ComplaintsforPenn Medicine Lancaster General Health

• Initial Complaint

  07/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received a bill for an appointment my son had with lancaster general health, specifically at the Cornwall office **** Cornwall rd. This office believes I owe them money. I do not, they need to properly submit that to the insurance company before I pay them anything. This is why I left this office. Nobody knows how to properly submit a claim to my insurance a lot of what I do there is preventative and is covered 100% by my insurance. My plan is also 80/20% which means insurance covers 80% and I'm responsible for 20%. This last bill was for $333. That means I pay $66.60, this office for years has been ripping me off and I demand bill readjustment! I atleast understand why they have some issues submitting with my insurance. That is because my insurance thinks it's funny in the middle of June to stop paying out claims until I call them up and confirm I don't have multiple insurance policies. A lot of the past payments they claim I owe are due to that. Claims they never resubmitted and put through the insurance company. Either that or they never coded it correctly. Which is why I refuse to pay until someone cleans up this ineptitude and sends me a corrected bill.

  Business response

  07/19/2023

  We received and reviewed the complaint that was submitted by *****************************  The outstanding balances referenced in the complaint are made up of two office visits (dates of service are 05/30/2023 and 06/13/2023) at LGHP Family Medicine ******* and one lab test for his son. Our records indicate that all three charges were submitted and processed for payment by **. ************* insurance carrier and that the outstanding balances have been applied to his deductible.  Upon closer review it was discovered that **************************** had not met his family deductible at the time of the services.  In addition, the charges in question fall into the category of sick visits, not preventative visits, which is why there was a patient out of pocket expense assigned.  We appreciate the opportunity to review and respond to this complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  05/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went into the ER at Lancaster General Hospital on Feb. 14 2023 suffering from opiate withdrawal. These symptoms were due to the voluntary stopping of my prescribed pain medications and muscle relaxers; these meds had me feeling lethargic and prevented me from being active. I could not stop vomiting, nor could I hold down any food or drink. I also had severe diarrhea. I called my PCP ahead of my visit and he called ahead to the ER for a referral. Upon arrival I was assessed (this took less than 5 minutes) and submitted blood for testing. At that time I was told I was "on the top of the list" to go back for an IV. During the 8+ hours I waited, I went through a few puke bags while not being able to get comfortable in any waiting room chair (as I needed to lay down). I checked numerous times as to why things were taking so long and each time I was reassured that I was "on the top of the list." It was only after the aforementioned 8 hours that it was finally disclosed to me that the list I was on, although I may indeed be at the top of it- the cue for it had not moved the entire day. I was told my insurance company required me to be in a bed in order to receive an IV and the "list for that" was the one which hadn't moved. At this point I was dumbfounded. As I shared this information with others in the waiting room area, I found there were others who had been waiting for over 10 or even 12 hours. Upon learning and combining these pieces of new information, I elected to leave. I needed to go home and lay down. I then received an $1100 bill which the insurance paid all but $250 (this is my unpaid balance). The hospital has not justified the billing by line item other than the bloodwork. Their Patient Services person told me my bill was reviewed both internally and externally (by someone whom the hospital paid). This person failed to see how this review is totally unfair...they are paying the review people!! I refuse to pay for "waiting." This is an Insurance scam.

  Business response

  05/30/2023

  We have reviewed **. ****** dispute for the second time per his request.  Our second review has confirmed that ************** presented to the Emergency Department at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health (PMLGH) on 02/14/2023.  Shortly after his arrival, he was evaluated in the triage area by a physician. During triage, his vitals were taken and orders for bloodwork were placed and the bloodwork was drawn and processed (these are the services that were submitted to **. ****** insurance carrier for processing).   On this specific date of service, the volume of patients in the ******************** was high creating a higher than expected wait time.  Chart documentation indicates that approximately 5 hours after ************** was assessed in the triage area, he chose to leave.  Upon receipt of a statement for a balance owed of $250 (this amount was the co-pay assigned by his insurance carrier), ************* contacted PMLGHs Customer Service Department to dispute the charges.  As per protocol, his dispute was reviewed by the Safety Review Committee and the Emergency Department Oversight group to confirm all services and charges were appropriate.  In addition, **. ****** dispute was also reviewed by a PMLGH attending physician to again, confirm the services provided were appropriate.  After review, the care that ************** received in the Emergency Department (and the corresponding charges) for his visit on 02/14/2023 are appropriate. 

