Modesto Optometric Vision Center

Business States: The matter has been resolved and the consumers husband came in on 9/22/15 and paid the balance in full. There is no money owed and consumer is no longer associated/ a consumer with business. The complaint has been resolved.

Review: On 7/17/15 I had an appointment to review my prescription. I asked to get my prescription for my contacts as well. The girl that was helping me gave me a quote on the contacts and glasses. She said that my insurance covered either the contacts or the glasses not both. I asked how much it would be for me to get contacts, she quoted me $60 for the day and that the insurance would pay for the rest. She then took me to do another test and meanwhile another girl was looking over the paper she had quoted me, I heard them whisper and seen them writing on the paper. When I got to the front desk to pay for my visit and the contacts she said it was $110, I didn't question it because I figured the girl made a mistake, it happens I'll just pay for it and be on my way. On 7/24/15 the office called me to pick up my contacts, which I picked up the same day. On 8/18/15 I received a call from their office saying I owe an additional $132 for my contacts. I said how is that possible I paid for my visit and for my contacts on the day of my appointment, I did not leave with a balance. She said that the girl made a mistake reading my insurance. I told her that I asked for a quote and I was given one and that is why I chose to go with the contacts, if I would have known that it was more I would have never ordered the contacts. I told her I didn't understand why I am now given a third price. She said she would let the manager know and hung up. On 8/24/15 we received a bill for $110, another price yet again. It went from $60 to $110 to an additional $132 then a bill for $110. I feel I was intentionally mislead and never was given a correct amount. My husband called on 8/25 and tried to resolve the issue, the girl said she would let her manager know. At no point was I given an invoice for my purchase or an EOB for the services rendered, at the time of my appointment and was not given a balance.Desired Settlement: Balance of $0.00 as I was lead to believe I already had after my appointment on 7/17/15. I feel like I am not asking anymore than what I feel is right. It is extremely unprofessional to be giving customer's different amounts without being knowledgeable. If I had a balance they should have informed me on 7/24/15 prior to picking up my contacts.

Business

Response:

Dear Ms. Jones-Thomas I received your letter and attached complaint regarding billing and insurance coverage for a visual/eye health evaluation with a subsequent contact lens fitting and contact lenses. I researched the issue and concluded the following: 1. The issue is the same amount that her insurance covers for contact lens fitting and materials. Most plans provide additional coverage for contact lenses. Her plan covers only $110.00 toward examination, fitting and contact lenses, not $ 110.00 towards contact lenses. 2. This is not the fit time this issue has come up with her family. This is their insurance policy and it is her responsibility to understand coverage. We try to be helpful, but it is not our insurance. 3. The confusion about fees is unfortunate. Our charges for services are fair and consistent. The insurance coverage is the only variable. 4. It is our policy to be informative to our patients and in this case the insurance issue obiovuly created problems. Resolution: 1. I re-installed her glasses benefit with her insurance company. 2. The billing for her contact lenses stands. Sincerely, L. Edward Elliott, OD

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:1. "The issue is the same amount that her insurance covers for contact lens fitting and materials. Most plans provide additional coverage for contact lenses. Her plan covers only $110.00 toward examination, fitting and contact lenses, not $ 110.00 towards contact lenses." -- The issue is not with my insurance, the issue is that I was misinformed by your staff member. I asked how much the contacts would cost me, she gave me a price, which I paid, and at the end of my appointment my balance was zero. 2. "This is not the fit time this issue has come up with her family. This is their insurance policy and it is her responsibility to understand coverage. We try to be helpful, but it is not our insurance." -- I resent the fact that you make false claims. Another indication of a dishonest establishment. We have never owed or had any balances prior to this incident. We always pay upfront before leaving the office. Please provide any documentation you may have that supports your claim of our prior "issues." Your employee had my insurance policy printed and in front of her at the time I asked for the price. She calculated it and said my insurance covered the contacts, so am I not suppose to believe your staff members? My policy had recently changed and with my previous coverage I had always asked and they would always give me the correct amount. It is unfortunate that the young lady that helped me that day did not understand what she was doing but there was plenty of other staff there that could have helped her if she would have asked. 3. "The confusion about fees is unfortunate. Our charges for services are fair and consistent. The insurance coverage is the only variable." -- It is very unfortunate that your staff has trouble providing clients with correct fees. I clearly would have never ordered contacts if I was given the correct amount at the time of my appointment, I would have gone to 1800-contacts. I feel like I was mislead into buying contacts and then get stuck with a bill. 4. "It is our policy to be informative to our patients and in this case the insurance issue obiovuly created problems." -- The insurance was not the issue, it is that the young lady gave me false prices for the contacts. Resolution: My balance to be at zero like it was at the end of my appointment.

