Cardionet, Incorporated

I received a call from Cardionet reguarding the return of the unit. This was shipped back via PP Us mail. Unfortunately I failed to include the box. I called your receiving department to explain the situation and was told not to worry about. This was about ten days ago. If you wish I can mail back the box.. This is very unusual method of shipping I might add. I have no trust in the PO for anything other than letters.

Review: I was prescribed a three week event monitor by my cardiologist. It arrived at my door with instructions of how to turn it on, no where in the packet or on the website did it state that there is a flat 30 day monitoring charge. I believed I would be charged by the day like other monitors I have wore, not by the month!

I broke out with hives during my scheduled time to wear the monitor and was advised by my primary care physician to return it. I called Cardionet to let them know I would be returning the monitor early (after 2 1/2 weeks), never in the course of that phone call was I told I would be charged for 30 days of monitoring.

Today, I received my portion of the "30 days" worth of monitoring. I called the company asking about the charge and they said it's flat 30 day rate, unless I go over 30 days, then the charges would have been more. I tried to negotiate the rate down, as I did not receive 30 days worth of monitoring and I was never made aware that I would be charged for 30 days worth of monitoring, but the billing agent refused any type of discount or solution, other than a payment plan. I asked her three times for a reduced rate for the service I was given, but she refused and I was only told about possible assistance via their website once I specifically asked about it. I would have kept the monitor until my rash was gone and continued to wear it, if I was going to be charged for 30 days worth of monitoring, but I thought it smart not to waste my families one income on a service that wasn't being utilized why I had a rash.

It is not ethical to have a flat fee of thirty days without notifying the consumer first. I have a family of 4 supported by one income and I would have refused service from this company if I was made aware of their flat 30 day fee.Desired Settlement: I would like a reduced bill for exact amount of service time, not for 30 days.

Business

Response:

Good morning,

At the recommendation of my doctor, I utilized an event heart monitor from Cardio Net. Used the monitor as directed, but the procedure for recording events and calling in the information did not allow for specific symptoms to be tied to a specific recorded event on the monitor. As a result, the data was not very helpful to my doctor in figuring out any potential underlying problems.
Fast forward a few months, and I received a collections notice on my account with Cardio Net. I had not received an invoice or past-due notice from them. I requested a copy of my bill and have received it now for the first time.
I was not impressed with the performance of the monitor itself, the method of data collection, and certainly not with their billing procedures. To have the first notice be one from a collections agency is unacceptable.

Review: This company provided heart monitoring services at the request of my cardiologist. I received their bill for the amount not covered by insurance in August. I have made two payments, one in August and one in September, totalling over half the charge. I have now received an abusive collection letter containing false statements regarding their attempts to contact me both via mail and phone. I am not dodging this bill, I am making a sincere effort to pay.Desired Settlement: I expect an apology as well as a promise that they will not in any way negatively impact my credit score. I also expect them to give me enough time to make two more monthly payments to clear this matter up.

Terrible experience. Took 10 days to receive monitor. Monitor broke after four days. Changed battery - still didn't work. Seven days to receive replacement. Replacement monitor broke after four days, too. Changed battery - still didn't work. Went to 30 day follow-up with cardiologist with virtually no data base. What a waste. This is people's hearts we're talking about here, for crying out loud.

Review: I am the type of person that tries very hard not to complain and to tries to give people, and even businesses, the benefit of the doubt. I have done so with CardioNet. I have tried over five times to remedy this situation, but CardioNet has been uncooperative and fraudulent.

My doctor prescribed one of their heart monitors for me to use for diagnostic purposes due to health problems. I was not told by CardioNet (when I called in) that I must have a landline (phone line) to even use this device to obtain the results. I received their package in the mail with the heart monitor and almost no instructions. I had to call CardioNet directly to even know how to use the device properly.

I called them and the customer service lady was nice. She tried to help me activate my heart monitor and send in my first reading from it. We tried several times to submit the reading (it must be submitted from the device over the phone to CardioNet, where they save the results, then giving them to my doctor), but due to not having a landline, the results came through improperly and were unusable. She said they were not able to be used, and that my doctor would not be able to read them, so that I could not use this device.

The customer service lady even told me that I had to have a landline to use this device at all. Since I had no access to a landline (readings must be submitted multiple times a day) and there was no successful reading obtained from the heart monitor at all, the CardioNet customer service lady told me they would not charge me or bill my insurance for this device. She then told me to send it back in, since it was not usable for me. I have sent the device back to them and have the tracking number to prove it.

She also told me to call my cardiologist to have them contact CardioNet to let them know I needed a different heart monitor that did not need a landline. I called my cardiologist, and they were very prompt in calling their CardioNet representative. The cardiologist's office called me back promptly and said that the CardioNet representative would be contacting me directly soon. I have never heard from this representative.

