ComplaintsforMecklenburg EMS Agency

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On January 29, **** we received a bill from MEDIC Mecklenburg EMS Agency a bill that was dated 12/29/2021 over two years old. This bill should have been processed through our health insurance company at that time which was ******************* I called the billing customer service number and was told that they had not been able to contact ******************* I find this hard to believe because I had over $600,000 in medical expenses due to cancer treatments and hospitalization in 2021-2022 and ****************** literally covered everything. They were wonderful. The representative from MEDIC did confess that their first attempt to contact ****************** was not until August of 2022, almost nine months after the service. Further - if they were having trouble reaching Bright Health, they should have notified us then - - or maybe at least sometime in 2022 - not over a year and a half later. MEDIC is now saying this is my fault and we have to pay the bill. We no longer have insurance through ****************** as they no longer offer insurance in **************. It is not our fault that MEDIC dropped the ball on this and waited too long to file the insurance as they were supposed to do. When I asked for records regarding their contact with ****************** she said Id have to call another agency. This phone call (between me and the MEDIC representative) was made on January 30, **** around 8:45am so you can refer to any recordings made.

  Business response

  02/06/2024

  Good Afternoon

  Due to the ***** laws, I will not be able to discuss patient's account without authorization.

   

  Patient will be contacted to discuss.

  Best regards

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

  Customer response

  02/06/2024

   
  It's not that i am rejecting response, rather we are in the process of discussing what happened and trying to find a solution.  I did speak with ************************* from MEDIC today and we are in the process of negotiating a solution.  I will let you know if we are able to reach a satisfactory conclusion.  As for the time being, I still consider the case open and on-going.  Thank you. 
  
  

  Business response

  02/07/2024

  Patient and I spoke regarding his account.

  He has been made aware and provided information to successfully assistance him with his questions.

  Once he completes the steps I'm sure he will understand his outcome.

  Best regards

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

  Customer response

  02/09/2024

   
  During my conversation with ************************* from MEDIC on 2/6/24, she suggested I call Bright Health and discuss the matter with them. When I called the number she provided, I got a recording saying as of January 1, ****, Bright ***** was no longer answering or taking phone calls and their offices were closed. (They actually went out of business at the end of 2022)  I was able to access my account on their website and found documentation where Bright Health paid the MEDIC bill in question.  When I spoke with an agent at the BBB, she suggested I contact the ** ****************************** which I did.  I spoke with an agent named ***** at 9:25am on 2/9/24.  She told me that I actually needed to contact the ************************ and provided their phone number.  I called the ************************ at 9:30am and spoke with an agent named **** in the Consumer Protection Division.  He advised me to submit the bill and the documentation online, showing payment from Bright Healthcare and told me they would investigate and I should wait to hear from them.  As instructed, I submitted that information to the ************************ online and at this point I am waiting to hear back from them on what the next steps are.  I will try to attach the documentation I have here along with a screenshot as the document I downloaded appears to have part of the far-right side missing but see no place to do that on this screen. 
  
  
  
  

  Business response

  02/14/2024

  I have spoken with patient directly, and will work with him for resolution.

  Best regards

   

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

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My wife received service (ambulance service) from Mecklenburg EMS on 7/02/2023. Our insurance company determined they were out of network so Mecklenburg EMS billed us for $525.26 (out of network adjustment), which we paid to them on 9/22/2023. We filed an appeal with our insurance company and they upheld our appeal, paying Mecklenburg EMS $525.26 on 10/30/2023. We were told by our insurance company that Mecklenburg EMS would refund us this amount since we had already paid it to them.I have contacted Mecklenburg EMS 3 times since 10/30/2023 to find out when we will receive our refund of $525.26. Each time I was told something different - it's a 30 day wait before the check will be processed, it takes 4-6 weeks, it's being processed to go out now, etc.. Today, 12/29/2023 I contacted them again and was told no check was in process (contradicting what I was told in the previous 2 calls). The person I spoke with apologized and said they were 'very busy' and backlogged. She had no idea when they might process our refund.So bottom line --- we paid $525.26 to Mecklenburg EMS and on 7/22/2023 and as of 12/29/2023 we have yet to receive our refund and they will not provide us with anything other than excuses and false information about the status of our refund. We want our money back.

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  Good Afternoon

   

  As policy, I am unable to provide any information regarding this patient's account due to HIPAA and not having authority to release any personal data.

  Details of whom the patient is was not listed in the complaint, so I would be unable to follow the normal protocol and contact them directly.

  If the patient would like to speak with me, please provide my direct contact information below.

