ComplaintsforCarolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Subject: Attention Required: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates - Payment Agreement Activation ?Hello Gage,Your payment agreement with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates is now activated.Thank you for choosing Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates. This email confirms activation of your payment agreement for the estimated amount of $1,467.88, details of which are included below for your review. Please note that you'll receive advanced notification via email before your card is charged.Log in to manage your payment plan.Manage Your Payment Plan Transaction Information Agreement Activation Date:August 1, 2023 Name on ***************************** Number:****1064 Card Type:MC Total Amount Due:$1,467.88 Frequency Type:Monthly Payment Amount:$122.33 Start Date:8/2/2023 Number of Payments:12 End Date:7/2/2024 Total Paid to Date:$1,345.63 Total Balance Remaining:$122.25 Number of Payments Remaining:1 Status:Active Thank you,Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates ************** www.instamed.com 2024 ******************** All rights reserved.******************************************************************************** This message is for informational purposes only. Please do not reply to this email.For technical question please contact InstaMed Customer Support at ************** or email at ********************* For our helpful online support center please visit instamed.com/support You have received this email to give you updates and information about your InstaMed relationship.This is a copy of a payment agreement. They claim I had no agreement and sent my account to ************************* Collections. I made all the payments on time except the last one because they sent it to collections.

  Business response

  07/01/2024

  The patient reached out to our office too.  We have canceled his budget plan that he had set up.  He was able to cancel as well since he paid the collection agency.  When we receive the payment from the collection agency we will process his refund.  We will expedite the refund once the check is received.

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had an office visit with Carolina *********************************************** on 07/10/2023 which I paid a co-pay of *****. I had a follow-up visit with an in-office MRI on 09/01/2023 in which I paid a deposit of ******. My insurance processed the office visit and advise that no co-pay was due from me, per the submitted insurance code. My insurance processed and paid Carolina *********************************************** a total of $1,046.42 for the **** with a co-pay due of only ***** dollars. Carolina *********************************************** re-submitted the claim for my office visit and was paid $315.59 on 11/23/2023 for my office visit with a co-pay due from me of *****. (Which was paid at time of visit)This left my account with a credit of ****** which I have been trying to collect since 11/23/2023. I have spoken with *********** in the ************ several times, along with my work's own HR department and he has stated that my insurance has been completed and my credit sent to the bank for processing. I have still not received my refund and they refuse to return my phone messages.

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  Refund was issued on 2/5/2024.  We asked that she give the check 7-14 days to arrive and notify us if not received.  Since 2/14/24 we have not received any further updates that she has not received the check.

• Initial Complaint

  08/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I saw a physical therapist at the concord location. Their billing department failed to get prior approval from my insurance company. After repeated calls, ******************** calls with my insurance company, they did not re-file & backdate (as instructed by more than one insurance representative). They passed the cost on to me. Therefore I paid much more than I should have paid. I attempted more phone calls, sent emails and sent a letter through ***** I never heard from anyone regarding this issue. I only received more bills. Out of fear of debt collectors, I paid the bill. I would like your help in reimbursing $315.36. Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  06/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had received an invoice from Carolina *********************************************** associate for the amount of $180.00 for medical services not covered by my insurance. They sent the invoice both via email and by mail. Upon receipt, I paid the invoice received by email with a credit card on April 15, 2023. Upon receipt of the paper invoice, my wife accidentally paid the invoice again with a bank check on April 25. When we discovered the double payment we contacted Carolina Neurosurgery and requested the refund. They agreed that they had received the payment twice and told us that they would issue a refund. We never received the refund. We have been calling them several times. Each time they have been telling us that the refund was sent to the bank and that we should get the money shortly. Since we never got the money, we requested to speak with a manager. We were never successful in speaking with a manager or supervisor. They gave us various excuses, such as "the manager is out today"; "The manager is not currently available"; "The manager will call you back" or they just transferred us to a phone number that put us in voice mail. It is almost two months and we have not heard back from anyone on the true status of the refund. Today we were told the same story: " The request for a refund has been sent to the bank. The checks go out only on the 15th of each month. You should get the money after July 15. We don't know what else to do to get our money back. Both my wife and I are on Social Security and we depend on that money for daily expenses.Thank you for any help you can give us.

