ComplaintsforArizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates PC

• Initial Complaint

  08/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I paid a $25.00 copay on-line and was never credited by the medical practice for paying the copay. I wrote 2 letters, sent certified mail, made multiple phone calls, provided copies of the payment including a verification from my bank that the funds went to their account.I had a second visit to this practice and copays were paid in person and by check with no complication. Each time I contact their billing department they tell me that they will address it. Nothing ever happens except to send me more billing statements.I am repeatedly told that there is no record of payment. Now they are threatening me with sending this bill to a collection agency. While it is not a lot of money, I should not have to pay money which I already paid. I just want my account credited with a statement noting that I have zero balance on my account.Attached are copies of the online payment receipt, the second letter I sent, proof of mailing 2 letters and email correspondence notice of receipt, along with the final bill threatening me with turning this over to a collection agency.

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  We made an attempt to call an email patient today.

  Good afternoon **************,
  
  I am in receipt of your concern we were notified about through the BBB dated 8/29/24.
  
  I wanted to reach out and first apologize for any inconvenience related to your balance and payment. In review it appears our team received your call and escalated to our local billing team on 8/15/24. The team reviewed the account and it was noted that you had in fact paid your ***** copay as you indicated in your concern. The matter is a result of an error with our online bill pay partner. We have reviewed and applied all respective payments to you account, you account balance reflects a zero balance as of today.
  
  Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns direct.
  
  Best regards,
  
  *****************************
  Director,Revenue Cycle Management
  Direct:     **************
  

  Customer response

  08/29/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Arizona Arthritis Billing Department:This is my final attempt to reach your billing department before I contact the Arizona Attorney General and Channel 3 news.Your office is fraudulently charging me for visits that have long been settled. My account was current prior to my latest billing statement. Your recent bill indicates I now owe $3,081.19 from charges dating as far back as 2019. There are now a total of 10 different charges from 2019 ********************************* prior statements.This is not the first time that your office has incorrectly and retroactively billed my account. I have attempted to contact your office repeatedly via phone and have received no response, whatsoever. Judging by your Yelp reviews, BBB reviews, and patient criticism, this should come as no surprise to you.Consider my posting as written proof of my sincere intention of moving forward by any means necessary.I have attached the last (5) billing statements to support my claim.Very sincerely,AM

  Business response

  08/27/2024

  Upon initial review,

  Issue is stemming from a copay assist program issue. The patient recently received a revised statement that included a charge for $2392.52 because were not able to obtain a new copay assist card to process the copay portion for her visit for 7/10/19. Account notes show the patient called in on 8/7/24 to provide the full card number. There are also calls documented 8/5/24, 9/15/22, 8/22/22 from the patient as well. These calls are recorded and can be produced if necessary. We now have the correct card number, however, the patient only has $42.00 remaining to spend on the card.  I have reached out to ******* the drug company to see where funds were applied in ************************************************ the agent immediately. I was told I would receive a call back to determine if ******* can advise where the monies for 7/10/19 were applied.
  
  Arizona does not have a current statue of limitation for billing a patient. So we are not in violation to that end. Patient also has copays back 2021 to present that she continues to not pay totaling $678.67 to date. There are also alerts on the patients account to obtain the copay assist card and she did not provide even at her most recent visit. We billed the patient recently because the amount was sitting the insurance bucket pending the card number. Since we did not receive a card, our only recourse left was to bill the patient in hopes we could obtain the card. I can provide an update tomorrow after ******* calls me with an update to validate if she used the card to pay another medical bill etc. I will add that the validity of comments regarding not having a balance, or any communication from AARA are quite the contrary.

  An attempt to contact the patient was made last week. We will continue to try to reach her after hearing back from ******.

  Customer response

  08/28/2024

  Thank you for substantiating the number of times we have called your office. To this day, we have received NO calls or voicemails from your office which can be confirmed via phone records. 
  

  As for deflecting the blame to ******* CarePath, it's a weak strategy at best - they are not responsible for our billing statements. In response to your allegation regarding the possession of the ******* CarePath rebate card, your office has been in possession of that for well over a year - we ensured this by calling your "offshore billing department" numerous times (at the end of last year and the beginning of this year.) We also mailed the information twice on (2) separate billing statements. We were assured you were in possession of the card information months ago. 
  
  However, all of this does not negate your responsibility to provide current billing information and not retroactively bill 10 separate visits dating back to 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (when none of those charges were reflected in our 5/6/24 billing statement or prior statements.)
  

  I will call ******* CarePath tomorrow 8/28/24 to verifiy that you have, in fact, called them twice. As you stated, you attempted to reach me last week, unfortunatately, this did not happen, so I have no reason to believe you will actually follow through with ******* CarePath. If this is not resolved within the week I will be reaching out to the Attorney General and local news networks. The Arizona statute of limitations may state there is no limitation to collect, but given your retroactive, arbitrary billing services, we know we're not the only ones. And that..... is something the Attorney General will be more than happy to investigate. 

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  An email was sent at on 8/28 @ 10:09am as a second attempt to contact patient.

