Business Profile

Hospital

Mercy Hospital

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Mercy Hospital's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

25 total complaints in the last 3 years.
11 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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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:03/26/2025
Type:Billing 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.
Mercy Hospital billing has billed me for a $12,098 surgery and refuses to provide the proper information to the insurance company. After some long phone calls the best they could tell me is that all the patient info was not provided to the insurance company. THEY WILL NOT GIVE ME A COPY OF WHAT THEY PROVIDED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, so I have no way of finding the error. When asked for a detailed billing they send me a message on their internal system that is listed a "Detailed Billing: You owe $12,098" with no other information at all.
Business Response
Date: 03/27/2025
Good morning,
I have followed up with the patient. A letter will be mailed.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/04/2025
The answer Mercy Hospital gave will take quite some time to see if they really did correct the issue or not. I cannot say if they have fixed the problem or not without waiting to see if the insurance company again says the information was not completely submitted.
Business Response
Date: 04/08/2025
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
I have followed up with the patient via email.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/22/2025
I have just received the same bill that was previously discussed. Mercy Hospital DID NOT submit the bill to the insurance company. This is a blatant and intentional attempt at coercion and harassment. The bill will only be paid by the insurance company once it is properly submitted.
Business Response
Date: 04/23/2025
Good afternoon,
I will follow up with the patient again
Customer Answer
Date: 04/23/2025
Complaint: 23120107

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:
although The hospital has contacted me regarding the original complaint, nothing has really been resolved. I spent a long time today speaking on the phone to the insurance company (****/United Healthcare) and supposedly all materials on the insurance company are correct. I have submitted to the hospital the reference number from GEHA that I was given.
At This point in time all I can do is wait and see if they do what they should do or if they come back to me having not completed the process.

Sincerely,

****** **********
Business Response
Date: 04/24/2025
Good afternoon,
I have Mr. ************ accounts on my follow up calendar and will continue to review as well as follow up with the patient.
Business Response
Date: 04/29/2025
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
I have followed up with the patient via email.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/02/2025
Again, this issue is ongoing and might take a long time to find out if there has been a solution. The last time they said it was solved nothing was done and they billed me again. There is no reason to believe this issue has been solved until the issue has a final resolution.
Initial Complaint
Date:02/11/2025
Type:Billing 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.
I and my twin daughters were hospitalized for my delivery from 6/19/24 - 6/22/24. Mercy Hospital Springfield has wrongfully filed claims for the care of my twin daughters Autumn and **** **** and they have sent me to collections even though I had hit my max out of pocket limit on my insurance. Everything should have been 100% covered by my insurance. They state that my insurance denied to cover my twins hospitalizations and their pediatrician appointments following their birth. However, some of the visits they have stated were denied by insurance were filed under my name but their DOB. They have filed a claim correctly on one child but then the other child's visit on the same day with the same doctor was file incorrectly and denied, this occurred more than once. They have charged me $990 dollars multiple times during our hospitalization for a Nursery-Well Newborn but my twins were roomed with me for my whole hospitalization. Mercy Springfield doesn't even have a Nursery anymore. They have been contacted by myself and my insurance and informed of their billing mistakes and told to correct them but they still haven't and they refuse to call me back as well. They have been unprofessional and they have clearly committed insurance fraud and are obviously incapable of correctly filing and billing insurance. They have also mishandled all of my OB pre-payments which I paid during my prenatal care visits in the amounts of $392 dollars in the beginning of 2024, along with other pre-paid amounts; however, they are just now in 2025 applying my pre-payments to my account. However, these incorrect outstanding balances were to collections for the approximate amount of $12,000 dollars! I have reached out to Mercy's billing department several times but yet they continue to give no response or fix their mistakes.
Business Response
Date: 02/12/2025
Good morning,
I have followed up with the patient.
Customer Answer
Date: 02/12/2025
Complaint: 22927785

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because: they stated they have contacted me regarding my complaint however, I have not received a phone call or MyMercy message from them.

Sincerely,

Hannah Link
Business Response
Date: 02/17/2025
Good morning,
I sent an email to the patient on 2/12, I have not heard back from her.
Customer Answer
Date: 02/18/2025
Complaint: 22927785

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because: I have not received an email from Mercy. I have attached a photo of my email search engine and its results for emails from Mercy. There have been no recent emails sent from them.

