ComplaintsforConemaugh Health System

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had lab work done on 5/23/23 and when I received a bill for this the following month, I immediately paid it and put the account number in the check memo as I always do. I kept receiving invoices for it saying that I never paid it, so then I sent them a copy of the CASHED check that they cashed on 7/24/23. So where did it go? I called them monthly, sent copies of the check they cashed from my bank showing they endorsed it on the back- through email and with some of the invoices. They are still saying it's not paid. How is that even possible? Now, even though I've paid it right away, proved it over and over, they turned it over to collections. So I sent them the same cashed check. Why am I paying for THEIR mistake? And how many times do they do this to people and have them pay over and over? We already pay multiple times by paying a building fee AND a physician fee AND a copay. I'm not also paying twice for the same bill.

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  March 18, 2024

  ********* ****
  Better Business Bureau
  520 E Main Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA 15160
  ************************ **** ********* *****
  
  This letter is in response to the customer complaint with **** * ********* 

  In order to assist in resolution of the customer’s concerns Conemaugh Health Systems Revenue Cycle Management Company, R1, conducted reviews of the customer’s account. In addition to our response to the initial complaint, we want to express our sincere apologies for the frustration and inconvenience this must have caused. At Conemaugh Health System, satisfaction and trust in our services are paramount. We are genuinely thankful for the opportunity to address and rectify the situation, as it allows us to enhance our services for you and all our patients.

  Upon review, it was found due to a payment processing issue the original payment the customer made to this account was inadvertently not applied in July 2023.  Despite the patient's efforts to provide proof of payment, there were challenges with the clarity of the documentation submitted, leading to a need for further clarification.

  We recognize that there was a lapse in communication during the process, particularly with the transfer of information between departments at R1. This misstep prevented the swift resolution of the concern. Upon identifying this oversight, we took immediate action to ensure payment was properly applied to the patient’s account through a manual adjustment.
  
  On March 15 & 18, 2024, R1 Customer Relations representative attempted to reach the customer in order to communicate this information but have been unable to connect with the customer. The Representative provided our direct contact number for the patient to reach us at their convenience, as we are eager to discuss this matter further and provide any additional support they may need. Additional to this investigation, to assist R1 in identifying opportunities to help improve customers’ experiences in the future, re-education along with root cause identification of the process breakdowns and communication concerns that occurred are planned. Our goal is to not only rectify errors but to learn from them, thereby improving our systems and the quality of care we provide.

  Thank you for bringing this to our organization’s attention. It is through feedback that allows us to continue to improve and fulfill our commitment to providing quality care and service to our patients and community.  Please contact me at ************ ** ********************** if there are any questions.
  
  Sincerely,
  Market ECO/FPO
  Conemaugh Health System
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  hospital sucks having really sick people thrown out here in chairs and them taking blood in lobby its unsafe for everyone in waiting room. they putting people in rooms that arent even cleaned like this place is redicolious period

  Business response

  05/23/2023

  May 12, 2023
  ********* ****
  Better Business Bureau
  520 E Main Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA 15106
  

  
  This letter is in response to the customer complaint with R*** * *********
  Thank you for bringing these concerns to our organization’s attention. As an organization, we at
  Conemaugh Health System are working diligently through opportunities identified to make
  improvements for our patients’ and visitors’ experiences related to care provided, environmental
  conditions, and time spent within the organization. Patient, visitor, and employee safety is
  continuously at our organization’s forefront.
  We sincerely apologize for the customer’s experience. Please contact me at ************ ** ********************** if there are any questions.
  

  Sincerely,
  Market ECO/FPO
  Conemaugh Health System

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  May 9th 2022 I called conemaugh to pay 3 bills totaling $250 . Spoke to Karen and gave her my flex spend account to process payment in full. No word on this until june 15th 2022 and told me that Karen didn't process payment. I told them the account is closed and i cannot get my$250 back. I have four pages of notes of people i explained to and every time a supervisor is to call me back and that doesn't happen. They sent me to one dept collection ***** ********.i explained to them and they sent back to conemaugh. No response again from conemaugh. Now i received another dept collector. Called Conemaugh again and asked for supervisor. Same message, no payment made. Explained everything again and they are sorry but need to pay. I told them i paid the three bills and they said they are sorry Karen didn't process. I would have no issues if Karen or someone would have called me back before May 31 2022 but no one called me back and no statement received. I lost$250 because they didn't process the payment and i cannot get my money back from this flex spend account.

