Homecare Concepts, Inc.

Review: HomeCare Concepts is sending me a bill (addressed to my recently deceased husband [redacted]) for $76 every month with no itemization or explanation. I have called them FOUR times about it (the last time in June 2013). Each time HomeCare representatives have apologized, said it was an error, and deleted the billing from their system. Nonetheless I continue to receive these bills (the last one dated October *,2013). This is fraud, and this company intentionally implements these practices to exploit the elderly (note whenever they get called about, they immediately back down and acknowledge it is a mistake. They know their practice is FRAUD.Desired Settlement: Criminal investigation by New York State government. Media investigation (NY1, New York Times, New York Post, local news, etc)

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for the letter of 11/**/2013 regarding a complaint number [redacted]. HomeCare Concepts is in the business of providing quality home medical equipment to our patients in a professional quality driven manner. Ethics are a great concern here and we are saddened to hear that one of our patients has made a report on an issue that questions them.

Attached please find the letter that was sent to the patient’s family member, who made the complaint with a discussion of the events and the expected outcome.

On Friday November **, 2013 a call was placed to the patient’s wife. There was no answer to the call and a voice mail message was requesting a return call so we could discuss the complaint, the outstanding return of the wheelchair and the payment that is due.

I would like to place emphasis on the fact that there is no issue of fraud or fraudulent activity. Equipment was provided as a rental; if the rental period goes for an assigned amount of time by the insurance company, the equipment is deemed paid for. In this situation, the patient expired prior to that date. Therefore the equipment is due to be returned. Despite letters to the patient’s family requesting a return of the equipment, to date, the equipment has not been returned. Due to this, the patient is being billed for the outstanding monthly rental fees.

We are hopeful that the patient’s family will return my phone call or respond to the letter that is attached so that an agreement can be reached. Billing will continue until the situation is resolved.

Thank you again for your concern and notification in this matter.

Sincerely,

HomeCare Concepts, Inc.

HOME CARE CONCEPTS, INC

[redacted]

[redacted]

November **, 2013

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for your concern regarding the billing of a wheel chair that was provided by

HomeCare Concepts to your husband on July **, 2012. This letter is in response to your complaint to the Revdex.com.

My name is [redacted] and I am the [redacted] at HomeCare Concepts. Let me start this letter by expressing my sympathy for your loss and the concern this issue must be causing you. HomeCare Concepts is sorry for that.

It is my understanding that on July **, 2012 an 18 inch wheel chair was delivered to your home for use by your husband. The insurance payor for the wheelchair was GHI. Under GHI insurance, equipment is rented for a period of 13 months and then converts to a purchase. The wheelchair that was provided was billed through March *, 2013. An April billing was not completed due to notification of the death of your husband on April *, 2013. At this time, the wheelchair, under the rental agreement that was signed at delivery and per GHI and HomeCare Concepts protocol was due for pick up. I am unsure as to why to this date the wheelchair has not been returned.

This issue could simply be resolved by the return of the wheelchair. I have placed a call to you at [redacted] on November **, 2013 in an effort to discuss the matter.

In regards to your complaint that HomeCare Concepts was involved in a fraudulent situation, this is just not true. I apologize for any confusion that has surrounded the situation. Since the wheelchair was not returned, rental billing was continued. I am unsure as to why any employee at HomeCare Concepts would say this was in error. The simple fact is the wheelchair must be returned or a payment arrangement made to resolve the outstanding balance.

Please contact me so we can speak, I can understand the reason why the chair has not been returned and an agreement can be arranged. I can be reached at ###-###-####.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

HomeCare Concepts, Inc.

[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

This business falsely claims it "delivered to your home" a wheelchair for my recently deceased husband on July **, 2012. Both my son and I called FOUR times since May 2013 to inform them my husband never asked for nor received a wheelchair from this company, and we asked them for a copy of the supposed rental agreement or itemized bill. Each time we called, a woman on the other line admitted it was an error on the phone and promised to stop sending me bills. But in December 2013, they again sent me another letter claiming a "rental agreement was signed" and demanding payment. However they continue to refuse to provide a copy of the rental agreement they claim was signed as well as refuse to provide any proof of any such delivery - this business knows it is a lie.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Dear Revdex.com.

HomeCare Concepts wishes to resolve this complaint. Today a copy of 2 delivery tickets signed by [redacted] have been sent to the home address listed on this complaint as requested by the family. Copies are also attached to this email.