Sincerely,

Hannah Link
Customer Answer
Date: 03/31/2025
03/26/25 JM: Left a message for the consumer to give me a return call.
03/28/25JM: Ms. **** called and stated that she is working directly with her ****************** who has filed a claim against the Hospital and she is working directly with the *********** Ms. **** has requested for this to be close on the BBB side as she is using other means to get this resolve at the advise of her ****************** According to Ms. **** her ***************** is dealing directly with the Hospital Accounts Payable Office.
Business Response
Date: 03/31/2025
032625JM: Left a message for Zachary to return a call.
032525JM: ******* Adams called and stated they are working directly with the consumers insurance company-( Have provided the consumer with information regarding her claim dispute). The Hospital-Dispute department is working with consumers insurance department and the ********* in getting this resolve. ******* has requested for the BBB to "close " this complaint and further communication will be directed with the insurance company and AG-office).
Initial Complaint
Date:12/26/2024
Type:Billing 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.
Mercy states I owe 88 dollars and I do not. I went to see Dr **** ******** in April 17th and when I was called to the appointment, I asked about the cataract surgery and the doctor said "I cannot do this anymore". After he said that he walked out on me from the appointment. I had told multiple people at mercy about it and they were all shocked and kind of speechless. When I talked to management they did not seem interested in what happened. What is more important right now is that I had gotten a bill for ***** dollars for that day, which i did not receive any service, I do not feel that I owe this amount seeing as the doctor walked out.
Business Response
Date: 02/03/2025
Good Morning:
Mercy's response has been faxed to ************ this morning as the portal would not allow me to attach a document

Sincerely

***** ******
Patient Services *** II
Business Response
Date: 02/03/2025
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
This matter has been forwarded to Mercy **************************** for review of the date of service.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Customer Answer
Date: 02/07/2025
Complaint: 22732721

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:
I feel like I am being harassed once or twice a week to call another number to pay a bill. My attorney is looking in to this.

Sincerely,

******* *****
Business Response
Date: 02/10/2025
Good Afternoon
We have received the latest addition to Ms ******* complaint. It has been forwarded to the clinic for review for a resolution for patient satisfaction.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/03/2024
Type:Billing 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.
I was seen by Mercy Hospital in their ** due to falling and thinking I may have broken my arm back in January of 2024. Since this time, Mercy has sent billed me twice, refunded an *** and insurance provider I do not have anymore, and are attempting to bill me again 11 months later. This is absolutely insane and the message I sent them is found below:"Good Afternoon, Please make this make some kind of sense. In January, I was seen for slipping on the ice and after the ** ran my insurance, they gave me a bill saying my copay was *****. I went ahead and paid that directly at the ** with my FSA card. The next month, I was laid off by my employer, but still had access to my FSA card. Shortly after that, Mercy sent me another bill for almost 500 dollars on top of what I had paid already. Fast forward to May and the *** was closed, but for some reason Mercy decided to refund this closed account in October, and now in November send me a bill for slightly more than what was refunded. This is absolutely ridiculous and I will not be paying any further amount for this ** visit. Regards,*******"On 03 DEC 2024, I finally received a response from Mercy placing blame on the insurance I have not have since the end of May, which was over 4 months post visit, and 7 months prior to them attempting to bill me a third time. Their response is included in the screenshot and this whole situation is wildly inappropriate regardless of "estimates". I have been billed twice, once during my visit, and then again a month later (screenshots provided). The fact that Mercy is attempting to shakedown more money from me nearly 11 months later is absolutely crazy and I will not be paying this. I want Mercy to make an adjustment to my account and wipe the remaining 33 dollars away.
Business Response
Date: 12/04/2024
Good morning,
Please see attached letter
Business Response
Date: 12/04/2024
12/4/2024
BBB
****************************************************************************************
Case ID: # ********
Dear Better Business Bureau Investigator,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
This issue has been reviewed and discussed with the patient.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Sincerely,
Patient Services
Mercy Health Systems
Customer Answer
Date: 12/05/2024
Complaint: 22634820