  Business response

  07/13/2023

  This patient was mailed a refund at the end of June. 
  
  Also, I would like to request I be removed from any further complaints from the BBB.  My role within our organization has changed and I no longer manage complaints.  Please redirect to **************************************
  
  thanks

  Customer response

  07/13/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was a patient of **************** for over a year and had received 3 prior injections of the lower sacral facet joint using imaging and Dexamethasone injections that worked. I had them every 4 months. I made an appointment for my 4th one and was told ******** would no longer cover the cost. I contacted ******** and they assured me they would, however the office at Carolina Neurosurgery Center said I would have to pay out of pocket to have the procedure again. It took me many attempts to even get an appointment. I finally did, when I arrived for my appointment on 8/5/2022, I was asked to go back and speak to the office managers, ***** and ******. They insisted I had to pay out of pocket. They said if I did pay out of pocket and they filed ******** the cost would be $813 and $567 if they did not file. I paid the $567 that day and they were not to file with ********. It was very stressful to even receive the injection, much less what they put me through prior. I was then told, in the future I would no longer be able to have this type of injection and if I wanted further treatment for my back pain I would have to see ****************** for a Medial Branch Block or a RFA(ablation), both much more invasive. So, telling you all that I continued to receive monthly bills from Carolina *********************************************** for $260, the difference if I had not paid out of pocket cost. I contacted billing and the man, I believe his name was ***** was so inappropriate and he almost started crying and reprimanded me. He told me he would have his boss, ******* call me. She never did. I called the billing office again and he acted the same way. I then tried to call ******* myself without any success. I continued to receive monthly bills and I sent each bill in with a message for ***** or ******* to call me and never received a call back. This past week I received a call from ********, ** on 6/8/2023 telling me I was going to be turned over to a collection agency if I did not pay the bill.

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  ******************** was informed that ******** no longer covered facets and she would need to pay out of pocket and sign an ABN. She was also, informed the px codes are the same for facets as they are for Medial Branch Blocks,which ******** does cover, so if ******** paid, we would process a refund back to them. The patient paid $567 prior to the injection, ******** paid, and we refunded ********. There was a patient balance on the account once ******** was refunded of $137.52, that was an error. ******************* wrote a letter to the Billing Manager, who then corrected the error and the balance was adjusted on 5/9/23.

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On July 18, 2022 Carolina *********************************************** (CNSA) told me that if I wanted to get a back fusion, I would have to pay what they estimate would be my financial responsibility for a back fusion surgery before they would schedule the surgery. They quoted me a price of $5,207.64. I had the surgery on 9/19/2022 and they submitted the claim to my insurance company. I have since learned from my insurance company, *************** Shield, that I am only responsible for $200.00. I have been trying to get the amount of $5,007.64 refunded to me without success. My insurance company has contacted them on at least two occasions regarding this issue and they will not return my phone calls. They have told me they feel ********** should be paying them more and won't refund me until that is done. ********** has confirmed with me and with them that if they are trying to resubmit the claim for payment, it is between the insurance company and CNSA; it has nothing to do with me or will not change the fact that I only owe $200.00. So far, this has taken since October or November to resolve. I am asking for your assistance.

  Business response

  03/02/2023

  Due to the **** telehealth coverage was expanded in 2020. ********************* had United Healthcare at the time of her telehealth visit. UHC followed CMS guidelines for telehealth during PHE. Office visits provided via telephone or virtually, were billed as regular office visits and paid at parity. Based on the Providers documentation (also, audited by a CPC October 2020 and Provider called and spoke to ********************** to review) ***** was billed. UHC applied $178.56 towards her deductible. She refused to pay the balance.Again, the balance was reviewed with ********************** on 2/13/2023 by Patient Accounts Representative when she called to schedule an appointment. Director of ************************ and Director of Operations also, reached out to ********************* to review. She still refused to pay the balance and clear account from her ****************** order to schedule.
  

  Business response

  03/07/2023

  ************************** appeal is in process and her balance per BCBS was $200.00 for CPT code *****, however, we have refunded her surgery pre-payment at her request.

  Customer response

  03/09/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  I have received the second check from Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine so this resolves my dispute with them.

   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. ↩