Preferred Homecare

Claudia, I spoke to Mr. Spuhler yesterday evening, 04.06.2016.  Mr. Spuhler did confirm receipt of Preferred’s letter indicating a zero balance due.  Mr. Spuhler expressed satisfaction with this resolution. Please let me know if there are additional steps I need to take to close Mr. Spuhler’s concern.  I appreciate your time.

A supervisor in the Reimbursement Department has talked to Mrs. [redacted] During their conversation today 1/7/16  the phone was disconnected.

8.5pt"> Preferred Homecare is attempting to assist the [redacted] with their billing concerns and will continue to help them to their satisfaction.

After review of patient order there were delays in the final fitting for the manual wheelchair.  The wheelchair was received, however many items needed to be replaced by the vendor at no charge due to their errors.  The reason for the delay in completing this delivery upon receipt was...

the order had not been moved into the proper state for follow up. [redacted] the seating specialist in [redacted], immediately rectified the issue once it was brought to his attention.  The entire team has been instructed on proper follow through on receiving voicemails.   The Manager of the Rehab Department in Arizona personally spoke with mom and she was thankful for Ken’s attention to detail at the final fitting 9/3 and then again on 9/4 to make additional adjustments.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.Their total is based on only payment by the one insurance company when in the beginning two insurance companies where billed.  Also the rental portion is then refunded after three months and applied to the purchase of the machine by the insurance company's instruction.  So they have not considered the payment by the one company to be applied to the balance.  In other words, they have billed for two machines and not one; which I only have one machine.  So the coordination of benefits has not been applied correctly. Also there are charges on the itemized statement that I don't know what they are and there is no explanation.  I have only purchased the CPAP machine and one replacement mask piece and nothing else but there is a $135.40 that I am not sure where they got that number and I don't have an EOB showing any such charge.  The itemized statement I received from them is hard to follow with all kinds of adjustments which are confusing.  My family and myself see medical providers unfortunately quite regularly and I can follow their billing.  Preferred Homecare is the only provider in which I am unable to follow their billing.  I have accounts payable experience along with bookkeeping experience and I know that my account with Preferred Homecare is a mess and also inaccurate. Regards,[redacted]

Preferred Homecare (PHC) would like to provide a response to the Revdex.com (Revdex.com) complaint regarding Mr. [redacted]’s use of his oxygen (O2) equipment. PHC contacted Mr. [redacted] 05.30.2016, after receiving his concern from the Revdex.com...

05.29.2016.

Mr. [redacted] advised a PHC Customer Service Technician (CST) had visited Mr. [redacted] 05.29.2016 to provide re-instruction on the use of his O2 equipment as Mr. [redacted] was unsure of the proper installation of his O2 regulator on new O2 tanks and how to properly adjust the O2 level of his concentrator.

Mr. [redacted] explained his equipment concerns were resolved, though advised an equipment use reference guide for patients would be beneficial and may alleviate the need for CST home visits for other patients.

PHC advised his concerns would be relayed to our Southern Arizona Area Operations Manager (SAZ AOM) for consideration. PHC’s SAZ AOM contacted Mr. [redacted] 05.31.2016 to discuss his suggestions and concerns.  Also, Mr. [redacted] was provided with management cell phone numbers to facilitate service moving forward.

Mr. [redacted] expressed satisfaction with this communication and states he is comfortable using his O2 equipment.

The patient was supplied a walker on 8/5/2015. The workorder only showed a copay of $5.05 and only for the walker seat. The patient owes a co-pay for the walker itself in the amount of $23.00 this was not listed on the original workorder and that is the bill they have...

received.  There are no notes on the account anywhere that the pt has ever attempted to contact billing or even spoken with the local branch since the original order.

Mr. [redacted]'s account has been placed to a zero balance.

Life Care Solutions (LCS) apologizes for the confusion associated with the Berkowitz billing problems. We are dealing with [redacted] so that the correct entity is being billed. LCS staff has had several discussion with the member's daughter to inform her that her parents owe LCS nothing and has a...

zero balance owed. There should be no other bills after 9/23/14 when the problem was fixed.