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:
The HIPAA release has been signed by myself and provided to the BBB so Mercy should have no issues discussing medical or financial issues on my account through this portal. Furthermore, Mercy was advised in their personal message portal that we would discuss this publicly through the BBB. This has not been resolved and if they are blatantly avoiding this to discuss their error in billing, that is on them. I will reiterate my previous grievances.
On 22 JAN 2024, I was taken to the ** by a friend because I fell and thought I had broken my arm during the small ice storm. In turn around an hour in the ** waiting room, was taken back to get my vitals and 1-2 X-Rays on the same spot of my left arm. After this, I was taken to an empty room in an empty children's wing Mercy was using for overflow. After the Doctor had seen me, explained they didn't see a break or fracture, and stated it might have just been a distressed/pulled/torn tendon; I was left to sit again in the room. After all was said and done, someone came in and handed me a bill for roughly 75 USD and stated this was my total after my insurance and I could pay it that day, or later online. I went ahead and used the debit card attached to my Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and paid this in full. A few weeks later, Mercy sent me an additional bill for between ***** USD more. I could not believe it, but I had just been laid off and had the money sitting in the *** to be used by the end of May. So I paid that not to have any medical bills over my head while unemployed. Due to this, I was unable to have my yearly Eye Exam and get new glasses since that money was used to pay a second bill from Mercy for over 4 times the initial bill in the **.
Since this, Mercy has told me that what I actually received in the ** was an "estimate" and did not include "all" of the services provided. This is where things get interesting. If this was an estimate, why was I able to pay this and given a receipt. Why is Mercy allowed to make adjustments, more charges, and random refunds without discussing this with the patient? There has been no resolution provided by Mercy as all of their responses have been to try and bully me into paying a third bill for a single ** visit by dancing around the subject and using ridiculous medical and billing jargon. The service provided to me hasn't changed since 22 JAN 2024, however, the amount they are trying to squeeze from me has, 3 times now. You don't charge someone an amount and then go "oops, this wasn't right" and attempt to get more one month or eleven months later. You wouldn't work at ********** or ******* and if the register charged someone 79 cents for an item, throw multiple bills for different amounts over the course of a year and expect the customer to pay more. Once they're charged, they are charged and while Mercy is a hospital, they are still providing a service and know exactly what the cost of service is, at the time of service. Yet, they have changed that amount three times, and even refunded an insurance company and my FSA card which I have not been provided under since 31 MAY 2024.
Kindest Regards,

******* ******
Business Response
Date: 12/09/2024
Good morning,
Please see attached letter.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/25/2024
Type:Billing 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.
I was told routine Cardio exam was a $30 Humana Copayment ( as in pervious years ) . then received a invoice for a additional $ ****** - because Mercy coded it wrong - trying to make more money .
Business Response
Date: 11/26/2024
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.

After reviewing, I have reached out to the patient and explained the charges.

Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
Customer Answer
Date: 12/04/2024
Complaint: 22604712

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:

This should have been a $ 30 copayment , as per the quote given at the time of service , as per the $30 charged on previous visits . there was no change in Doctors, services given , or location of service ( Mercy Hospital Springfield ) . Mercy increased my cost to $ ****** by using a incorrect billing code .

Sincerely,

***** ********
Business Response
Date: 12/06/2024
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.

After reviewing, I have reached out to the patient and explained the charges.

Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
Customer Answer
Date: 12/07/2024
Complaint: 22604712

I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:

Mercy has not given any real justification on why they are overcharging me .
Sincerely,

