ComplaintsforHart Medical Equipment

• Initial Complaint

  07/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have been making payments on my CPAP for about a year and need to know the progress in my balance. I would like to see something that reflects my payments, what I owe and when I'll be finished paying. I have called no less than 6 times over the course of several months with no help. About 4-5 times someone has "sent an email" and says I'll get a response in a few days with no follow up. I've asked for this to be escalated again with no follow up. I have repeatedly been told "billing is short staffed." I am making payments to a company that is unreachable and am concerned about their trustworthiness. I need a response from them.

  Business response

  07/03/2024

  Thank you for bringing this concern to our attention. The billing manager spoke with ********************************* on Wednesday, July 3. The requested information was provided including insurance payments and the out-of-pocket payments, as well as her current balance. The account balance is at $0.00. In accordance with insurance policy, the *** machine was converted to patient owned effective 06/27/2024.  The manager provided her direct dial phone number should there be any further questions.  

  Customer response

  07/03/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.

  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

  04/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My Doctor sent a prescription for a replacement wheel chair seat to ****** ******* office with whom me and my husband and his family have used for years. I waited I called, no response. I finally got someone on the phone was told the Lady handling my order would call me back in five minutes. Five days later in desperation we went to the *************** We sat there as the woman at counter typed away, after about 15 minutes I moved my wheelchair over so I could see her screen. She was FB typing in messenger to her friend re a crazy lady in a wheelchair. Once she realized I could see her screen she said the lady handling my order would call me that day, she gave me a card with the number the call was coming from, implying we just did not answer the phone, we left. So, no call, another day, Next day she called, I was told that the repair guys would be at my house on Monday. I told her put on the order to call me, I do not have texting. Well I cancelled two appointments and stayed home. It is now 8:30pm, no one has been here or called. All I can say is it is a **** good thing my wheelchair is usable because if it was not I'd be screwed.

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint. in review of the details surrounding the services to ****************** identified the following:

  1. The initial prescription for the wheelchair seat repair was received on 4-8-24, and it was missing a diagnosis as required by the insurance for a repair service. A request was made to the physician to send a corrected prescription.

  2. 4-11-24 The corrected prescription was received by the Findlay location ***, and it was sent on to the **** Repair/Replace team at our corporate billing office in ******** per **** Policy.

  3. *************** made multiple attempts to get updates from **** on her repair. The Findlay location *** contacted the Repair/Replace team each time *************** inquired and documented the communication in the medical record according to the **** policy.

  4. The Repair/Replace associate indicated she had telephoned *************** and left voicemail messages. ************** stated that they did not receive any calls or voicemails.

  5. 04-25-24 *************** went to the Findlay store to speak directly with a **** ***. The **** *** used a company messenger system called Jabber to instant message the Repair/Replace associate. This system is not ******** Messenger. ******** is blocked from staff computers.  The Regional Manager of **** was able to pull the actual message that the *** sent to Repair/Replace. The message stated, "Just a heads up, the patient is angry."  The word "crazy" is not in the messages between the *** and Repair/Replace.  

  6. In review of this complaint with the Billing manager and supervisor, **** believes that the Repair/Replace did not telephone ***************. There were multiple performance issues with this associate, and she is no longer employed at ****.

  7. 4-30-2024 **** provided a loaner wheelchair to ***************.

  8. 5-14-24 The **** Ohio Region Manager spoke with ************** regarding the complaint. the manager has provided ************** with a number where he can reach the manager directly if they have any further questions or problems with the service.

  Please let me know if any further information is needed on this complaint. This is not the level of customer service that **** expects from our staff. We apologize for the inconvenience to **** ***** and her spouse.

  Sincerely,

  *******************************

  
  Chief Compliance Officer

   

  Customer response

  05/19/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.

  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

  05/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ON APRIL 20, **** MEDICAL WAS GIVEN A SCRIPT FOR A CPAP MACHINE TO BE GIVEN TO INSURANCE FOR AUTORIZATION. AS OF TODAY, MAY 8, WE STILL HAVE NO MACHINE, AND MY HUSBAND IS GETTING WORSE, HE HAS ALREADY HAD 4 STROKES, AND NEEDS THIS MACHINE TO PREVENT ANOTHER ONE. I HAVE CONTACTED **** MEDICAL SEVERAL TIMES, BEING TOLD OUR INSURANCE WAS NEEDING TO DO A PREAUTHORIZATION. FINALLY TODAY, I HAD ENOUGH WITH THE RUN AROUND AND CALLED OUR INSURANCE, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT WE DID NOT NEED A PREAUTHORIZATION OF ANY KIND. I WAS FURIOUS, THAT ALL THIS TIME HAD BEEN WASTED. I CALLED **** AT **** MEDICAL AND INFORMED HER OF MY FINDINGS, FOR HER TO SAY "OH OK, WELL I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ***** TO COME TO ME TO SET UP A TIME".. I THEN TOLD HER I WANTED AN EXACT TIME WHEN THIS WOULD BE DONE, SHE COULD NOT GIVE ME ONE. THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN A COMPLETE WASTE OF MY TIME, HAD THEY CALLED THE INSURANCE AND DONE THEIR JOB, THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT PREAUTHORIZATION WAS NOT NEEDED AND THE MACHINE COULD BE SCHEDULED FOR DELIVERY ASAP, I WANT A CALL WITH A SCHEDULED DATE WITHIN THE NEXT 7, DAYS, IT IS URGENT TO MY HUSBANDS HEALTH, AND ENOUGH UNNECESSARY TIME HAS ALREADY BEEN WASTED, DUE TO NOT COMPLETELY LOOKING INTO MY HEALTH COVERAGE, IF I HAD NOT DONE ***** JOB AND CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, WE WOULD STILL BE WAITING LORD KNOWS HOW LONG. I WILL BE INFORMING ************************************** OF WHAT HAPPENED ALSO. IF THIS IS THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PATIENTS ARE GOING TO RECEIVE, THEY NEED TO BE AWARE IF THEY ARE USING THIS COMPANY.