  Customer response

  05/31/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Unfortunately, for the 3rd time, the hospital employee tasked with responding to my complaint remains subjectively blinded to the crux of my argument. I have already conceded that I received an assessment and had blood drawn. Again, for the 3rd time, my bill clearly shows that the first 4 line items on my bill are charges for the bloodwork and are non-issues. It is only the 5th and final line item, a $930 charge for “Emergency Room General” that is fraudulent.
  Yes, a hospital tech did take my pulse and put an automatic blood-pressure cuff on my arm. The hospital writer cleverly disguises this simple act as “had his vital signs taken.” Next, after my family doctor had pre-called the ER about my arrival- telling them I was in the 4th day of opiate withdrawal, I was in fact triage-assessed where the doctor simply had to check a box stating, “yep, he’s in opiate withdrawal.’
  So, back to the crux of my complaint: would a reasonable person (not PAID by the hospital) say that this 3-minute assessment was worth $930? Certainly not. Without going too far down the rabbit hole, this specific case is a prime example as to why hospitals oppose legislation asking for them to pre-disclose fees- because they are over inflated and without guardrails or a monitoring system to be kept in check.
  As for my claim the hospital’s letter-writing underling is subjectively blinded, as touched on in the previous paragraph, the stated review teams are clearly biased. The proof for that is disguised in the proper nouns the writer chooses to use: The “Safety Review Committee” could be interchanged with “employees PAID by the hospital” and the “Emergency Room Oversight Group” can be interchanged with “an outside entity PAID by the hospital.” Neither the letter writer nor either of these groups will be able to look at this bill objectively. The hospital was deceptive in consistently telling me “you’re at the top of the list” while not disclosing it was a list that typically does not show steady movement, hence the 5-hour wait without care. They are again deceptive in charging Highmark $930 for a 3-minute assessment and trying to hide behind 50-cent words and terms like “vital signs” and fancy committee names.
  In conclusion, and again for the 3rd time, I ask: would a reasonable person (not paid by the hospital) agree that these trumped-up services are indeed worth $930? Perhaps I should be arguing this case through Highmark’s fraud division rather than through the BBB.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  We apologize that this response was not satisfactory.  There is no additional information to provide.

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I visited a urgent care in lititz Pennsylvania on 10/1/2022 related to auto claim. ***** **** auto paid the bill on 1/13/2023 in amount of $138.37 via ***** **** check number **********. The check was cashed/cleared on 1/31/2023. Not only did ***** **** pay the urgent care visit but they also paid $264.78 for 10/1/2022 for a ****** ultrasound study , check number ********** and that check cleared on 1/24/2023. Lancaster general bills me $165.35 for 10/1/22 urgent care visit even though they got paid from ***** **** auto. Lancaster general also double dipped in my **** ***** insurance and received a Payment of $96.64 from **** ***** on 2/15/2023. They were paid double plus requesting a payment due from me of 165.35. once auto insurance paid on 1/13/2023 the claim should of been paid in full and written off. This is a constantly a issue trying to fix bills that Lancaster general messes up or double Dips in auto and commercial **** *****. This is first time they refused to even look for the money or check number I called the customer service number twice on 2/27/2023and got no where with billing and even presented cashed checks provided by ***** **** auto. Lancaster general refuses to change the bill or locate the money paid by ***** **** auto. ***** **** said they can't keep money and not apply it to my account. ***** **** said the check number should be filed by Lancaster general as part of their bill policy .

  Business response

  03/03/2023

  ******************** presented to a Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health (PMLGH) Urgent Care Center on 10/1/2022 for care.  An insurance claim for the care received was sent to *** ********’s ***** **** auto insurance carrier.  On 01/12/23, PMLGH received a denial from ***** **** auto insurance because the insurance carrier was claiming the benefit maximum for the accident had been reached.  As a result of this denial, PMLGH submitted the charges to *** ********’s medical insurance carrier (this is a standard billing procedure when auto insurance carriers deny medical claims as benefit maximums have been reached).  The medical insurance carrier processed the claim and assigned $165.35 as patient responsibility which resulted in *** ******** receiving a statement from PMLGH.  On 02/27/2023, *** ******** called PMLGH’s Customer Service department stating that the denial received from her ***** **** auto insurance carrier was incorrect.  She also shared that the claim had been reprocessed by the auto insurance carrier resulting in payment in the form of a check which was sent and cashed by PMLGH.  Upon request, *** ******** provided a copy of the cashed check via the patient portal, MyLGHealth.  PMLGH has confirmed that the check was received and cashed on 01/31/2023 and is in process of being applied to the 10/01/2022 date of service.  PMLGH has canceled the claim submitted to *** ********’s medical insurance which will result in the removal of the $165.35 that has been assigned as patient responsibility.  At this time, *** ******** does not have an outstanding balance associated with the 10/01/2022 date of service. We do apologize for the confusion and appreciate the opportunity to work with ********************.

  Customer response

  03/05/2023

  [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.   I would like to add, the customer service reps for billing need to be more cooperative and accommodating to the patient, actually agree to investigate the billing error.     Auto claims  sends each vendor check  by U.S.  mail  and arrives with a detailed E.O.B stating in the E.O.B the check number and visit date.  The E.O.B was provided to billing via fax and portal by this writer, and still billing would not address their billing error.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was involved in a billing dispute. Subsequently, I overpaid $348.90. The overpayment was made in June 2022. I was told I would have to wait 6-8 weeks to receive a refund which was done via check no. ******. After calling for months and getting ignored, I was told in September that the payment was sent to a 3rd party, Wealth Saver, and was told to contact them for my refund. Wealth Saver advised me they returned the check to Penn Medicine on August 30, 2022 as they could not apply it to any account, as the funds did not belong to them. Penn Medicine has been telling me for weeks that they are investigating this matter; however since June (its now October) I have not received my money back. I spoke to several people at Penn Medicine. The last contact was the Customer Service Manager, at ************. I left her a voicemail several days ago and have not heard back from her. I contacted Wealth Saver at ************ who again told me they did not have the money and the check was not cashed, but returned to Penn Medicine.

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  Thank you for the opportunity to response to ******************** complaint.

  With respect to **. ******* complaint, please see the summary below:

  1)  **************** has coverage through ******** with a related HSA account.

  2)  The original payment related to this refund was made by the administrator of her ************* ***** *****.   ***s policy is to refund payments back to the original source of the payment.  We issued a refund check to ********** ***** ***** on 7/21/2022. We also confirmed with Highmark that the refund should have been paid to ********** ***** *****.
  

  3)  This refund has not yet been credited to **. ******* HSA account.  **************** has been told by ********** ***** ***** that they returned the check to Penn Medicine but that is not the case as we have confirmed that the refund check was cashed by their bank—BMO Harris Bank—on 8/30/2022

  4)  We have been working with ******** to assist with the investigation as to why the check was cashed but not credited to her account but they still have not completed their investigation.
  

  5)  Because this has taken so long and we have been unable to obtain cooperation from ******** and ********** ***** ***** regarding the resolution of this issue, we will be issuing a service recovery payment to **************** equal to the amount of the missing refund in this weeks check run.

  One of our team members will be contacting **************** as soon as possible to share this resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  10/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Good morning I am very upset the way that I guess your generals handling I did send an email regarding to my hip violation that they text my boyfriend my schedule and I did not allow that so it end up with my boyfriend's phone number I did not allow that later on I put him as my emergency contact but my information should not be out there like that so I'm very upset and the lady that handle my case kind of dismissed it and did not believe what happened to me

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  Thank you for the opportunity to response to this complaint.  Our Privacy Office conducted a thorough review and found no inappropriate access by the specified person to the medical records of *********************  We have been in contact with ******************** with a letter dated September 26, 2022, and have shared our findings with her along with contact information if she has any additional questions or concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hi, I need help with specifically lancaster family medicine quentin. they refuse to resubmit past insurance claims when I've explained to them that I've called the insurance company, insurance company instructed me to give the ok to bill insurance. I contacted billing via online app and their ineptitude about billing my insurance has caused a ding on my credit score and for it to goto collections. I want my credit score fixed, my claims submitted to insurance and for the remaining balance to be billed to me correctly!

  Business response

  07/21/2022

  
  Our research on **. ************* accounts showed that insurance processed some of his accounts but denied others for Coordination of Benefits issues. When this occurs, our process is to assign the balance from the denial to patient responsibility. A denial of this kind must be resolved by the patient/subscriber. In most cases, once the patient calls their insurance company and works through verifying coverage, the insurance company will reprocess the claim. When this situation happens, we ask that the patient provide us with the name of the representative that they talked to and a reference number. If this information is provided we can place a payment hold on the account to allow time for the insurance company to reprocess. **************************** was informed of this process in his written communication with our department. We have reached out to **************************** and left him a voicemail to contact us so we can review this information with him again. With regard to **.************* concern about his credit report, we will assure him that we have not reported any of his unpaid accounts to his official credit report as that it not our policy or practice.

