Corona Temecula Orthopaedic Associates

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 10, 2016/06/17) */ In the matter of the above-referenced patient, our physician assistant did a full examination addressing the patient's complaint The office note reads as follows: "We discussed the nature of patient's injury, expected healing course and outcome, and overall prognosisPatient understands this wellLengthy discussion with regards to DA & dupuytrens, course and treatmentI explained the SCR results to the patientDiscussion with Ft in regards to conservative management, NSAIDS, Physical Therapy, RICE treatment vs, operative interventionRecommending Xiaflex injections referralPt wishes to proceed with XiaflexContinue nutritional optimization, WBAT, pain mgrrit, ROM at home exercisesPt advised to call CTOA with any questions or concernsPt verbally acknowledge understanding of care plan, and all questions were answeredContinue with conservative treatments and RTC sooner if problemsReturn PRIN.i.4" P He discussed an injection of Xiaflex and put in the referral paperwork for that injection on January15, The authorization was received days later and forwarded to a rhetimatology specialistThat provider's office was to contact her to schedule the procedureAs far as the $she paid our office, that amount went towards her unmet deductibleHad she already met her deductible for the yeas, she wouldn't have been billed that portion Should you have any questions, please refer them directly to me either by email at [redacted] @ctoamg.corri or by phone at (XXX) XXX-XXXX Respectfully, Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 12, 2016/06/18) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The response from the Doctor's office is incorrectI went to their office for a shot of Xiaflex into a hard growth in my hand to remove itOnce I got there I was told by the PA that they did not do this procedure at their officeThat was itNo "lengthy discussion" took placeNo full examination, NO healing course, Physical therapy treatment etc, took placeThe solution for the solid lump in my hand, from my primary Doctor, was the Xiaflex shotThat would melt it awayThis office said they no longer did itThus the short visitThe PA's is not telling the truthHe may have written this down but it did not happen that wayThey did refer me to another specialist which also did NOT do this shotThe specialist called this office and left a message for DrTooma and ask why I was reffered to himBy the way I was out of the office so quick my ride said to me "that was quick"This is not about the $It is about getting ripped offI have never disputed a Drbill in my years of life,this is the first timeI tried to contact Terri Supulveda to rectify this matter numerous times thru phone calls, email and letter and she never had the decency to answer meI wanted to discuss all of these to her but she totally ignored meMy insurance paid them $and I paid $because I don't want to ruin my credit over this because of their threat that they will take further actionThe audacityNot providing service and charging people and insurance is a fraud and taking advantage of senior citizens and has to be stopWhat makes me really angry is the climate of this officeThe laziness, arrogance and the uncaring attitude of the administrator and customer service people is a shameMostly, senior citizens don't have the energy to fight billing disputesIt's very exhausting and stressful and to be ignored is even worseThis clinic gives services mostly to older people so they need to be more respectful and courteous in calling people back and do their jobs in rectifying billing disputes Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 14, 2016/06/30) */ I listened to the recording of the patient scheduling her appointment and the patient asked if "the doctor would have to see me first before doing the surgery, right?" It seems that the patient was aware that the cyst treatment would involve a surgical procedureThe medication, Xiaflex, is only administered as a surgical procedure in outpatient surgery centers and our office has never done Xiaflex injections in office, nor do our physicians perform it in a surgery centerThis is why the patient was referred to a rheumatologistOur office cannot control what procedures outside physicians or facilities perform, but we did our due diligence by sending her to a specialist who typically, to our knowledge, would be capable of the procedureOur PA did review the patient's x-rays and perform a physical exam, for which he noted measurements in his office noteIt is unfortunate that Ms [redacted] is dissatisfied with our serviceFor that we are sorry If it would make the patient feel better, we will refund her share of costPlease advise Final Consumer Response / [redacted] (2000, 24, 2016/07/26) */

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/06/17) */
In the matter of the above-referenced patient, our physician assistant did a full examination addressing the patient's complaint The office note reads as follows:
"We discussed the nature of patient's injury, expected healing course and...

outcome, and overall prognosis. Patient understands this well. Lengthy discussion with regards to DA & dupuytrens, course and treatment. I explained the SCR results to the patient. Discussion with Ft in regards to conservative management, NSAIDS, Physical Therapy, RICE treatment vs, operative intervention. Recommending Xiaflex injections referral. Pt wishes to proceed with Xiaflex. Continue nutritional optimization, WBAT, pain mgrrit, ROM at home exercises. Pt advised to call CTOA with any questions or concerns. Pt verbally acknowledge understanding of care plan, and all questions were answered. Continue with conservative treatments and RTC sooner if problems. Return PRIN.i.4"
P.0
He discussed an injection of Xiaflex and put in the referral paperwork for that injection on January. 15, 2016. The authorization was received 10 days later and forwarded to a rhetimatology specialist. That provider's office was to contact her to schedule the procedure. As far as the $77.22 she paid our office, that amount went towards her unmet deductible. Had she already met her deductible for the yeas, she wouldn't have been billed that portion.
Should you have any questions, please refer them directly to me either by email at [redacted]@ctoamg.corri or by phone at (XXX) XXX-XXXX.
Respectfully,
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2016/06/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response from the Doctor's office is incorrect. I went to their office for a shot of Xiaflex into a hard growth in my hand to remove it. Once I got there I was told by the PA that they did not do this procedure at their office. That was it. No "lengthy discussion" took place. No full examination, NO healing course, Physical therapy treatment etc, took place. The solution for the solid lump in my hand, from my primary Doctor, was the Xiaflex shot. That would melt it away. This office said they no longer did it. Thus the short visit. The PA's is not telling the truth. He may have written this down but it did not happen that way. They did refer me to another specialist which also did NOT do this shot. The specialist called this office and left a message for Dr. Tooma and ask why I was reffered to him. By the way I was out of the office so quick my ride said to me "that was quick". This is not about the $77.00. It is about getting ripped off. I have never disputed a Dr. bill in my 60 years of life,this is the first time. I tried to contact Terri Supulveda to rectify this matter numerous times thru phone calls, email and letter and she never had the decency to answer me. I wanted to discuss all of these to her but she totally ignored me. My insurance paid them $202.78 and I paid $77.22 because I don't want to ruin my credit over this because of their threat that they will take further action. The audacity. Not providing service and charging people and insurance is a fraud and taking advantage of senior citizens and has to be stop. What makes me really angry is the climate of this office. The laziness, arrogance and the uncaring attitude of the administrator and customer service people is a shame. Mostly, senior citizens don't have the energy to fight billing disputes. It's very exhausting and stressful and to be ignored is even worse. This clinic gives services mostly to older people so they need to be more respectful and courteous in calling people back and do their jobs in rectifying billing disputes.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2016/06/30) */
I listened to the recording of the patient scheduling her appointment and the patient asked if "the doctor would have to see me first before doing the surgery, right?" It seems that the patient was aware that the cyst treatment would involve a surgical procedure. The medication, Xiaflex, is only administered as a surgical procedure in outpatient surgery centers and our office has never done Xiaflex injections in office, nor do our physicians perform it in a surgery center. This is why the patient was referred to a rheumatologist. Our office cannot control what procedures outside physicians or facilities perform, but we did our due diligence by sending her to a specialist who typically, to our knowledge, would be capable of the procedure. Our PA did review the patient's x-rays and perform a physical exam, for which he noted measurements in his office note. It is unfortunate that Ms. [redacted] is dissatisfied with our service. For that we are sorry.
If it would make the patient feel better, we will refund her share of cost. Please advise.
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 24, 2016/07/26) */