  Business response

  05/26/2023

  In reviewing this complaint, **** identified some opportunities for communication improvement; however, it was determined that the service was provided within the standard amount of time necessary to fulfill orders for *** therapy. The timeframe needed to complete a *** set-up order is ***** business days. A text message is sent to all new referrals to inform them of **** receiving the order and the time frame order processing takes. We apologize if the text message did not reach your phone. Our system indicates the message was received. Insurance payers have significant requirements that a provider must complete in order to dispense this service.  Some of these requirements involve communication with the insurance payer.  This is where the confusion and delay occurred with this order.  The patient's insurance, ****, has recently changed the computer system for verifying benefits and eligibility to Availity. This transition has not gone smoothly, and providers have encountered numerous issues that result in access to care problems for patients.  When **** checked Availity, we were able to see the patient's insurance; however, the system stated "No DME Benefits".  In order to assure the customer service rep (***) did not make an error in verifying benefits, another *** repeated the check and received the same results. The *** then telephoned the **** plan to see if this was correct information, and the **** rep checked the same file with the same results. The **** rep did inform our *** that a prior authorization for individual consideration could be submitted for special review. This is the "authorization" information that the *** was addressing in her communication with the patient and his wife. While the payer does not require prior authorization for benefits, it does allow for a special consideration review and authorization of services.  This process had been initiated when this complaint was received. The complaint was escalated to the ***'s manager, and he repeated the benefits verification in Availity and confirmed again that it shows "No DME Benefits". The manager then escalated the issue to a manager at **** to discuss what the patient's wife shared about DME benefits and her conversations with ****. The **** manager then used a different system and entered the billing code for the *** and supplies. In this system she affirmed that the patient did indeed have DME benefits and coverage for the *** and supplies. The **** manager apologized for the erroneous information in Availity indicating they are having issues with it. The patient was then scheduled for a set-up of the *** device on May 12th, 18 days (15 business days) after the referral was received, which is within the ***** business days parameter.  **** apologizes for the frustration in processing the *** set-up and hopes **** can get their system working correctly. **** is engaged in a workgroup through the ******** *********** of ******** and Hospice that is working with **** on the Availity system problems. Unfortunately, the issues are widespread across many plans, benefits, and states. Corrections to the system are slow and painful for all, and ultimately, the patients are the recipients of the dysfunction.  **** appreciates having this issue brought to our attention which helped get the patient serviced sooner. Again we apologize for being caught in the insurance process, and are anticipating **** resolving these errors soon.

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I bought a CPAP machine with an additional heated hose. I also made two additional purchases. One was an additional heated hose and water tank. The other was two package deals combined with each bing a package deal with a heated hose and a water tank, so, to more water tanks and to more heated hoses. Each purchase was made trough their online website and my credit card was charged immediately for the full purchase price. On the first purchase they shorted me the additional heated hose. The second purchase, they shorted me a water tank, and on the third purchase they shorted me on two water tanks. Each time I had to call and urge them to send the missing items. They acknowledged the missing items and finally sent them, but it required several long phone calls. After all this, they started sending me bills for the missing items that they finally produced. I have many emails with the head of ****** online sales acknowledging the problem and assuring me that it would be resolved but after a twenty phone calls trying to resolve this, I still get bills and calls from their billing department. I have a very good credit score and do not want it damaged by a company falsely charging me for purchases that were already paid for.

• Initial Complaint

  10/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Please refer to closed BBB case number ******** and the documentation I submitted at that time. . I returned the **** unit to **** Medical Center on 08-04-92 at their ************************************** *************** location. On 09-2222 they sent me a rent bill for $6.17. At the time of the equipment return I was due a $10.51 credit. They did not respond to your inquiry for the previous case. I do not know how to get them to stop harassing me. They dont respond to you, they havent responded to my phone calls or written requests for customer service. Please help resolve this. They just keep sending bills in the mail. They did send me a check for an amount greater than I asked for last month so I thought the issue was resolved. Then I received a bill for rent this month. Ive never had such difficulty with a company.

• Initial Complaint

  10/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I got a **** from **** Medical, I gave the **** back 8/18/2022. I paid a rather large bill with them, over $185.00 which they stated was for rental fees and supplies in July. I have never received billing statements from this company via e-mail or via mail. I received a notice they were charging my checking account in August after giving back the **** for a July rental fee, I was supposed to receive a call from a supervisor but never did. Again I never received a statement for this rental fee. 10/1/22, I got a notice stating they were charging my account for a humidifier from July, I never received. I never received a statement for this humidifier. I would like a refund for the humidifier I was charged for and never received for $22.51, and the July rental fees I was charged for a unit I returned and never received a statement for.

*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. ↩