***** ********
Initial Complaint
Date:11/19/2024
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.
For DOS 5/15/24 & 8/2/24, Mercy is pursuing us for $70 I don't owe them under my UHC ******** Advantage plan, by claiming I had in-person "office visits" when I haven't seen a doctor in clinic since 2020. I notified them this was wrong 8/19/24, and they said they'd review. They didn't reach out as specified originally, so I informed UHC. On 9/11/24, they messaged there was no mistake, to which I responded it was wrong and fraud in that case that I'd need to report to my state. Mercy never responded within the time frame given on their site for messages, so I reported them and followed up with UHC again to review, and *** said to not pay them the balance. 10/11/24, I again contacted Mercy who hung up on me repeatedly, and then contacted UHC back again that Mercy hadn't relented. 10/14/24 I was again told not to pay Mercy. 10/25/24 I received formal notice that the state has opened an investigation. Today Mercy has begun hiring others to engage in calling my relatives to have them pay their fraudulent bill of $70 in violation of their contract, and I confirmed with *** they're not allowed to do this and I'm not to pay them, so they're going to review a new complaint now. Mercy seems actively disinterested to make corrections, and is aggressively pursuing this fraud like it's standard practice to them to conduct such financial exploitation of patients for illegitimate services not rendered. I'm concerned patients not as in-touch with their insurers will be exploited if Mercy isn't held accountable, and since they don't respond or take my calls, I'm hoping BBB will get them to stop trying to bamboozle my family at the very least and stop attempting to collect on fraudulent bills that breach their insurance contract. The ************************ and the *************** of Health and ********************* of Inspector General have also now been informed of the fraud under case #*********, including Mercy's communications as well as those of *** and the prior authorities.
Business Response
Date: 11/20/2024
Please see attached response letter
Business Response
Date: 11/20/2024
We appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau at their discretion.
Please let us know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Customer Answer
Date: 12/20/2024
Mercy has made no attempt to contact me about this complaint and has provided a standard templated response that they won't respond to BBB, and will only respond to me and then I can share with BBB if I desire. I called Mercy again and they said they won't release information without a "protected reason" even if I complete their Mercy form for PHI to release it to BBB for dispute resolution. They do not recognize the form BBB provided me and will not accept the signed form. I didn't realize there was something I would do to respond to this, because I haven't received any such information from Mercy to share, lest respond to at all. I feel the resolution is more like "stone-walled" than acceptable lest resolved. Please consider changing this rating of their response. Thank you.
Business Response
Date: 12/26/2024
Good morning,
I have followed up with the patient.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/10/2024
Type:Service or Repair 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 had a baby may of 2024, when we started receiving our bills in the mail I called to see how much was left to pay in full after insurance. The lady said 6000 but she was re submitting and should get it down closer to 4000 but call back in 30 days. So in 30 days when I called back she said insurance kicked some back and it was 9000 but she was resubmitting it to call back in 30 days. So in 30 days I called back and she said ***** and said insurance wasnt paying anything. So after this I ask for an itemized bill. I ask for this same bill for the following 2 or 3 months on several occasions and didnt receive it. Then I got a bill from collections for 300 for something mercy sent. I then called mercy again and told the lady I had ask on several occasions for the list and she said she would send it along with a financial assistance application since insurance didnt pay, and she also said since we had not received what we requested she would push back the collections until we got that and our financial assistance form sent in. We received the itemized statement and in the same week we got a bunch of stuff from collections. All I wanted to do was figure out my bill. Their service is terrible on the billing side full of lies and empty promises. I would like to talk to someone about making a payed in full payment but thats impossible so I guess il deal with collections. But mercy or their customer service team should be held accountable for messing up a persons credit because of their team not doing their job.
Business Response
Date: 11/11/2024
Good morning,
Unfortunately, I am unable to review this as I don't have a patient's name and date of birth. I am unable to locate an account under name **** ******.
Thank you,
Mercy Patient Services
Customer Answer
Date: 11/11/2024
******* ****** 06-10-1994 **** ****** 05-11-2024 mother and baby bills and complaint is for both.
Business Response
Date: 11/12/2024
Good morning,
I have also sent an email to Mr. ****** in regard to his complaint.
Initial Complaint
Date:10/21/2024
Type:Billing 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.
I went for the first time to see a doctor, was there for my nose. He looked at my ears first and saw they were clogged. He went to clean them out. He then told me to come back for a follow up visit. I got a bill saying I owe 35 dollars, but I paid the co pay when I went. I called my insurance and they said I had seen 2 doctors that day, one cleaning my ears out and the other did a diagnostic through my nose, which never happened at all. All they did was clean my ears out. I asked them who I went to see, they said I went to see the one doctor (***** ************) and mentioned a ** ****** who did the diagnostic, which is confusing. I never saw this doctor nor did this happened to me. I tried speaking with Billing but they are saying they have to go through an appeal. I don't know if they even asked the doctors. I do not recall which of the two I saw, but I only saw one. According to when I paid the 35 dollars copay, I saw DR ******* This happened on *******************

