ComplaintsforEye Associates Northwest PLLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 12/18/2023, I went to EANW for my annual vision exam, just as I had done for the last 35 years. My vision insurance. Met Life, covers that one annual exam, and each year, EANW would bill the insurance. However, this year, for some mystery reason, they did not bill my insurance, and they did not notify me either. In June 2024, I received a bill dated 6/14/2024 for $474.00 for my regular vision exam. It was apparently incorrectly coded 'medical' ; however that exam was no different from every other annual vision exam. I called, wrote to their 'contact us' link on their website, written physical letters to ***********, called EANW and Met Life. The phone system makes on wait on hold for up to ***** minutes, and sometimes hangs up on you, people who do answer say they don't know, don't have any authority, etc. I have always paid all my bills promptly and never late, so after 1 month of no resolution, I reluctantly paid, thinking I could be reimbursed from insurance, and then filed a claim. Recently (August 2024), I received a letter from Met Life, stating my claim was denied, stating the claim was submitted beyond the allowed submission period. I have been attempting to appeal that--it was the responsibility and fault of Eye Associates to wait 6 months to bill me, and not my fault. For 35 years, they billed my insurance directly, I never had to pay for the exam, and they did not notify me that it was any different this year. By waiting 6 months to bill me, EANW is the one at fault for my 'late' submission to the insurance company. EANW should reimburse me fully and promptly for their late and faulty billing. I also paid an additional $85.00 separately on 2/16/2024 for what I thought was contact lens evaluation, and another $50,00 on 6/11/2024 for contact lenses. Those bills are probably legitimate, but honesty, now I have to wonder. My insurance covers glasses in 2024, and I took contact lenses in lieu of the glasses this year.

• Initial Complaint

  05/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have been an Eye Associates patient for 35 years, and always trusted them. Doctors and other employees were always professional, trustworthy and competent. They said they had a free consultation regarding laser eye surgery, and I made appointment for it. When I arrived, the employee started doing a bunch of eye measurements, etc. I asked 'is this necessary? ' she said it saves time. I thought it odd, but complied with directions. At no time, did anyone tell me they turned free consult into paying 'services.. appointment--I would have said no thank you immediately I was shocked and surprised to receive the bill. I tried calling EA and most of the time, got only the phone system, press 1 for this, 2 for that, etc. Sometimes was able to leave a message, but not always. Got through to billing department, they said they couldn't change the bill. I went onto website and wrote messages 3 times over the last month--no response. Went into the office and asked to speak to person in charge; was told no one was in charge, I waited 45 minutes until 5pm closing time, the receptionist said she was 'only 2 day temp' but listened to me, said she'd talk to supervisor and get back to me. No response. I wrote 5 letters to *********** (the laser surgery doctor at the free consult) and 4 of his associates including my current EA doctor, and have received no response. I've now also written to the 'umbrella' organization based in ******. I find it shocking and greatly hurtful that 1) they would do that to a 35 year patient, and 2) employees at every level continue to refuse to respond and address this. Initially, I thought it was an honest error somewhere; now I am so deeply hurt that a physician organization that is supposed to be a health care company taking care of the health of their patients, would do this to me.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I had an appointment scheduled to see ********** at Eye Associates NW on May 6th at 10:30am. I checked in at the *****, paid my co-pay at the Kiosk, and sat and waited for my appointment. I waited for an entire hour, and when I inquired as to when i might see the doctor, I was offered to reschedule my appointment. I did not care to reschedule my appointment, as I was a new patient and this was not a great experience for me. I asked the person at the front desk for a refund for my co-pay, to which he replied -- you must call the accounting department. I asked for clarification on if they needed any further information and he continued to say over and over again, call the accounting department. He was rude and this was embarrassing, but I left and called the accounting department. I was informed by the accounting department that I needed to request the refund from the doctor's ****** and that they could not help me. I explained that I had left the ****** and asked for the doctor's ****** phone number and was informed that the doctor's ****** didn't have a phone number for customers to call, only the appointment scheduling ****** had an actual phone number. They promised to pass along the message to the ****** manager (I spoke to two people who offered to do this. I also emailed the ****** manager on Monday and have not heard back. All I am asking for is my $20 copay -- this money should not be in their ****** as I did NOT see the doctor. Please refund my money.

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  After paying in full for new glasses ( through VSP ) I received an additional bill for $10, with an indecipherable description. Repeated attempts to contact the company have failed, they do not return phone calls as stated in their recorded message.

• Initial Complaint

  09/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I went for my eye exam at Eye Associates Northwest and I used my insurance to pay for the exam. I ordered by glasses through a prescription I got from them. I had 600 frames that were only 3 years old that were in very good shape that I used to send the prescription off to fill my new prescription glasses. They stated that the glasses would be in on September 10, 2022. When I called on September 13, 2022, they stated that they were still in ********** and were in transit and would be there in two days. Then I checked throughout the week and they stated that they still were not in and that they were in **********. I had to buy another pair of glasses (reading) so I could see in the meantime which I wear transitions (so bifocals without the lines). My insurance covers either the glasses or the frames but not both, I chose the glasses because my frames were fine and very expensive. So I called again today, September 16, 2022 at 1 pm and they stated that my glasses were still in **********, and they would check to see what the delay was. Then I got a voice mail a couple of hours later on the same date stating that my glasses were there and that they had broken the frames when they put the new prescription in and that is to be expected. They did not apologize for breaking them, They did not apologize for lying to me. They did not offer to give me a new set of frames. They took no fault. This is very unethical and irresponsible of them. How childish to lie and not to offer to replace the frames for free. They blamed the frames. How childish and unprofessional of this organization. They never told me that this could happen. I never signed anything that this could happen. They should offer me a new pair of frames. This is horrible treatment and horrible business tactics. I want a new frame at no charge for them breaking my frames.

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