Chatterbox Speech Therapy

I would like to address the request to "stop advertising a free screening or make it truly free"Chatterbox Speech Therapy does offer free screenings and they are “truly free”This screening is offered and intended for individuals who are unsure about the need for servicesIf a client or their
child has already received services, as in this case the consumer states that she was referred by her home visiting program, or if the child has been referred for an evaluation from another qualified healthcare provider, as in this case the client was referred be her pediatrician, we do not recommend a free screening because the client has already qualified for services or has been screened by another qualified healthcare provider We will not remove the advertisement for free screenings because this is a service we provide and a service that many of our clients have benefited fromWhen this consumer contacted our office it was explained to her that because she was referred for our services from her pediatrician a free screening was not appropriate and a full evaluation was recommendedAt this point she agreed and asked to be scheduled for an evaluationA phone intake form was then completed for a full speech and language evaluationThe consumer then provided her insurance information for insurance approval and billing purposesThe consumer was then emailed our client history and client demographic forms for her to fill out and return to our office on the day of the evaluationIn this email it states: “Please complete and bring both attachments to the EVALUATION that is scheduled for_______”This was the first confirmation that the consumer would be receiving an evaluation and not a free screeningOn the day of the evaluation, the consumer was greeted by our receptionist who collected the client history and demographic forms and then immediately reviewed our CONSENT AND AGREEMENT TO OUR SERVICES documentationOur receptionist reads through each section and highlights areas regarding payment and attendanceWithin this documentation payment and insurance requirements are reviewedThe consumer not only signed the CONSENT AND AGREEMENT TO SERVICES she initialed next to the following statement “I have read the above payment policy and agree”After this paperwork was reviewed and signed by the consumer she provided us with a copy of a current insurance card and driver’s license for billing purposes. The results of the evaluation resulted in the recommendation for servicesThe evaluation was completed, the consumer received the services that were recommended and requested, and the results of the evaluation prove that a full evaluation was warrantedThe consumer’s insurance was billed for an evaluation and her insurance covered all but $which was the coinsurance amount that the consumer is responsible for based on her insurance contractAfter the requested services were provided and billed to her insurance the consumer received an invoice for the amount that she was responsible for, at this time she called our clinic and accused us of insurance fraudAt this point my receptionist forwarded the consumer to our billing specialistAfter reviewing the documentation our billing specialist confirmed that this was not a mistake and that the consumer was in fact responsible for paymentThe consumer then filed an appeal with her insurance companyInsurance companies take these claims very seriously and conducted a thorough investigationChatterbox supplied the insurance company with all of our documentation and the appeal was settled in our (Chatterbox’s) favorThe insurance investigation results determined that the consumer was and is responsible for the $coinsurance paymentAs a small business that prides themselves on our integrity and commitment to providing exceptional services to our clients and families, we have taken the necessary steps to insure that our clients are well informed and notified of our procedures, insurance liabilities and responsibilities, as well as payment requirements and optionsOur staff is always available to explain in detail any questions that our clients may have and are always open to addressing any concerns or issues that may arise at any momentChatterbox employees and subsidiaries strive for great customer service and contributing to our community in a positive & friendly manner. Chatterbox takes pride in our employees and our customers and considers all of them to be a part of our Chatterbox family! We understand that not everyone is alike, and communications can be misinterpretedBecause of this, we have several ways that we communicate our processes and procedures including several methods of documentation and explanationWe have been very concerned with this consumer’s complaints and have taken them very seriouslyWe have exercised every avenue possible to address and resolve the consumer’s complaint, including working with the consumer’s insurance company and complying with their investigationThe appeal was settled in our favor therefore, we consider this situation to be concluded and resolved. Thank youRespectfully, Tanya F* Owner Chatterbox Speech Therapy, LLC

I contacted my insurance company to question them about the charge, and it was atthat time the insurance specialist advised investigating the claim. My insurancecompany found no fault with how Chatterbox billed them, but advised me to contactthe Revdex.com because they agreed that while the billing was legitimate, the services andadvertisement were purposely misleading. [redacted]s program also encouraged meto file a complaint and no longer refer people to Chatterbox for services, as they alsomisrepresented their services to another family.If the receptionist has the power to waive the “screening” and proceed to the“evaluation” then I would like to know if she, too, is a licensed speech therapist. Iwould also like to say that at no time did I realize when the paperwork was sent tome that the “screening” had been waived and the separate and different “evaluation”would occur instead. As you may know, “screening” and “evaluation” are usedpretty interchangeably in speech. I signed the consent of payment because Iunderstood my first visit was free and thought I was “getting my paperwork inorder” for subsequent visits and understood there would be a charge for thosefuture visits.It is shameful that a business that claims to “help children find their voice” shouldmislead their parents and double bill services.