Invoice number: 42708880
The Procedure I did not get: laryngoscopy flexible diagnostic
Business Response
Date: 10/21/2024
Good afternoon,
Please see attached letter
Initial Complaint
Date:09/09/2024
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.
*** See Attached PDF Document for Important Facts About this Incident & Timeline of Events. Complaint is on the following Mercy departments and individuals responsible for violating patient rights, not taking accountability and responsibility for the mistakes and misguidance that occurred with an incident with the Mercy Call Center: 1) Callahan Macy, in Patient Relations – Very Low level of customer service. Very difficult to get a hold of. Did not gather the right information in original complaint, which caused me to file an appeal. Many times could not get a hold of him and when I left voice mail messages for him he would NEVER return my call. When I did talk to him his voice was very “robotic”, giving little reaction to what I was trying to tell him. His denial letter on July 30th to adjust the bill consisted of a brief FORM LETTER with NO explanation/justification why I was denied. 2) ******** *****, Vice President of Quality & Safety – After she denied my appeal on August 30th , I requested to Callahan to send her a message for her to call me back. She did NOT return my call. Her denial letter showed she did NOT look at the facts and what actually took place (the mistakes and misguidance the Call Center made). Her denial letter was very short, form letter with no explanation for this denial. 3) Mercy Call Center (original group responsible for the charges to our account). They were supposed to make an appointment with our doctor’s office, but instead lied by telling me our doctor’s office was not accepting appointments WHEN THEY WERE. This person inaccurately misguided me to a hospital facility with Hospital fees, leading me to believe it was an Urgent Care Center. Due to the mistakes of the Call Center I should only be charged the $35 copay that would have been charged from our doctor’s office. Not $191!! Dr. ********** Office manager also filed a complaint with the Director of the Call Center for this incident.
Business Response
Date: 09/09/2024
9/9/2024

Better Business Bureau
211 N Broadway Ste 2060
St. Louis, MO 63102
Case ID: # ********
Dear Better Business Bureau Investigator,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
I have sent the accounts to the leadership team as the co-workers are not in the billing office. The billing on the account is correct and was billed to patient’s insurance provider in which the balance was left to patient responsibility.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Sincerely,

Patient Services
***** ****** *******
Customer Answer
Date: 09/09/2024
Complaint: ********

I have reviewed the very brief business' response Mercy sent me and am rejecting it because:
Mercy clearly did not read my detailed complaint PDF Document I attached to the original BBB complaint I submitted (which I am reattaching to this response). The BILL of $191 in hospital fees should have NEVER been sent to me. My insurance did not go through the process of charging a $65 Urgent Care Copay fee because the person responsible at the Mercy Call Center DID NOT tell us the CORRECT instructions and guidance they should have given us. The Mercy letter response I just read does not acknowledge the following mistakes and misguidance that the person at the call center made, which should automatically (in terms of patient rights) adjust my bill to the total copay fee of $35 (the evidence of the Call Centers mistakes are in the recorded phone call that took place with the the Call Center on May 30th) :
1) Call center untruthfully told us that our doctor's office was not accepting appointments if their patient had cold type symptoms. This was an untrue statement, and the Office Manager at the doctor's office confirmed that the person at the call center was WRONG and should have made the appointment with their office.
2) Call center directed us to a hospital clinic INSTEAD OF A URGENT CARE CENTER, which caused us to be charged hospital fees. When I questioned the Call Center person why I was being sent to a MERCY URGENT CARE CENTER, the Call Center person DID NOT tell me that they were directing me to a hospital facility, and let be continue to believe they were sending me to an URGENT CARE facility.
3) The Office Manager at our doctor's office, submitted a complaint about this incident to the Directory of the Call Center, because they knew that the person at the Call Center was making a costly mistake by instructing their patients to go to a hospital facility instead of a urgent care clinic. The Office Manager was especially concerned that the person at the Call Center was not allowing appointments to be made with the the patient's doctor's office when they SHOULD HAVE.
4) The "Internal System" that was mentioned in the Mercy Response letter they use to handle Mercy complaints, is the Patient Relations group that I used to File my original complaint and appeal with Mercy, and both patient relations employees ******** **** and ******** ***** did NOT do their job of researching and listening to the recorded phone call outlining all of the mistakes and misguidance the person at the call center made. Their internal system failed us which is why we are now working the the BBB on this unethical violation of patient rights.
The original Mercy response is rejected. This complaint must must remain open, because Mercy is still refusing to explain 1) why they feel it was acceptable for the Call Center to tell the patient their doctor's office was not accepting appointments when they were, 2) misguiding the patient to a HOSPITAL CLINIC instead of a URGEN CARE CLINIC, and 3) MISLEADING the patient into believing they were sending them to an URGENT CARE CLINIC.

***** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/10/2024
Good afternoon,
This is under review with our grievance department and has recently spoken with the leadership team. She was advised of this information.
Customer Answer
Date: 09/11/2024
Complaint: ********

I have reviewed the business' response.
I am REJECTING Mercy’s response, because until they make the right decision, this is still a $191 balance that needs to be corrected on our account. As an update, ******** ***** VP of Quality & Safety within the Patient Relations department finally returned my call toward the end of the day on 9/9 (after waiting 4 business days for her to call me back). I explained that her denial letter of the appeal had no explanation as to why they felt I should have to pay, and why they felt that it was not the fault of the Call Center even though these factual events occurred:

1) Call Center would not allow me to make an appointment for my daughter with her doctor’s office, when they dishonestly stated they were not accepting appointments, WHEN THEY WERE.