  Business response

  05/23/2023

  This letter is in response to the customer complaint with REF: ************
  In order to assist in resolution of the customer’s concerns, both Conemaugh Health Systems (CHS)
  Revenue Cycle Management Company, R1, and Conemaugh Physician Group (CPG) Billing conducted
  reviews of the customer’s outstanding balance accounts.

  
  Upon review, the customer contacted the Conemaugh Physician Group billing office on May 9, 2022.
  During this conversation the customer provided their payment information in order to pay the remaining
  balance for their accounts totaling $250.00. After this call was concluded, the CPG representative
  recognized the outstanding balance accounts were not CPG accounts, but for Conemaugh Health System
  facility. The payment information given by the customer was not processed and was properly disposed of
  by the CPG Billing representative. An attempt was made by CPG billing to contact the customer in follow
  up to explain. Unfortunately CPG Billing was unable to connect with the customer to relay this
  information. Balances remained for the Conemaugh Health System facility billing accounts in the total
  amount of $250.00.

  
  In order to help bring resolution to the customer’s concerns, the three account balances in question for
  Conemaugh Health System billing have been adjusted to a zero balance. The patient is not responsible for
  payment to these accounts. The customer was notified of this information on May 3, 2023 and had no
  further questions or concerns. Please be assured this issue has been addressed internally with the
  employees of CPG Billing following our internal process in order to help prevent this type of situation
  from occurring in the future.
  Thank you for bringing this to our organization’s attention. We sincerely apologize for the customer’s
  experience. Please contact me at ************ ** ********************** if there are any questions.
  

  Sincerely,
  Market ECO/FPO
  Conemaugh Health System

• Initial Complaint

  07/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 8, 2022 I had an MRI at Conemaugh Advanced Imaging 1450 Scalp Ave #001, Johnstown, PA 15904. At that time I was offered a 20% discount if I prepaid my copay in advance. I gladly accepted the offer and prepaid the copay amount. I was never informed that this was only an estimate and would receive additional bills. After the MRI I received a bill for an additional amount. I spoke to the billing department and questioned the amount thinking there must be a mistake. I was informed that I owe an additional $50 because my copay amount was estimated wrong on their part. I explained that the correct amount should be $40 with the 20% discount I was offered originally. I asked that they send me a corrected bill showing the amount I owe so I could have a record of it. I was never sent the correct bill with the correct amount that I owe. I've spoke to countless people in the billing department and customer service. They refuse to adjust the amount to the correct amount owed. When I speak to anyone I'm on hold and transferred countless times only for the next person to tell me they don't have the authority to make corrections.

  Business response

  05/23/2023

  This letter is in response to the customer complaint with the **** *** ********.
  In order to assist in resolution of the customer’s concerns Conemaugh Health Systems (CHS) Revenue
  Cycle Management Company, R1, conducted reviews of the customer’s accounts.
  Upon review, at the time of service, the customer made a payment to their account based upon the
  customer responsibility estimated amount. The Prompt Pay 20% discount was applied. Once the
  customer’s insurance provider processed the claim, the customer responsibility actual amount increased
  from the original estimated amount, resulting in a balance to the account.

  
  During the customer’s initial contact with the billing office, the representative reviewed the payment
  information with the customer. At that time the customer requested the 20% discount be applied to the
  remaining balance. In order for the discount to be applied, the remaining balance would need to be paid in
  full. No payment in full was made to the account balance at that time.
  A time later, the customer re-contacted the billing office to discuss the 20% discount and requested an
  updated billing statement to be sent to them. Unfortunately, due to an internal process change, an updated
  statement was inadvertently not sent to the customer as requested. Once the customer was able to
  reconnect with the billing office in follow up, the customer made payment to the account in full and the
  discount was applied.