I called my cardiologist again, and they again contacted the CardioNet representative for me. I still never heard from the representative.

I then called CardioNet customer service again. I told them my situation and what the other customer service agent had told me. This customer service agent also affirmed that I would not be be billed and that my insurance would not be billed, so I thought the problem was remedied. This was all 4 months ago.

I then kept periodically receiving statements saying that I owed CardioNet for the heart monitor usage and that my insurance HAD been billed.

I called again and again, and they kept telling me the same thing: "We will remedy the situation." ~CardioNet.

It is now 4 months later and after many tries to remedy this situation, it has not been remedied. I am still being charged and so is my insurance. I called my insurance about it (this month August 2013), and they found TWO claims from CardioNet for this ONE device. This is INSURANCE FRAUD.

I called CardioNet right after talking to my insurance and told them that I had alerted my insurance to the situation. I told them that this is insurance fraud. The lady kept repeating that "I will submit your file and we will have our representatives look at it and call you back soon."

I have STILL not heard back from them and this was 18 days ago, over 2 weeks.

So they are now guilty of horrible customer service, lying, false charges to me, and insurance fraud. I do not understand how CardioNet is still in business. I will be reporting all this to my cardiologist, so hopefully they will never use CardioNet again. You apparently do not care about your customers at all, because your Revdex.com rating is an "F". The lowest score, because you do not have integrity. Also, there are many other complaints against you, just on this one website.

I do not recommend this company to anyone at all. I will keep pursuing this issue until it is remedied.Desired Settlement: I need the billing charges against me to be erased, like they said they would 4 months ago, since I was completely unable to use the heart monitor and told by their customer service agents repeatedly that I would NEVER be billed, but I have been. I need them to refund my insurance for the two false claims they submitted, because again, CardioNet customer service agents repeatedly said my insurance would not be billed. If these things are not remedied soon, I will pursue further action against CardioNet.

Business

Response:

Consumer Complaint # [redacted]

Inboxx

[redacted] <[redacted]>

9:51 AM (1 hour ago)

to me

Good morning, Please find the attached response to consumer complaint #[redacted] that we received dated 8.21.13. Should you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out at any time. Thank you and have a nice day! [redacted]Manager - Reimbursement PerformanceReimbursement ServicesCardionet, Inc.227 Washington StreetConshohocken, PA 19428 Office: ###-###-####Email: [redacted]Reporting to: [redacted] "Better Information. Better Care"

July 25,2013

Dear **. [redacted],

After careful review of **. [redacted]’s account activity with CardioNet, I can confirm that the patients account has been closed. The patient does not owe a balance to CardioNet. Furthermore, the patient’s insurance company will be refunded for any payments that were made to CardioNet for this date of service.

When the patient initially attempted to send a baseline reading over the phone with our representative charges were created in our billing system automatically, but in error. The Patient Billing Department has had the patient’s accounts on hold while this date of service was under review and this has not impacted the patient’s credit in any way.

I would like to extend a sincere apology on behalf of CardioNet for the less than excellent service that was provided. I can assure you that we are addressing any internal issues that were raised so that in the future we can ensure patient satisfaction, with both our customer service and our billing practices.

Sincerely,

Review: My doctor had me wear a heart monitor for two weeks to record and monitor my heart activity. The company that sent me the monitor via mail is Cardionet. At no time prior to or during the use of the monitor was cost conveyed to me. Only after the return of the monitor did a bill for their service arrive. My insurance company was billed $4700 and since my deductible was not met, I was responsible for $1200. My complaint is that at no time was I told what the service would cost so I could find out what my expense might be, or look into other companies providing the service. Any inquiries I made were not addressed to my satisfaction, they gave me an opportunity to get a 10% discount for financial hardship which was not addressing my concern. I also questioned why I was being billed for 30 day monitoring when I only had the device for two weeks to which the representative replied, "it doesn't matter how long you have the device the charge is the same". I was also referred back to the doctor by the company and then told by the doctors office they do not speak to the companies practices. In my experience I have never come across a company that did not spell out the cost for a product PRIOR to its use unless no cost was to be incurred. The changing structure of Healthcare plans, deductibles and coverage should make it mandatory that the cost of a service be spelled out PRIOR to its use. I pay my bills on time and in full when presented in an appropriate manner. Cardionet forced me to pay the bill with collection threats while I was making inquiries into the validity of their practices and they received half up front and the balance in monthly payments. I would like them to justify their practice of revealing the cost of their services when there is no choice or recourse but to pay them. I would also like to know if this practice violates any consumer laws in place for my protection. Thank You, [redacted] Acct. #[redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like an explanation as noted in the complaint.

Business

Response:

To Whom it May Concern,