2) Call Center directed me to a hospital clinic where I would be charged hospital fees instead of an Urgent Care Clinic where I would be charge only a $65 Fee, when my daughter only had a sore throat (non-emergency) issue.

3) After I referred to the Hospital Clinic location an Urgent Care Center on my phone call to the Call Center person, they did not correct me by telling me it was NOT and Urgent Care Clinic.

4) I had been to the location of the Hospital Clinic several times, but was only charge the Urgent Care co-pay of $65. This location was recently changed from an Urgent Care center to a Hospital Clinic. I was not notified that it had recently changed over when they referred me to that location.

5) The Office Manager of Dr. ********** Doctor’s Office (Julie) filed a complaint with the Director of the Call Center, for their mistakes and to avoid any of her other patients accidentally being charged fees they should not have to make.

The only thing Mercy is holding over our heads is that I was given and “estimate” at the time of the appointment. We are given estimates all the time that are 90% of the time INACCURATE. For example I am given an Estimate every year when I get my mammograms that is over $700 which is inaccurate, because it is ALWAYS a free service. I also had been in that SAME LOCATION several times where I was charged the correct Urgent Care fee, and was not told this was recently turned into a Hospital clinic.

******** seemed very understanding and appeared to agree that the fault in these fee charges is in the Call Center. She is escalating this complaint back up, as an appeal, to have them look at the facts to the case again, and give them another opportunity to correct this bill amount.

I WILL NOT accept this overcharged bill and will not close out this BBB Complaint until Mercy does the right thing. I should ONLY have to pay a $35 Co pay, which is what the fee should have been had the Call Center correctly made the appointment with our doctor’s office. Any additional fee amount is a direct violation of our patient rights. The remaining $156 should be a fee the Call Center should be responsible for.

Sincerely,

***** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/24/2024
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
The clinic has called and spoke with patient's mother advising that we are adjusting a balance of $156.02 leaving only a $35 patient responsibility.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Initial Complaint
Date:05/20/2024
Type:Service or Repair 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.
The sleep center at Mercy in Springfield, ** is the most unprofessional medical department I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with in my entire life. I went in Feb for a take home sleep study that came back with no so great results. Prior I was told that if results were not favorable an additional study would be needed. I was told I had to wait for a CPAP or ACPAP machine until later. After receiving the results I had no follow up with the Dr. ** one reached out to go over the results at ANY TIME EVER. This was concerning as I looked up the values on my results and had to ****** them to understand where I stood. I was shocked to see that my results where VERY bad. Similar patients where being rushed to follow up appointments and treatment. So I called the sleep center said I got my results and scheduled my own titrating sleep study. I was told the soonest would be 4 months out and that due to my results they would put me on the call list for the next available study opening. 2 weeks before my sleep study appointment I get a message on MyMercy app to let me know my test has been denied by Healthy Blue. I call in to the center leave a message and 5 days later I finally get a call from the sleep center first time in 4 months. The explain how my Dr. no longer works there and the director looked over my test and I should be good with an ACPAP what company would I like to work with etc. Why is some director I have never met making life choices for me? I was never asked if I wanted to pay out of pocket. I was never consulted EVER. I went into this knowing I have a sleep disorder when I took a sleep study 15 years ago and went in recently to SEEK HELP WITH THE MATTER. I just want this to be taken seriously it's my life and the quality of it.Healthy blue has no record of this request they would really like to know the **** for this. They have not denied anything. Mercy is not running a smooth operation. The staff at the sleep center are terrible. STAY AWAY!
Business Response
Date: 05/21/2024
Good morning,
Please see response below; a copy of the letter is also being mailed to the address below:

BBB
********************************************************************************************

Case ID: # ********

Dear Better Business Bureau Investigator,

I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
After reviewing this has been forwarded to the appropriate department for review and follow up.

Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.

Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.

Sincerely,

***************************
Mercy ****************** Patient Services
Mercy Health Systems

Business Response
Date: 05/28/2024
I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.
After reviewing this has been forwarded to the appropriate department for review and follow up.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Better Business Bureau, at their discretion.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.

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