Business

Response:

Business States: The matter has been resolved and the consumers husband came in on 9/22/15 and paid the balance in full. There is no money owed and consumer is no longer associated/ a consumer with business. The complaint has been resolved.

Review: Hello, I am having problems with a local optometric center and would like some advice.I paid for services and product in full, cash, out-of-pocket over $500.I was unsatisfied with the shape and fit of the frames from the beginning. I thought maybe I just needed to take them home, but after I did I noticed how poorly done the lenses were. They looked unfinished, not rounded to the shape of the frame, with jagged areas, and protruding out the front of the frame. And the frame had discoloration on the inside of the hinges ( top and bottom of one side and I think bottom of hinge on left side with discoloration where the screws go) which I assumed was damage. I decided to go back the next day and tell them about the lenses and also about the frame, which aside from the shape looking different from the display I selected from, were sitting low on my face. I was unsatisfied with the fit mainly because I paid for Transitions to make my prescriptions glasses double as sunglasses. I told the assistant (the same one that saw me for pick-up) my concerns, she denied seeing a difference in the shape even though we were comparing with the display I tried and chose from and the difference was obvious, and she offered to order the smaller size to compare the shape and fit. So the issue with the lenses was put on hold. I went back about a couple weeks later when I was called to try and compare the smaller size, then she agreed there was a difference in shape, and the size was not the problem. This was the visit I told them about the lenses and the assistant assured me they would go back to the lab to be fixed and as for the frame, I told them it might have been a manufacturer defect. The assistant agreed and would order another frame in the original size, the larger size. I left under the impression that the problems would be solved, but I returned yesterday, Feb. 28th because they left a message on my home answering machine and said my frame had arrived and I could come in anytime that day or make an appointment. That raised the question; They must want me to see the frame and decide whether to move forward? But when I was seen it was by a different assistant and she handed me the same pair of glasses I left for them to fix and I knew this because of the discoloration and the lenses looked the same. I told the assistant who had to get up and go investigate. She came back and denied it and made excuses about the lenses by saying they stuck out the front because of my prescription. I disagreed and used my own current glasses and my mother's glasses as examples (my mother's are bifocal, mine are single vision with only a slight difference in prescription according to the OD).The assistant goes back to the lab to check something and comes out with the office director and a second frame in my size and the smaller size too. The office director tells me the second frame is my original with the display lenses. I inspect them and try them on and although I am now convinced that there is no solution to the shape of the frame I notice the discoloration marks are different and now I'm confused and frustrated. Adding to my frustration is the attitude of the office director who keeps insisting there is nothing wrong with the lenses, that I should have gone with a different material. And I repeat the comparison with the work of other places and tell her that these aren't the only glasses I've owned. She leaves and comes back with a stack of files with clients glasses inside and says, "let's do a survey" and pulls out a pair and says under her breath, "those wont work" and suddenly gives up, stands and leaves to put away the files.I told her I wasn't offered any options except an anti-glare coating and I had to ask about the Transitions and that I didn't want to spend anymore money there. But instead of offering an apology for the negligence of her staff and the incompetence of her lab, she offers to change material and waive the penalty fee for not adding it at the beginning and I would pay for the upgrade. I told her several times that if it had been offered I may have chosen that instead of the anti-glare, but was ignored the first time and the second time she rudely tells me, well if you had reached your limit it wouldn't have made a difference (something to that effect).Her tone would change from perky and friendly and "my motto is yes!" when other clients were around to rude and unyielding when me and my mom (who doesn't speak English and was standing the entire time because no one offered a chair) were alone with her. She asked in a very arrogant and even childish way why I didn't take the display if they fit? and if those fit it was because she fitted them to another clients' face.I was hesitant the entire time I was with her because of her attitude and because what I wanted was to get a refund and be done with them, and she pushed me along into cooperating with what she wanted. She wanted to move on to adjust the frame. She made me try them on so many times and every time she would make more and more adjustments and when I told her that made me nervous, she got offended and told me how qualified she was, yet only made the fit crooked.We were there for about an hour or more and almost the entire time she was making adjustments to the frame. She asked several times to look at my old glasses to shape the new ones the same in spite of me telling her they were old, sat low and were loose and didn't want the new ones like that because of the Transitions. She ignored me.Since I wouldn't agree to pay more for the lens upgrade she asked for my old glasses again to show them the lab guy and ask him if he could make the lenses look the same.I told her I preferred a refund , but she refused. I told her I didn't trust the problem to be fixed because they had their chance and failed, but she said, "but now I told him".So sheDesired Settlement: Refund for frames $195, lenses $223.50 (Complaint description continued)I repeated I wanted refund. When she refused I asked, "you can't or you don't want to?". She responded, "I can't" and started saying it was because of the lenses, then I stopped her and said she could still sell the frames. She scoffed and said "you saw how much I adjusted those" " I can't sell them". I didn't know what to say, I said nothing. She had said before that the displays, which they sell are adjusted to the face of the client. But she was done with me and told me "were done, that's it, we'll call you" & "you can leave now"

