ComplaintsforGeisinger

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am not liable for this debt to Geisinger Community Med CTR. I do not have a contract with Geisinger Community Med CTR, they did not provide me with the contract as requested.

  Business response

  08/10/2023

  Patient was seen at Geisinger Community Medical Center on 11/7/2022 due to a motor vehicle accident.  He provided Progressive NF coverage information and signed the attached form regarding responsibility should insurance not pay.  The patient also had no personal medical coverage, in which he was assessed to see if he would qualify for ************ ********.  The patient's income put him over the income limits and therefore was uninsured.  Progressive denied his claims due to not having medical coverage under his NF policy.   Geisinger employee contacted the patient on 1/31/23 to discuss Geisinger's Financial Assistance, and again on 2/15/23 in which the employee explained his responsibility of balance and Geisinger's Financial Assistance program.  Once patient completed application and provided necessary documents, he was advised that if approved, it would help in reducing his balance owed. Employee further explained that we could assist patient in enrolling in ****** Marketplace coverage so patient would have medical coverage for any future care.  Patient was not willing to complete application for financial assistance or ****** marketplace and advised he was not concerned about his bill and would not be paying it. Since 2/15/23, the patient has received a total of four (4) billing statements in which he could have contacted Geisinger to cooperate with applying for Financial Assistance to assist with balance. No record of patient calling back after 2/15/23 to comply with process in getting assistance with balance.

• Initial Complaint

  07/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have a new PCP and I CANNOT get through to him on the MY CHART web page of Geisinger There is no icon to MSG him I called months ago and asked them y and they said that they are working on it I asked the dr he said that they told him to DO IT I called again today and go a man named ***** he HUNG up on me I called back I got ******* wanted to talk to a super put in through some stupid msg THAT HUNG UP ON ME I am now on the phone for 20 min trying to get this resolved I am trying to msg Dr ******************* THis is unacceptable So here is my complaint I AM GETTING NOWHERE with this place and cannot get through to my pcp when I need to My health is being affected by this

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In May 2023, I received a statement from Geisinger dated 5/15/23 (invoice # *********) stating I owed Geisinger $160.60 with no specific information on the date of service or provider. Immediately upon receipt of the statement, I called billing customer service at the number provided on their website asking for an explanation. My Geisinger online portal showed my balance was $0.00 and has been for some time, I was told there were issues with their billing system, and they changed providers. As a result, they were updating the customer's accounts, and if I wanted to talk to someone for detailed information, I would need to call the number on the statement. Note - the number on the statement is transposed from the number on their website. I thought it was a scam. Skeptically, I called the number. They said they could not provide information over the phone other than the date of service was from 2020 and insisted I pay them $160.60. I asked they send a detailed list of payments I made from Jan 2020 through current. I finally received it today (6/25/23). None of the amounts match what I faithfully paid between 2020 - 23 (well over $2700.) This amount does not include what the insurance paid along the way. In addition, I do not recognize the providers' names on the 6/25 paperwork, nor have I been to Geisinger medical center Danville. It also states "admitting provider." I was not admitted to any hospital. I am now not only concerned that I paid excessively more than what was due, it truly seems my Geisinger financial records are mixed with someone else's! I will not pay the additional $160.60 from 2020 as I cannot agree I owe anything further. I was on a financial settlement plan that I worked hard to get down to $0.00 for yrs. All of a sudden, I received a statement saying I owed more? My online account showed the balance going down and finally down to $0.00. My banking statements are proof. Their records are completely wrong. I challenge and say they owe me a refund.

  Business response

  07/25/2023

  Call Center Supervisor spoke with patient on 7/17/23 and provided the following outcome:

  I spoke with the patient today and was able to review/explain the billing. The balance due was from the legacy billing system and I explained our billing transition and that this was a legitimate balance due.  The main issue the patient presented was that she was unaware of this balance even after speaking with someone here and being advised her balance was zero, so I did offer a one-time courtesy adjustment for patient satisfaction, and she was happy with this resolution.  I will send for the adjustment to be made today. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Good afternoon, my name is *****************************, I am ***************************** daughter. I will be speaking on the behalf of my father, *******. Dr. ******** called my father on 5/17/23 discussing whether he would want to be placed on hospice or to continue treatment for his cancer. After some time discussing the two options, Dr.******** and my father came to an agreement to set up a phone call appointment on 5/19/23 to give the final answer. On 5/19/23, my father and my family waited around for a phone call from Dr. ******** that was set for 2:30 P.M. Unfortunately, this phone call never came. My father is battling cancer that is not curable. We would very much appreciate if we were able to be assisted in this circumstance, so my father is comfortable and pain-free. Thank you, *****************************.

