Crozer Keystone Health System

Revdex.com1411 K Street NW, 10th FloorWashington DC 20005-3404Attention: [redacted]Dear [redacted]Please find the response from Crozer Keystone Health System to complaint # [redacted] that was filed by a parent on behalf of his sons for which services were provided by the...

Crozer Keystone Health System (CKHS). CKHS would like it to be noted that prior to the complaint being filed, CKHS had spoken to the parent on several occasions both at the customer service level as well as the Vice President level. Written communication per the parent’s request had also occurred with the most recent letter from CKHS dated May24th 2016.  We would like to address several of the concerns that were raised in this complaint to you.1)       CKHS statements do have due dates on them which state: Due Upon Receipt. 2)       CKHS as a practice does call every patient. The calls assist with collections but also provide an opportunity to answer questions patients may have regarding their statement, their balance or insurance coverage. The calls offer referral information for patients who may disclose a financial hardship and request help with their bills. These calls provide information to the patient regarding financial assistance as well as, governmental and non-governmental programs for which the patient may qualify. The calls also offer discounts to patients. 3)       CKHS listened to 1 ½ hours of taped phone calls that involved the parent and the extended business office. CKHS did acknowledge and apologize in conversation and in writing for the misstatement of one of the agents who did tell the parent that his bill was overdue when it was not. The agent has been counseled and re-educated. 4)       CKHS has instituted quality controls with the extended business office that include: Randomly selected calls are pulled, reviewed by CKHS management and feedback provided back to the business office for training purposes. 5)       CKHS takes our HIPAA responsibility very seriously, as such the parent was asked to provide authorizations from his adult sons before anyone at CKHS would speak to him regarding those specific accounts. 6)       CKHS did agree with the parent regarding the timing of the receipt of the statement and the initial phone call to the patient. CKHS has since changed that practice. Initial phone calls are delayed to give patients time to review their statement, before being called by the business office. 7)       CKHS did offer the parent a discount for his accounts, which he accepted. A refund check was generated. The refund check was originally sent to the patient (son) and the address (his residence at school) which was listed on the account and provided at the time of registration. Once CKHS was made aware of this, payment was stopped, a new check was created and hand delivered personally to the parent at his home by the CKHS Vice President of Revenue Cycle. Crozer Keystone Health System does appreciate the patience, the time and the feedback this parent shared with us to help us improve our processes. This perspective will help us to better serve the people in our community that use our services. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.

From: [redacted]<[redacted]>Date: Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 4:53 PMSubject: Re: Complaint ID [redacted]To: "[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org" <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>Hi [redacted],I would just like to bring to your attention that I received a call from Crozer center and they said that they refuse to address my grievances as a consumer. Please ask them to provide me  in writing how did they investigated this and arrived at their conclusions. This certainly means that they would continue to move forward with their unscrupulous practices and continue to fool innocent women coming for their first time mammograms in believing them they might have something suspicious, then subject them to multiple mammograms , ECGs and Biopsies only to discover that they had nothing and then rip the patients by charging insane amounts to patients without giving them heads up around their the financial implications or any directions around consultation with Insurance company.I went through so much mental turmoil and torture during this and really want other women you stay away from this unscrupulous practice called Crozer Brinton Lake @ Glen Mills, PA.  I would really want the Revdex.com to investigate this facility and see how these care providers are cheating innocent patients.Thanks & Regards,[redacted]Sent from my [redacted]> On Dec 20, 2014, at 11:09 AM, Ruchika G[redacted] <ruchikaaadit@[redacted]> wrote:>> Hi [redacted],>> Thank you so much for your call. I wanted to report that so far there has been no communication from the Crozer folks. They just attempted to reach twice in all these weeks and both times the no.s they have left go no where. On one no. That they left last I tried calling and left VM as well but have received no response.  Revdex.com must investigate their statistics so that healthy women are not resulting in undertaking unnecessary procedures that are not even required, so that such institutions earn money unscrupulously.>> Look forward to your guidance on the matter.>> Regards,> Ruchika G[redacted]>>> Sent from my iPad

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution (that my accounts are closed, no further collection attempts will be made and that my credit rating will not be affected) is satisfactory to me.
I would say that the explanation and some of the other matters as stated I would not agree with.  However on the basis, that my accounts are closed, no further collection attempts will be made and that my credit rating will not be affected, I am willing to draw a line in the sand and move on.
Regards,
[redacted]

January 12, 2018       Ms. [redacted] Revdex.com 1880 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Suite 1330 Philadelphia, PA 19103   Re: ID #[redacted]   Dear Ms. [redacted]:   This letter is a follow-up to your letter, related to [redacted] lost [redacted]. ...