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 23, 2022, I had a routine mammogram at Lancaster General in Parkesburg PA. The next day, I received a call that there was a need for a follow-up mammogram, I called immediately and was given an appointment at the Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, PA. Since I had never been called back for an issue on a mammogram, I was not aware there would be a significant charge for a repeat exam. I received a bill for $718.25 and a second bill from ********* ********* ********** for $94.56. I called Lancaster General immediately. I was told that I could have pay out of pocket at a discounted rate of 75% but since ****** ********** already paid the claim, I was not able to do so. I recently contacted ****** ********** (spoke to ********) and she explained that I could request that the provider issue a discounted rate, but that I must request it directly from them. I am requesting a discounted rate from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, please. I appreciate your help!

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  We reviewed ****** *****'s account and her phone conversation with our Customer Service Team representative. The information that she was given at the time of her call is correct however, given the situation and the fact that this was the first time she was in a situation like this, we are willing to offer a one-time courtesy adjustment. We have left a message with the patient to call us back so we can review this information with her. When we have the opportunity to speak with her again we will also inform her of the options that we offer to understand her out of pocket charges in the future and her options for payment.  

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I went to the Urgent care in Ephrata Pa. on 11/14/2020 for a covid 19 test. My wife also went to the same Urgent care center. She didn't receive a bill from them for the test but a year and a half later i received one. I had called them a few times about this bill and for a year never received a bill. This week I received an email and a text message about the bill. It was not an office visit, I just went for a covid test. I had 4 covid tests done at different hospitals or urgent c are centers.I haven't recieved a bill from any of the other centers. The bill is only for 35 dollars,

  Business response

  06/21/2022

  Upon review of ****************'s complaint, we see that his current account balance is $0.  ************** contacted the Customer Service Department at **************** ****************** ************ on or around 6/16/2022 and left a voicemail inquiring as to why he received a statement for $35.  When a member of the Customer Service team reviewed the account, it was immediately discovered that the statement was created a year and a half after the date of service and so the balance was written off as a courtesy.  It does appear that there was a delay in the insurance carrier's processing of this claim which resulted in the delayed billing.  Please be advised that on 6/16/2022 a member from Customer Service attempted to contact ************** to share the updated information and notify him that he could disregard the statment; however, the attempt was unsuccessful.  We apologize for the inconvenience to **************.

  Customer response

  06/29/2022

  [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. The part that I don't understand is if I didn't file a complaint with the BBB I would have been responsible for a 35 dollar bill, because after the call from the billings dept. at the hospital I receive a bill for 35 dollars.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My PCP sent me to Lancaster ER on 12/1 with orbital cellultis with orders to get a CAT scan and IV antibiotics. I was seen by a Nurse Practitioner who gave me 3 pills and sent me offsite to the oncall opthamologist. I am now getting a bill from the Nurse practitioner and also her overseeing doctor whom i never saw for 700.00. I ended up having to go to another ER to get the CAT scan and the IV antibiotics- the delay in care cost me infection in the second eye. I am disputing paying a doctor that i never saw or used his MD to get me treated even. I spoke to his office they gave me number of their third party billing ********************* ************ but she has not returned my call.

  Business response

  12/21/2021

  We have been in touch with the patient regarding this concern.

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Lancaster general health ******* family medical facility has always given me trouble with scheduling appointments and billing and now medical questions. This dates back to the days before covid thats how inept their staff has been over the years and they continue to prove their own ignorance hiring inept morons that can't even hire someone capable of doing a simple task of reading let alone calling the correct phone number given. Today, 12/2/2021, I spoke to *******, whom highly inappropriately called the wrong phone number, called me unprofessional and had the nerve to call me ignorant all because his version of "professionalism" is different from my views. I feel that I handled the situation in a very professional manner, and if he is the manager of this place he should teach his staff to learn how to read and call the correct phone number. Also teach his staff to make phone calls more efficiently and effectively. The only reason I reached out via text message on my lgh chart was because I waited on the phone for 30 minutes b4 I hung and went to bed. I work 3rd shift I was already getting to be late and they want to play immature games and not doing their job in a professional manner. As far billing goes, I always have unreasonable outstanding balances with them, that I've reported to corporate since there staff is untrained in how to **** my insurance correctly. My final issue is is one that I have reported is for the last 3 years I have to fight tooth and nail to see the only doctor qualified to practice medicine at the ******* facility is Dr.************. I have to schedule sometimes 3-4 months in advanced to see Dr.*********** or I have the choice to take a doctor who is only qualified to check for a running nose. My desired outcome with this complaint is for lancaster general to get off their cans do theirs jobs and learn how to be more professional and a little more respectful to their patients. I'm not sure and desire would help. I wanna leave the facility.

  Business response

  12/10/2021

  
  We have been in touch with the patient regarding his concerns.  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. ↩