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I visited the Geinsenger urgent care clinic in Tunkhannock PA on 11/25/22. I was running a fever and suspected I might have the flu. There was a very long wait time, but as I only need a quick swab for a flu test, they were able to get me in to see a nurse. As I was being checked in, the receptionist took my insurance information and entered it into their system. She told me that according to their system, it appeared my insurance was in-network as it did not prompt her to notify me that I need to pre-approval. After my test, I received a bill for $609.11, as it turns out, I was out-of-network so my insurance did not cover it. When I called Geisenger I was told that it was my repsonsibility to confirm whether I was in-network or not. Whether that is accurate or not, it is extremely frustrating and misleading that they would lead me to believe that I was in fact covered, and then accept no responsibilty. They did give me a 25% discount on my bill, but I still had to pay $456.00 for a nose swab. I think it's disingenous of Geisenger to provide false information and then wash their hands of it. I will never go to a Geisenger Clinin again.

  Business response

  05/25/2023

  Hello, 

  While it is unfortunate that ************ may have been provided with inaccurate information at time of check-in, the patient also signed an Assignment of Benefit form acknowledging that he would be financially responsible for all charges not covered by his insurance. His ****** ********** insurance was out of network with Geisinger.  Geisinger offered ************ a discount on his balance to assist with his complaint about charge. 

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Geisinger has tried on numerous platforms to get my minor (8 year old) child to sign up for a health credit card. My child was emailed at my email address (email was addressed to my child) on 4/20/2023 at 1414 pm, and texted on 4/18/2023 at 1446, 4/21/2023 at 1444 and on 4/24/2023 at 1440 encouraging him to sign up for ****** to pay for medical bills and that it would not impact his credit score. On 4/21/2023 at 1445 I called Geisinger to lodge a complaint as well as followed that up by placing a complaint on their website. I was informed that a manager from the business office would call me back to discuss the solicitation of a minor to open a credit account and this did not occur. Today, on 4/24/2023 at 1440, my child was texted again at my phone number soliciting him to sign up for their credit card. This is unacceptable as the child is 8 years old and legally cannot open a credit account.

• Initial Complaint

  02/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a dermatology visit scheduled for 2/24 to have some lesions evaluated. It was determined that the lesions are minor and could be frozen off so they set up another appointment for March. Well the day before the appointment they office called and canceled and told me they didnt have any open appointments until 9/15. I had no choice so I accepted the appointment. After my appointment in Sept I received a bill for the provider and then another bill from Geisinger for a facility charge of $640.00. I contacted Geisinger and asked why I was not told a facility charge would be billed along with the visit. I was seen in an office setting not at the hospital. They advised they can bill this charge for use of the facility, nursing staff and equipment. I was in the office that day for no more than 10 minutes. I was not seen by a nurse only the PA who's bill I already paid. I find this to be predatory billing. I would like to know what constitutes a $640 charge for being in a office for 10 minutes. Their original billing charge was $1307.00 but their contracted rate with my insurance is $605.14. I was told by the billing associate that my insurance denied the charge and thats what owe. My insurance did not deny the charge it is an allowed charge. I feel this office misrepresented what was going to be billed and this is an obscene way to upcharge for minor services. I only owe the PA $166 which I paid. The facility chooses what level of care to bill and I feel that are overbilling.

  Business response

  03/09/2023

  Hello, I had the details of this complaint reviewed.  It was determined that patient was made aware that Scranton Olive Street location was considered a Hospital Based facility.  I have attached the signed acknowledgement, advising that location is considered Hospital based and outlining an explanation of such.  As it was explained to ************** on 2/3/23, when she contacted Geisinger Call Center, the cost of services is for the facility fees and procedure itself.  ****************** insurance processed the claim and applied a total of $771.25 toward her deductible.  Geisinger received payment of $166.11 on the professional side, but the remaining balance of $605.14 is on the facility side.  We will have a financial counselor contact ************** and discuss further and come to resolution. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Geisinger facility takes anywhere between 3- 6 months to get a specialty appt. They call and cancel these appointments( most of them last minute ) left and right. Then you are left hanging again to get another appointment set up to wait another 3-6 months. Which 90 percent of the time they neglect to call. This has been going on even before the pandemic started. So that is no excuse. And they don't even ask if they can put you in with another doctor ( in this case, a neurologist ) for the same day. How many years can you wait to be seen? This is inexcusable behavior for a medical center to keep doing this to everyone.

• Initial Complaint

  01/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The nurses and the doctors in the Geisinger health system network have been top notch and professional in my experience, however, the admin staff and the department to department communication absolutely ****. I scheduled a gastric emptying study after my provider ordered it, and if I didn't know that the test was supposed to last 4-5 hours, the scheduler would've scheduled me for the WRONG test! I asked her how long the test was scheduled to be for, and she said 2 hours. I said, that's not correct, they will have to visualize radiographic material that I've ingested to see how well my stomach empties. Finally, got the right test scheduled (after calling both the Port Matilda and Lewistown gastroenterology and nuclear medicine departments), and then they CANCELED the test on me 2 days later without even notifying me! I only found out because I logged into ******* and the appointment was no longer there! So then I had to call them AGAIN and go through all of the red tape to schedule the appointment because no one knew who I should contact. Another issue was with my billing. I performed an esophageal manometry on 08/30/2022 (patient MRN ********. I told them to use my ** health insurance - actually, they would not even schedule me for this appointment until they got the referral from the ** - yet I received a bill for $147.10 through my secondary insurance ****** ********** 3 months later!! Now I have to clean up the mess they made because someone who got the referral couldn't forward the right paperwork to someone who processed the insurance claim. Please STOP filing claims against my insurance without contacting me first and asking which insurance I would like to use for the claim. It takes 5 minutes to leave a message on my answering machine and then I can get back to you quickly. Or even just send me a message via MyChart. It saves lots of wasted time, and paperwork that you need to redo.

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had reached out to Geisinger patient liaison months earlier for help but they have done nothing for me. I needed additional paperwork filled out from Doctor ***************************** ***** after he gave me a work place accommodation. Unfortunately, my work could not accommodate me, and I had to take short term disability until my medical issue was resolved. Dr ********* said he did not approve of the disability and filled out paperwork with note that I go back right away. I did return to work however they still needed more paperwork from him. He refused to fill out anymore paperwork after I called him out for lying on my accommodation paper. I was then giving to a new doctor, and lost my job and insurance because he refused to answer anymore of the questions from the disablity company. I did tell him that I needed those or I would be fired from my job, he still refused and told me there was nothing he could do. I have lost my job and insurance all because he lied, and I never needed the accommodation of a 10-pound lifting weight limit he provided. I Believe this doctor should not have a medical license, 1. For lying on paperwork and 2. For refusal to answer simple questions about my medical issue when he knew I needed it to keep my job .

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  Good afternoon, I forward the complaint on to Patient Liaisons Dept and below is their response to complaint:
  
  ***************************** was contacted by Patient Liaison on 12/15/22. She is claiming ************** did not complete medical forms in a timely manner nor in its entirety. I reviewed the medical record with the patient and shared appropriate time frames for medical forms to review. It appears, from my record review, Dr. ********* was timely in response and completion. He had recommended she follow up with her PCP to see if there were any other medical needs causing the discomfort she was experiencing. I also inquired about the patient sending her medical records to ********* as well as asking what additional information needed to be provided. ******* was unable to provide further details on what information was lacking and states she has provided everything she can to Sedgewick. Prior to continuing the call, ******* terminated the phone call. To verify there was not a disconnection due to our winter weather, I called back, was sent to voice mail and left a voice message sharing my availability to continue to work alongside her to work on her concerns.
  
  As Dr. ********* clearly communicated previously, he can only make recommendations for a disability claim, it is up to those determining disability status to provide the outcome of their review. Dr. ********** also encouraged the patient to follow up with her PCP for continued care outside of OB/GYN.
  
  Please let me know if anything further needs to be completed.
  
  Thank you,
  
  Cara
  
  ************************ MSN, RN
  Patient Liaison Manager
  Geisinger
  100 N. Academy Ave.
  Danville, PA 17822
  MC: *****

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

*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. ↩