  The hospital cannot be responsible for lost valuables. This is explained to patients on admission by the nurse in the Emergency Department. When admitted through the Emergency Department it is standard procedure to note on the chart all items of value and patients are informed to have a family member take valuables home; or, they are presented the option of having them locked in the hospital’s safe by our Security staff. Upon admission you signed a statement acknowledging you understood that the hospital is not responsible for lost valuables and that you have been advised to have them taken home or locked in the safe.   As acknowledged in the letter Ms. [redacted] did not mentioned to the nurse at discharge that her phone was missing, it was not reported until after she left the hospital and returned.   After receipt of Ms. [redacted] lost telephone on December 22nd, the hospital security staff reviewed all lost and found items, contacted the nursing unit and linen company but nothing matching your description was found. Please be assured the hospital staff will continue to keep an eye out for the [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] will certainly be contacted if anything is found.   In reference to harassing phone calls to pay her bills, please have Ms. [redacted] contact the billing department. This hospitalization is not in collections.   If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me, at [redacted].   Sincerely, Stephanie L[redacted] Director, Patient Relations

Review: On the evening of June 21 I decided that I needed to go to the hospital. As a partially disabled Afghanistan War Veteran, I receive free healthcare from the [redacted] VA Medical Center 25 minuets away. I attempted to drive myself there from my house that day but was unable to make it more than a mile from my house due to my emergency condition. I decided to drive myself to the nearest hospital, located around the corner from my house (less than a mile). I was admitted to the hospital via the emergency room. It was determined that I had appendicitis and that it needed to be removed. Surgery was completed for the next morning June 22nd, 2014. I went to the hospital the next day, June 23rd to get a bill but was informed that it was not available and it would be sent from Crozer-Keystone. I called on the 25th and was told that a bill would be ordered. I received no bill and called again 8/1. Again I was told that a bill would be sent to me. After receiving no bill I called again on 8/15 and was told that I was not able to order a bill because my account was locked due to my case being forwarded to a social worker for medical assistance. I also found out that they had been sending my bill to the wrong address. After fixing my address, I still have not received a bill and no bill was sent to the VA for payment. There was a 90 day window for the VA to pay for my emergency surgery and I have no health insurance outside of the VA medical system. Because if the incompetence of the billing department, my account is most likely in the process of being sent to collections for a bill that I have yet to receive and when I do receive a bill, I will have to payDesired Settlement: Desired outcome is to have the hospital pay the total and complete cost of my care at the hospital including all fees from the time I checked into the emergency room to the time I was discharged from the hospital. These fees include, but are not limited to fees incurred from the emergency room, hospital admissions, diagnostic test, surgery, anesthesia and any other feels related to my stay at [redacted] County Memorial Hospital as billed by Crozer-Keystone Health System and any contracted services by Crozer-Keystone Health System. I do not have the means to pay for this procedure which would have been covered by the Veterans Administration had a bill been produced by Crozer-Keystone Health System and presented to the [redacted] Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Business

Response:

This complaint is being addressed by another member of Crozer-Keystone Health System and as soon as I have the necessary information to formally respond to [redacted]. It is my understanding that Mrs. D[redacted] has been in communication with [redacted] on this complaint.

Thank you,

Linda T[redacted]

Review: In 2009, I was involved in an accident and was treated at Crozer-[redacted]. In 2010, I attended out patient physical therapy for a number of months. I paid my co-pays off over a period of time, but for the month of February 2010, it appears that the hospital did not file the claim with my insurer properly. I was contacted at some point in 2012 about the outstanding amount and I contacted my insurer who told me that the hospital needed to claim through [redacted]. I rang the hospital and explained the procedure (My insurer told me at that time, that this was standard and that the hospital knew the procedure well, and that they had already claimed in this way) and I even offered to setup a call with my insurer to assist. The hospital assured me they understood what they had to do. I received a debt collection notice from a debt collection agency for the amount earlier this year. I first disputed it and then when they sent me the itemized bill, I contacted my insurer again. They explained the hospital had not completed the claim within the time frame, and also stressed that I owed the hospital nothing. My insurer forwarded the paperwork from the claim, showing I owed the hospital nothing. I contacted the hospital and they claimed they had filed the claim properly and in time and had never been paid. I have now forwarded them the paperwork I received from my insurer.

I would also like to stress that this matter has been effectively left for over four years. It seems incredible to me that the hospital has left it for this period of time.Desired Settlement: I would like the hospital to adjust the bill to zero and remove it from collection. The issue is between them and my insurer (or [redacted]) and is really nothing to do with me.

Business

Response: