they fixed it, Cigna Ins. paid the ** pay. Empire cashed my check Feb 20 for the full amount $232.50. So Empire received $232.50 from me and $71.74 ** pay from Cigna, hence I am owed the $71.74 over payment. Shortly after ***** sent them a ** pay check and as documented was processed on Feb 15, and cashed on Feb 20. Remittance # *************. I notified Empire, spoke via email with *** and ***, names listed on email doc, and was told I would receive a refund, also noted on the email. After several letters, phone calls and emails, they ignored my inquires about refund and have not been paid yet. I also had the Cigna rep on the phone via **nference call, and they acknowledged I was owed the credit. Cigna ref # case 1524. The amount owed is $71.74 plus I am also requesting time additional **mpensation for my time spent, supplies and interest. Thank you

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/09/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/01/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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 writing to formally lodge a complaint against Empire ********* regarding fraudulent billing practices. Despite having no contractual agreement or direct business with them, I have received a bill for laboratory services performed at a wellness center in *******, the bill states its a lab in ********. Furthermore, Empire ********* has threatened to send my information to collections if payment is not made.This unsolicited billing and sharing of my personal information without consent is entirely unlawful. As per my understanding, the business relationship is exclusively between the them and Empire *********. I demand that Empire ********* cease and desist all attempts to collect payments from me and correct their records and do not have any right to share any of my information with any collections agencies.I request your intervention to ensure Empire ********* stops these predatory practices and adheres to legal and ethical standards.Thank you for your support and assistance on this matter.Sincerely,***************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by Empire City Laboratories, Inc. regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/01/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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 writing to formally lodge a complaint against Empire ********* regarding fraudulent billing practices. Despite having no contractual agreement or direct business with them, I have received a bill for laboratory services performed at a wellness center in *******, the bill states its a lab in ********. Furthermore, Empire ********* has threatened to send my information to collections if payment is not made.This unsolicited billing and sharing of my personal information without consent is entirely unlawful. As per my understanding, the business relationship is exclusively between the them and Empire *********. I demand that Empire ********* cease and desist all attempts to collect payments from me and correct their records and do not have any right to share any of my information with any collections agencies.I request your intervention to ensure Empire ********* stops these predatory practices and adheres to legal and ethical standards.Thank you for your support and assistance on this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/22/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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.

  In July of 2023, Empire City Laboratories invoiced me for blood tests taken & Paid for 04/21/22. We paid 100% of the draw fee and Test Fee to PharmX Health One, ************* with our ********** card, and money was successfully taken from our card (it took 2- written letters for Empire to stop sending the invoice (but I requested a statement showing a ZERO $0.00 balance, which was never received. (Account No. ************************** NOW THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN. On June 04, 2022 my wife and I had blood drawn at PharmX Health One, *************, ** and this week 4/20/24 - we receive 2-invoices for the Blood Tests (note- this is the first time for work completed 2-years ago) - Account No. *********************** we are being invoiced for work PAID FOR IN 2022 (06/04/2022) Both ************ paid 100% of these IN ADVANCE on the date of service. - I THINK That Empire *************** received payment from Health One, and are now randomly sending out invoices, in the HOPE THAT CUSTOMERS WILL NOT QUESTION AND SEND THEM MONEY AGAIN. - I want the following (an apology or acknowledgement of the error to BBB) I also want a statement for (4) accounts now - showing a ZERO $0.00 balance on all 4.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/17/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by Empire City Laboratories, Inc. regarding complaint ID ********.
  I have contacted the Doctor's ****** where i PAID for my blood test (last year) - and i was assured they PAID Empire City Laboratories, and that i should dissregard the bill.  That is one option, but not the one we are seeking, I am asking Empire to send me (2) PAID IN FULL statements for both times this fraudulent act was committed. (With apologies for the error) If it's a standard practice, I feel an investigation might be needed.

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