ComplaintsforSan Antonio Orthopaedic Group LLP

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On March 29, 2023, my wife visited a hand doctor for diagnosis and treatment of a problem with her wrist. After examination by the doctor, my wife was provided a wrist brace and directions on the use of the brace. The doctor/doctor's ****** did not provide a cost for the wrist brace. On April 21, we received via mail a bill for $255 for the wrist brace from the doctor's ******. Incredulous at the price, we called the doctor's ****** on May 2nd seeking to return the wrist brace or receive a sizeable discount as we had found a wrist brace that was made for her exact condition on Amazon for $18. We were told that the doctor's ****** has a policy that the wrist brace was not returnable after leaving the building and that someone would call us to discuss a discount. We did not receive a call. On May 12 we called back and were told that someone would call ** back to discuss a discount. This is clearly a predatory practice aimed at patients where the doctor's ****** is trying to sell a wrist brace for a *****% markup over similar wrist braces offered on the market without providing the patient with clear pricing for the product they are being sold. There is no functional difference between the wrist brace provided by the doctor and Amazon.

  Business response

  05/26/2023

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out. Please update your system to my contact as the best person to reach for complaint response as the person on your original complaint notice is no longer with the practice. Update to: ***************************, Chief Operating ******** *********************** Antonio, ** *****, email: ***************. 

  We do show ************************ contacted our office and was in communication with our billing staff. Given his request needed higher level approval, it took some time for our manager to speak with the physician and our accounting staff. I regret it took a second call from ************************ before having this issue resolved. 
  
  The bill he received from our office accurately reflects services that were rendered, whereby his wife received a durable medical product from our office. The insurance carrier processed the claim and applied the cost of that item to their deductible. 

  The insurance companies have established their own rates of payment for each and every CPT/HCPC code. The physician appropriately submitted the code for the brace, that we in good faith provided in advance of any payment.
  
  All of us here at ***** Orthopaedics, are concerned when patients are unhappy with our fees.  We take patient satisfaction with our services seriously and have extended an offer to ************************ to discount his wife's balance from $255.00 to $25.00 in an effort to demonstrate our resolve to stand by our patient satisfaction policy.

  I believe this brings closure in the matter for ************************ fully, however if additional questions remain, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly again. 

  Sincerely, 

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

  Chief Operating Officer

  Customer response

  05/29/2023

  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. ↩