  Good morning ********************,
  
  I would like to connect with you regarding your concerns. I did attempt to reach out and left a message on 8/21/24 @ 3:51PM at a number we have listed on your account of **************. I have not received a return call as yet. I have left message earlier this morning at ************** as well.
  
  Please contact me to address the details of your concern. It is our hope to remedy the matter as quicky as possible. 

  RCM Director

   

  We received a callback and talked with patient. Please see notes below.

  The patient returned my call this afternoon. She advised that the number in the complaint is for her daughter not her. I verified the number we had on file and she indicate it was correct, and I shared I had left message 8/21/24, she did not acknowledge the call.
  
  She was appreciative of the contact and voiced her concerns with YVM. I reiterated that the billing issues and statements were a result of copay assist program and that I was working with ******* to resolve the matter back to 2019. She expressed her concern with how we could bill 4 years later. I shared the details.
  
  She was appreciate of the outreach to attempt to resolve. I indicated I would be in touch once I had a reply from *******, and reiterated her patient responsibility for copay, coinsurance, deductibles etc. She then stated she needed to return to work and thanked me for the call.

   

  Customer response

  09/05/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  After further discussion with Arizona Arthritis, both parties have reached a satisfactory resolution. In reference to complaint ID ********, I will wait for the business to perform the necessary action regarding my billing statement, and if it does, I will consider this complaint resolved. 

  Thank you ****** with Arizona Arthritis for your patience and professionalism, it was greatly appreciated. 

  Regards,
  
  *************************
  
   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I went to Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology on 11/23/2022 for 4 ultrasounds, They billed my insurance and I paid the balance. Then in June 2023 they discovered they made a billing error and resent the claim back to my insurance. Invoice dated 7/7/2023 shows they reprocessed claim and sent me an invoice for $16.74, which was promptly paid. Then nearly 5 months later I get another invoice for $87.91. This is an entire year after the first invoice. I called billing right away on 12/5 and they explained they had another correction. They had opportunity to rebill and correction done in June. If a second mistake was made, that is on the provider. They need to write it off. You shouldn't be allowed to come back to patient a year later because of your error especially after having the opportunity to do so in July on invoice. I have called billing several times to get this resolved. I was told I would get a call back and did not. I have to keep calling them. The dates the calls were made were 12/5 left message for *****, 12/28 spoke to ***** and 1/11 spoke to *****. ***** was the most helpful and said he would escalate the matter. Its been several weeks and still no communication from billing. I advised ************ was going to file a complaint after one week. I feel this in unfair to come back a second time and rebill me for services over 1 year later. Thank you for your time and consideration on the matter.

  Business response

  01/29/2024

  Complaint was forwarded to the Billing supervisor and the *** to resolve. Billing Supervisor has attempted to contact patient. Attempts will continue until contact is made. 

  Business response

  02/06/2024

  On 1/29/2024: 

  Thank you for patience on a response to this complaint. Finally, was able to review the patients account and give her a call. While on the phone with the patient we found that ***** retracted a test which the balance was moved to pt responsibility in error. This has happened more than once before and our team was able to correct it. At this point, due to the date of service we are not able to send/correct this balance with Cigna therefore its uncollectable.Adjusted off the remaining balance and mailed patient a copy of the itemized statement showing she has a zero balance. She was satisfied with the outcome and actions taken on the call.

  Customer response

  02/06/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  About 2 years ago. My wife ***************************** received various treatments through *************. We paid our bills after insurance, Then we received an outsized bill so I checked with United Healthcare about what they said I still owed. I paid that amount with explanation. Then the 'overdue bills started coming and they still come. FINAL NOTICE. I want it to stop. I paid the residual according to UHC. MY financial relationship with ** Arthritis is through UHC and I did what they said was right. ** Arthritis is attempting to over or mis-charge me and they are beating me up with constant bills, sometimes more than 1x month. Please stop them.

• Initial Complaint

  08/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Aprox 1 year ago- I was a patient at ******** location. I left because I had to see the rheumatologist every other visit and alternate with his assistant. There was no continuity of care. My current rheumatologist clinic unexpectedly closed. I need a rheumatologist. My pcp gave me a referral to this establishment- based on my current insurance. I cannot physically handle going a long distance. I called their santan location to schedule and am denied- only based on the fact I left their establishment Aprox 1 year ago. I have been in contact with ****** and another rep at this establishment- starting Aprox 2 months ago. I have been told- they would try and help- but, don't get back to me. My rheumatoid arthritis is getting worse by the day- with no treatment. With my insurance I have no other reasonable options available to me. I am desperately in need of help.

  Business response

  09/07/2023

  Hello, in regards to this complaint I left a voicemail for the patient on 7/2/23 after receiving a ******** message regarding her upset at previous discharge. I spoke to the patient on 7/12/23 and listened to her explanation and concerns and then reached out to the Doctors involved to find out if ********* would accept her back as a patient after previous discharge. ********* approved to me on 8/7/23. I left patient a voicemail to call me back and did not hear back from her. I called patient again today, 9/7/23 to schedule her for an appointment with our practice. 

  Customer response

  09/14/2023

  
  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. I consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  
   
  

*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. ↩