Mercy Hospital

11/17/2017: Mediator emailed consumer requesting update.11/20/2017: I do want to pursue this case, but I am unable to open the old E-mails to get you a copy of the letters they sent. All that was sent to me was a bill for Services. I called them and explained I already paid the social worker that came to our room and explained the billing. (he told us the amount paid was what we owed for the visit). This is the whole reason I was so confused. I paid them before we left the ER and they did not give us any answers, in fact we signed a waver to be discharged. 11/20/2017: Mediator sent consumer HIPAA form so that business will discuss during mediation. 11/29/2017: Mediator emailed consumer to see if they had received the HIPAA form and if they were going to return it.11/30/2017: I don't know what that is,but I will sign anything you need.12/01/2017: Mediator resent HIPAA form through Blue.

12/19/2017   Case ID: # [redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   Out of respect for the privacy...

and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems

9/12/2016   Case ID: #[redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   Out of respect for the privacy and...

confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/31) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted] ACIII
Contact Phone: XXXXXXXXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@mercy.net
12/31/15
Case ID: XXXXXXX
Dear Revdex.com Investigator,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond...

regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for Mercy provided to the complainant.
Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both Insurance and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.
Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Patient Services
Mercy Health Systems

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The representative for Mercy Hospital has not responded to the complaint. Obfuscation is not a response. This complaint has nothing to do with personal health information and is a result of deceptive billing practices on Mercy's part. Their invoices are vague with no explanation or itemization and are completely arbitrary - both paper invoices I have received appear to be charging different amounts for treatment visits, although the treatments were all the same. The final invoice is nearly ten times the original amount quoted to me before scheduling treatments. They need to respond in a meaningful way.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Account # [redacted] Date of Birth: 12/12/1991 Patient Name: [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: 1) Mercy can still respond to my complaint without disclosing my medical/financial information 2) No information is being provided to show me that the Revdex.com would still be involved in the case
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:They have not contacted me.That is a lousy excuse.I have been given run around for the last 4 months and that is why I decided to open this complaint.All they did was send this bill to a collection agency because that is what they do bestWhy hasn't this lady contacted me personally?
[redacted]

06/20/2017   Case ID: #[redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   Out of respect for the privacy and...

confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems

7/26/2017   Case ID: [redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.   A letter was mailed to the patient advising of the results of the account review that was done as a result of the Revdex.com Complaint.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,     [redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems

Complaint: [redacted]
Once again you have not responded to my complaint. I already paid what I was told was owed by your own employee. I don't understand why you are not agnolaging my complaint. 
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted]

5/1/2018   Case ID: # [redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   The statement received by the patient was mailed prior to Mercy’s notification of the Revdex.com Complaint. No further statements will be sent as the issue has been resolved.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,   [redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems Tell us why here...

2/2/2017   Case ID: #[redacted]   Dear Revdex.com Investigator,   I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.   Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our...

patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records, we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations. The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.   Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.   Sincerely,
[redacted] Patient Services Mercy Health Systems

I appreciate the opportunity to respond regarding concerns of billing/collection practices for clinical services provided to the complainant.Out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of our patients protected health information (PHI), which may encompass both clinical and financial records,...

we have developed an internal system for responding directly to the complainant in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.  The complainant may in turn release a copy of our original response directly to the Revdex.com, at their discretion.Please let me know how I can be of further assistance in the resolution of this concern.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted] MS [redacted] telephoned me today and based upon statements she made to me, we agreed to resolve the case internally and I therefore agreed to close the case.Thank you [redacted]

Maintaining patient privacy is a central component of Mercy Hospital's mission to provide clinically excellent, compassionate health care to all, with special concern for the poor and disadvantaged.  Consistent with our mission and federal and state law, Mercy cannot confirm and disclose...

aspects of a patient's care without express authorization from the patient.  At this time, we are unable to reply, and we respectfully request that this complaint be removed from your website

Initial Business Response /* (1001, 15, 2014/09/09) */
I am writing in regards to a complaint that was mailed to our office, case # XXXXXXXX. Unfortunately, due to state and federal HIPAA privacy laws, I am unable to discuss any information regarding this complaint without written...

authorization from the complainant to do so. For your convenience, I have attached an authorization form that you may provide to the complainant. Once completed, the authorization form may be mailed to the following address:

HIPAA Privacy Officers
Chicago Otolaryngology Associates, SC
[redacted]
[redacted] XXXXX

Upon receipt of the properly completed and signed authorization form, I will be happy to discuss this complaint in greater detail and help the Revdex.com resolve this matter.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 19, 2014/09/10) */
I also contacted the company([redacted]) itself again on Sept. 3, 2014. No reply yet from them
Final Business Response /* (4000, 21, 2014/09/19) */
Please read the attached letter with the official response from the business.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:I had a phone conversation with the woman who sent the response to the Revdex.com.  My takeaway from that conversation is that, due to a line item on a form that everyone signs when entering the emergency room, the hospital does not see any legal obligation to accept my request.  During this discussion I made the hospital representative aware that I felt that these practices may be legally covered but they are still not proper business practices and they still leave the customer (myself in this case) being taken advantage of.  She did not disagree with my concern over the practices of the hospital and mentioned that she would look into it further for future cases.  From the conversation that I had with her it was clear that the hospital was going to take no further action to resolve my specific case because they use a third party billing system for their doctors.  This still leaves me with my original complaint that although the hospital was not the one who charged me the overpriced doctor's bill, they are the ones that have a misleading practice that made me blindsided by this bill.I have still not paid this bill and will be seeking further explanation from the hospital and the billing doctor.  This should stand as an example to future customers of the hospital, that although the hospital staff tell you a price and present it as though it is the total cost, there could be an additional fee of more than double that cost that they are not telling you about.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

I am responding to your letter dated may 12, 2016, to [redacted] of Mercy Hospital. Mercy Hospital has received your complaint and is currently handling it through its patient complaint process. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything further from Mercy Hospital regarding a...

complaint.