  
  R1 Customer Resolution Center attempted to reach the customer recently to ensure resolution to their
  concerns has been met, but have been unable to connect with the customer.
  Thank you for bringing this to our organization’s attention. We sincerely apologize for the customer’s
  experience. Additionally, the R1 Customer Resolution Center has identified opportunities to help improve
  customers’ experiences in the future.
  Please contact me at ************ ** ********************** *f there are any questions.
  

  Sincerely,
  Market ECO/FPO
  Conemaugh Health System

• Initial Complaint

  04/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received cataract surgery 1/12/22. At that time I was encouraged to pay my insurance deductible in order to receive a 20 percent discount. The billing department did not post that payment to my account until approximately the end of January so I received 2 other bills in which I was expected to pay equaling a second amount equal to my deductible. At this time even with the assistance of my medical carrier Aetna I have yet to be reimbursed my $320 overpaid to the billing department. I have devoted hours of time, aggravation and lost interest on this money. I am blessed to have been able to have the extra funds to pay the other two bills that were sent to me due to the hospital billing department not posting my deductible to my surgery bill. The bill for my second surgery 2/9/22 has been paid without issue which my optometrist says that means the first surgery bill was the qualifying billing.. The phone # I call is 844-464-7989. My surgery was completed at Miners Hospital a satellite facility for Conemaugh Hospital systems. I do not know where to go to for assistance to be reimbursed and this has been so long I feel owed interest on my money. I understand Aetna released the funds to them the beginning of March. Thank you for your assistance and time

  Customer response

  05/03/2022

  From: ***** ***** <l******************>
  Date: Sun, May 1, 2022 at 3:21 PM
  Subject: Resolution obtained
  To: <[email protected]>
  
  
  
  Complaint I filed 4/10/2022 ********* has been resolved by Miners Hospital. Thank you for your assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a bill from Conemaugh for a service date of 6/17/2021 in July 2021 and made a payment to them through my FSA account in early August 2021. My FSA account sent them payment and they cashed the check on 8/22/2021 and it was deposited to them 8/23/2021. I have received further statements saying the bill was not paid. I called their representatives in October 2021 and they advised it was taken care of. Conemaugh then sent my claim to a collection agency and then I was told to make a payment through Conemaugh and I would be refunded back to my credit card for the double payment once it was cleared up. I made another payment to Conemaugh using my Visa credit card ending in **** and never received a receipt from Conemaugh for that payment either. I called them numerous times from November through January and have faxed over proof of my cashed FSA payment and have never heard a reply. They continue to say that it is under review and that I would receive a call from a manager. They have never called me and I only received a check for $17 in January. They are refusing to refund me and will not return my calls. I would like the remaining refund issued to me ASAP for $133. I advised their representative that I would be contacting BBB if their manager did not call me back as I have contacted them around 10 times without any help from their staff. This treatment is unacceptable and they have stolen my money from my FSA account. Please help me get my refund back from my double payment and thanks for your help

  Business response

  04/13/2022

  This letter is to serve as confirmation that Dhas been received and reviewed.

  Based upon the remittance advice received from Tricare after the processing of this claim, the patient was responsible fora deductible of$ 150,00. From my internal investigation, I was able to identify a payment of $150.00 via the patients FSA that was applied August 24, 2021. I have also been able to verify that a payment from *********** personal credit card was received in the amount of $150.00 on November 19, 2021 and posted to the account on November 22, 2021. 

  
  Unfortunately, due to a system error, the initial payment from the FSA was applied incorrectly. We have been able to resolve the discrepancy and correct the account for *** ******* *** ****** was originally refunded $17,03 on January 17,2022 and we will now issue him a refund for the remaining over payment of$132.97 that occurred from the duplicate payment he paid of $150.00 from his personal credit card ending in *****. 
  I hope this letter has resolved any concerns for *** ******. In the event you have any questions, please feel free to contact our 
  customer service department at ***************  ********** 
  Carey ** ****** 
  Patient Revenue Director 
  * **** **** ***** ***** * ********** ** ********* 

  Customer response

  04/13/2022

  [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 is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  **** ******

*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. ↩