ComplaintsforOB/GYN Specialists of the Palm Beaches, P.A.

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I was seen on Friday, January 26 at 2:40pm by ************ and had one of the worst medical experiences of my life. To give some back story, I went to ******** to get a breast ultra sound at the beginning of January. I received abnormal results and was told to follow up with a primary doctor or breast center. I relocated to WPB about ******************************************************** my panic and agony of the test results I received, I was referred to OBGYN Specialists by a neighbor.When I made the appointment the receptionist was very kind and caring on the phone. She asked many questions and I never felt rushed. She just asked that I bring my scans with **** was shown to a room and waited about 10 minutes before ************ arrived. When she came in the room I did my best to articulate what I needed and held back emotions. She seemed very dismissive of why I had even gotten the scan in the first place because I dont have a family history, I am not 40 years old, and there were not lumps found in my b****** I told her it was because I have a couple of friends who were diagnosed with breast cancer in their 30s and I wanted to be proactive with my own healthcare. After this she almost laughed at the reasoning for getting a scan to begin with. I started to feel humiliated and dehumanized. She did a quick breast exam, told me that she didnt feel anything and told me that since something had been noted on the ******** US that I had to go get a biopsy now. She never bothered to look at the scans I brought with me from the US and was in and out of the room in five minutes. I was left feeling even worse than when I came in and angry. There was zero compassion in this situation. I have extremely high health anxiety to begin with, which I told her about, and she didnt seem to really care that I have been feeling extremely scared and on edge for weeks.I now am feeling confused, upset and overall very disappointed with this practice.

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In October 2022, I visited ************************ with a standard female issue and she took the usual swabs for yeast infection and vaginitis. Two weeks later, the issue was still there so I returned to retest. At this visit, she mentioned taking a "punch," did not explain what it was other than being a part of the routine swabs being sent to the lab. I stated clearly that I did not want to do anything "extra" I might have to pay for, and she assured me it was routine. I later received a bill in the mail - come to find out, this "punch" was a biopsy, which is not covered by insurance. This was NOT authorized by me and I believe goes against ********* No Surprises Act, or at the least is poor moral practice. Since receiving the bill, I have made dozens of calls to the company trying to sort this out. Over the past 3 months, I have called the doctor's ****** and left messages; spoken to the doctor's assistant, who assured me she would get back to me and never did; emailed both of said parties through the patient portal, with no resolution; called the billing ****** numerous times, each time being told I had to speak to "patient lead *****." They would not provide me *****'s email address, stating that it was "personal," so I could only call - over and over again, leaving messages and receiving no reply. At last, ***** returned my call (only after I left yet another voicemail, this time saying I would be filing a complaint), in mid-January. She was sympathetic to my situation and assured me she would get back to me by the end of that week. Needless to say, she did not.It is important to note that every time I called or wrote, I expressed concern that this bill would wind up in collections and ruin my credit history. I was assured by all that there was a note in my file and this would not go to collections. Today, upon calling again trying to reach ***** after she failed to follow up two weeks ago, I was told it is in fact now in collections. This is unacceptable.

  Business response

  04/07/2023

  Account has been adjusted and collection account closed per patient request.

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  The in-house failed attempt of the *** removal and subsequent outpatient procedures performed could have been avoided had due care and diligence been taken by OBGYN Specialist of the Palm Beaches and **********************************. Neither OBGYN Specialist of the Palm Beaches and ********************************** had exhausted their available resources in finding and locating the *** through conventional and available means accessible at their facilities. Instead, I was railroaded into accepting that the outpatient procedures were the only means available to remove the ***. In addition, I was made to provide payment up front under duress, or services will be denied (I had no choice in the matter). It was only after the second procedure was done that the **ray revealed that the *** was sitting exactly where it should be at the top of my uterus. While the outpatient procedures were convenient for OBGYN Specialist of the Palm Beaches, it came at a significant cost to me emotionally, physically, financially, plus added time off from work. The attached correspondence provides in detail the summary of events as they occurred. I ask that you please take a moment to review. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, **********************

  Business response

  12/09/2022

  Medical Complaint Response:
  We are unable to respond to the medical complaints because of HIPPA, but that the care was reviewed and felt to be appropriate. Unfortunately, these complications with IUD's sometime arise.
  
  It is also unfortunate that when problems arise that require interventions that cannot be completed in the office setting, there are costs associated with hospitalization. No one wishes these additional costs on the patient but are necessary to fully and adequately treat the patient's problem. At all times the interest is in providing safe and effective treatment, which unfortunately, at times, is not as simple as we would like it to be.
  
  Billing Response:
  OBGYN Specialists of the ** has written off $658.43 towards care for ************. We will continue to follow her insurance payer as we are governed by them, filed with the ****************, to process appropriately in a legal manner. If Ms. ***** insurance carrier reaches out to us for accommodations, it will be our pleasure to work with them.
  
  We are unable to provide feedback with regards to *********************** billing.

  Customer response

  12/16/2022

  ***BBB Has Received Hippa Release Form As Requested***

  ***Please See Attached***
  

  Customer response

  02/09/2023

  **Consumer Response***

  ***Hippa Release Form***

  See Attachment
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Office visit from 8/2022. First bill for copay received on 9/5, payment mailed on 10/1 check #*** for $25. After a week or two, I received another invoice for the same visit received on 10/25 and mailed payment on 11/6, check #*** for $25. Check # *** cleared my account on 11/7 and check #*** cleared my account on 11/16. The business outsources their billing to a 3rd party vendor. 3rd party vendor has confirmed that both payments have been made, however business states that they have only received one payment authorized. I have provided all the proof to *************, however they refuse to reimburse me my money. They insist that I provide them a copy of the back of the check, which I provided to the office manager when I went to the office on Monday. She stated that it was not needed and that the billing office would be in contact. This issue has been going on for a month now and no one at ************* will contact vendor to find where my payment went and no will provide me a number to contact the vendor for assistance. I refuse to take a day off work to go to my bank and pay money to provide them the check. They refuse to do the leg work provided. Please BBB, I need your help. Between both payments their office called me everyday looking for payment and I told them it was paid. They threatened collections. Theyre thieves and I want my money back.

  Business response

  12/09/2022

  Patient called on 9/20/22 regarding the account balance and was advised why she owes. On 11/8/22, patient called stating that she mailed in 2 different checks. The representative advised the patient we would need the check numbers and the dates the checks were cashed to research. The patient refused to give the information and stated that we can refund her when we receive the payments. The patient sent a case through the billing software regarding the 2 checks again. We again responded stating that we need the check numbers and when the checks cashed. Patient responded with copies of the front of both checks. We called patient and asked her when the checks cleared her bank and she states the checks had cleared 10/6/22 and 11/16/22. We could not locate the check that cleared the bank on 10/6/22 and we called the patient to advise her that we would need a copy of the back of the check to forward to finance/accounting to see if they could locate. Per the phone conversation, patient stated she was not going to submit the information to us and we could find the payment ourselves. Patient stated she was going to file a complaint with BBB regarding the issue. Patient filed a complaint and then emailed copy of the back of the check showing it had been cashed. The information was forwarded to accounting/finance, who was able to locate the second payment. We are just awaiting the billing software to post the payments and once the payments are posted to patient's account she will be refunded. We have currently removed the balance so patient does not receive any statements or calls stating she owes any balance.

  Customer response

  12/09/2022

   
  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,
  
  ***********************

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