Business

Response:

One of our more experienced assistants helped this patient through the exam and frame selection process. The patient selected a frame and requested to see it in an additional color and size - the assistant ordered these additional frames for the patient to select from. Upon arrival of the frames, the patient viewed them and selected the original size and color. Her glasses were ordered with the lens material she choose (basic plastic lenses) with Transitions photochromic properties. She also had a 0.50 increase in myopia as compared to her 5 year old habitual spectacle Rx. The increase in myopia and lens material choice would account for the difference in lens edge thickness noted by the patient when compared to her 5 year old habitual spectacles. The lenses were also mounted with a standard 1/3-2/3 bevel- meaning 1/3 of the lens is in front of the frame and 2/3 is behind the frame in order to best accommodate and safely secure the lenses inside the frame. They were adjusted to fit her exactly as she her habitual glasses were fitting her which she had been wearing successfully for several years. When she returned with complaints regarding her frame not matching the frame on our display the assistant brought this to my attention. I personally examined the frames and found them to be identical in shape, color and size. The patient is confused when she states that we presented her with the same glasses having claimed to have switched out the frame due to the minor discoloration at the hinge. This discoloration is a design feature of the frame and was present on both frames she was presented so it was in fact a brand new frame with her original lenses. She was shown both frames and specific hinge areas while in our office. At this time our office director personally adjusted her spectacles to exactly as the patient wanted so she could have appropriate "coverage," to use the patient's own words. She was also presented a higher density material to help minimize lens thickness - she declined a higher index material due to the cost. In the best interest of the patient (and at our expense with no charge to her) we remade her lenses to a more expensive higher index material and had them mounted with a custom flush mount to minimize any lens-edge awareness or cosmetic concerms by the patient. I have personally inspected the finished product and find them to be of excellent quality and appearance. I believe the patient is unhappy with her frame selection choice. Comparing a bifocal prescription or a 5 year old prescription with unknown lens materials is of no benefit if the problem is actually the style of frame. At no time was she given lenses that were "unfinished" or had "jagged areas." Perhaps she is referring to the bevel used to mount the lenses - and unfinished or jagged lens wouldn't have passed our numerous quality control checks to ensure our products are of the highest quality. As far as her mother not being offered a chair - they came at a very busy time and there simply wasn't a chair to offer other than the chair the patient was using. On 3/7/14 she was notified that her glasses had been remade and were ready - she declined to come to the office to pick them up and stated she would call for a dispensing appointment. Shortly after that we received her complaint from the Revdex.com. On 3/20/14 our office director called the patient and informed her we would be providing her a full refund for the lenses and frame in the amount of $418.50 and we would mail her a copy of her spectacle Rx. I am disappointed this patient was unsatisfied with the services she received at our office. I believe we made every effort to satisfy the patient's spectacle prescription, cosmetic and financial needs to best accommodate her in the frame she selected.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution (Full refund of 418.50) is satisfactory to me, despite the following discrepancies:

If you refer back to my complaint letter you'll notice-

No mention of different color choice. I did not request a different color, nor was one ordered.

(I told them my 'habitual' glasses were more than 7 years old.)

My concern about the lenses was not the thickness. In fact, it was something I had to repeat to them because they insisted on placing the blame of the lens mounting on the thickness.

The mounting might be standard for them, but in my experience with the glasses I have owned from two different places, as well as, the glasses my brother and mother own(also from two different places- 4 places total) that mounting is not standard.

I'm not surprised about the disagreement with the discoloration as they did not wear the glasses.

*The frames were never adjusted how I wanted them.

It was made clear to me that they would not remake them in a different material unless I paid for the upgrade.

I stand by what I said about the condition of the lenses and it was also the bevel.

I disagree that the problem is the frame.

The statement about the chair for my mom is only half-true. It was busy, but not all at the same time. There was at least one seat available.

(As for the call. I don't remember saying I would make an appointment. I may have said I would call. I remember saying "okay" and "Thanks")

(The office director called me about the refund, but only referred to it as "your refund" with no further detail, except about the Rx.)

Sincerely,