  Best Regards

  *************************-Billing Supervisor

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

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For starters, I called today to see if I could obtain a document which shows that my account has been paid in full along with showing that a $30 payment was drafted out of my account incorrectly. However, when I called and spoke with ***** she refused to help me! Instead, ***** took it upon herself to review my account and then start reciting every action that occurred including me working with a supervisor when I filed my first BBB complaint and then deflected, and insinuated that the $30 payment was incorrectly drafted from my account because of me! How the h** is it my fault, when I LITERALLY called in and paid my account off and was told that the $30 payments would stop because my account balance was zero! Needless to say the situation escalated quickly and because ***** refused to stop speaking while I was speaking, I started yelling and then she started yelling! And, even after I asked for a supervisor she refused to transfer the call and continued to yell while I was speaking stating that "she was trying to explain why the payment was drafted". Mind you, I have called several times and received apologies from multiple people because the $30 payment was drafted in error. ***** ****** me off so bad to the point, I disconnected the call and lucky for me when I called back, I ended up speaking to her again. When I asked for a supervisor, she immediately transferred me, and did not take the time to confirm who I was or anything. I'm not even sure if I got transferred to a supervisor, just based on how stupid ***** is as a customer service representative. The fact that she literally was yelling while I was yelling was infuriating and I truly hope that she is reamended for her childish, unprofessional, and inappropriate behavior! I'm so glad that I don't live in Mecklenburg county anymore and have to deal with Medic because at this point, based on my experience today with ************ WOULD RATHER DIE THEN HAVE TO INTERACT WITH MEDIC'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS!

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  Good Afternoon

  We do not have a signed HIPAA from patient giving us permission to response, so I will not be able to address this matter further.

  However, I have contacted patient directly for resolution.

  Respectfully

   

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

  Billing Supervisor

• Initial Complaint

  03/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 11/10 this ***************** was called to my place of employment because I was feeling faint and dizzy. They arrived OVER one hour and fifteen minutes after the initial call, performed a minor examination, and loaded me in the ambulance at their insistence never giving me a choice to get my own ride to the hospital or to my own physician of choice. I was then billed for an "advanced life saving" ambulatory charge when no life "life saving" measures were needed or performed no IV/Oxygen/CPR. They did a preliminary examination only then decided for me without asking (the patient) to load me in the vehicle and take me to the hospital which was one block from my place of employment. They also claimed I was unconscious and reported to be in distress. I NEVER lost consciousness nor was I ever in distress NO ONE ever told them I was when initially reported either. If that was the case then taking over ************************************************ my life. They sent an unnecessary vehicle, arrived an unacceptable amount of time late, and myself the patient was not given any options or asked whether it was my wish to use anything other than the ambulance to seek medical help. I can provide multiple witness statements to these facts. I have repeated called requested more time to appeal to my insurance company, asked to set up a payment plan, offered to pay less for the appropriate actual services, asked for a complete file of medical services provided, and have been hung up multiple times/denied/sent letters threatening to garnish my tax returns.

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  Good Morning

   

  Due to not having a HIPAA release from the patient, we are unable to speak with you regarding this patient's complaint.

   

  However, I will investigate and will contact patient directly.

   

  Respectfully.

   

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

  Billing Supervisor

  Mecklenburg EMS Agency

  Customer response

  04/04/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  They have not contacted me to get said medical release.  They have refused negotiations with my insurance company who had permission on my behalf or negotiate with myself directly. I have appealed to my insurance who to pay more of the bill which they intend to do yet the ***************** will NOT negotiate and have NOT ceaseD with the collections.  They have NOT budged nor will they negotiate.  I have requested records of treatment and response logs twice have still never received them.  I have been hung up on,  *** told by a representative maybe I should sell my belongings, and told by a representative I would be able to pay if I lived more within my means.  I by no means want a free pass but I was NEVER GIVEN the services they say were performed and they were over one our fifteen minutes late which they will not admit.  This is unacceptable. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was in a hit and run as the driver. I had one other person in the car with me ,car got totaled couldnt drive car my friend that was in the car with me was hurt so she got in the ambulance so i when with her I fell asleep in the ambulance and I wake up in the hospital I never got seen and I dont sign no paperwork so I called the and ********************** started tell me I was inpeared and had been drinking I got no tickets or locked up and I was the driver I dont sign the paperwork bc I was sleep now they saying Im getting charged for nothing

  Business response

  09/28/2022

  Thank you for your email.  I'm sorry, but without a HIPAA compliant release from ************ we can not discuss her complaint with you. We will correspond with ************ directly.  Thank you.

*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. ↩