Preferred Homecare (PHC) would like to provide a follow-up response to the Revdex.com for our patient, S[redacted] E. H[redacted]. PHC advised Ms. H[redacted] that billing statements from 2013 were addressed to her physical address on file, and while PHC does not have any records of receiving ‘Return to Sender’ mail from 2013, her account was updated to the PO Box address in 2014, where statements are currently sent. PHC re-reviewed the past due amounts resulting in a collections balance with Ms. H[redacted].  PHC also mailed an itemized statement of those claims.  Because the collections agency is a separate entity from PHC, Ms. H[redacted] was advised to contact them directly to understand current balances due, including any late fees or interest the collections agency may have assigned to her account after the claims were originally submitted.  Ms. H[redacted] understands that those balance totals may deviate from the original claims amounts on file with PHC for that reason. PHC did contact the collections agency as a good faith effort to assist Ms. H[redacted] in understanding the current balance due.  PHC learned the collections agency actually has two accounts for Ms. H[redacted].  For this reason, when Ms. H[redacted] calls in, the balance she is given does not wholly reflect the true total balance due. Further, PHC explained to Ms. H[redacted] that PHC has no way of knowing what claims Ms. H[redacted] has resolved with the collections agency or for which specific rental items.  PHC can only view what was originally submitted for these items.  PHC explained to Ms. H[redacted] that she will need to contact the collections agency directly to understand her current balance due as the collections amount is not processed in any way by PHC, including application of payments to claims originally generated by specific rental items. PHC also reassured Ms. H[redacted] that the collections balance due does not affect her pending wheelchair order, which is currently in progress.

The primary insurance paid the claim on 1/2/15 and left a remaining balance to pt of $31.56. On 2/20/15 pt’s mother called back after receiving bill for $31.56, and she was told by an LCS rep to disregard the bill, since this balance would now be billed to her 2nd ins. The balance on the account is...

zero. As for the name on the account, the child is the patient; therefore his name would be on the statements. LifeCare might have multiple patients in one household and each patient would have their own account whether it be a minor or an adult.

Preferred Home Care Report

We have been working with preferred health care because we have no choice, it is the only home equipment service allowed by United healthcare. The doctor ordered a power wheel chair. It took preferred home care 45 days to visit my mother after the request was made and take the measurements. Then, I called a month later and asked where we were on this and they said they were getting ready to submit it. So I asked when they would submit it. She said in a few days. So another month went by and I called and they said they were going to submit it? So they did while I was in the phone with them. Another two weeks went by and my mothers doctors office called and said she was denied. Preferred didn't even let us know. We are having the same problem with a lift mechanism that's needed for her lift chair. Her lift chair is also her bed because she cannot get out of a real bed. Kati was here and said it wasn't submitted. So while she was here I called them. The same thing as the chair they were getting ready to submit it. So they haven't submitted it to insurance yet.

Update, I called for the fifth time and they said even if my mother was to have the lift mechanism paid for by her insurance they only work with one company and they demand you buy the whole chair. So all the seniors, which are mostly poor and live on social security must purchase a whole expensive chair to get the lift mechanism even if the mechanism is all they need. I asked the women on the phone that same thing and she said “ they should go and buy a used one.” What a scam! I said we can put the mechanism in ourselves and she said they will not give us the mechanism without purchasing their chair.

My mother in law had her prescription for a walker. It took awhile but they came and delivered it today. It looks like a small child's Walker. I asked why is it so small. The delivery boy said the work with drive and that's the only one they have. What? So every person who gets a walker has to get a baby Walker because they only have the one? It has to be a lie, right? So once my mother in law can try it I will know if we need to return and go some place else. I added pictures so you can see this Walker.

SCAMMED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (specifically Cottonwood Az. Branch). My doctor gave me a prescription for a blood pressure monitor. After another (apparently HONEST company) said my insurance didn't cover it, and it was sent to preferred home care Cottonwood Az. Naturally they called me right up and stated it is covered under your insurance and its only small co pay. Their employees reassured me both on the phone and in person this would be covered with only a small Co-pay. Then 30 days 12 hours later after I received the item I received a letter that this was not covered. When I talked to your employees they stated it was not their fault, when in fact it was, twice they said they were sure it was covered I specifically said IF IT WAS NOT covered I don't want it. . When I asked to return it they stated it was past the return date 30 days. I received this letter 30 days and 12 hours after the purchase and immediately called them. Then stated well there is nothing wrong with it so they wont take it back. I want a refund and I want to return this item their employees simply lied to me. This is dishonest. [redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait until for the business to perform this...

action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.I would like more details on this answer?  I will send my last payment of $2.37 in July.  Will this be all that is expected of me?  Do I need to return the machine or is it mine to keep?

Regards,

Preferred Homecare (PHC) is following standard insurance billing procedure when it bills Mr. [redacted] at the beginning of his monthly service period rather than at the end. We have decided to combine his two bills into one billing per month so he no longer will receive two bills.  We hope this is...

satisfactory to Mr. [redacted].

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I hope that we will not receive any more bills and if we do not , will consider this complaint resolved.Thank you,

Regards,[redacted]

The account has been corrected and is at a zero balance.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID...

[redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The business admits to "checking" with my insurance and quoting me my copay. I called my insurance and they have no record of receiving a call from the business. If they had actually called the insurance was VERY clear to me that they do not cover this machine as part of my copay. This supports my claim that the business has a history of lying to clients. Furthermore my receipt (attached) does say that I only have to pay copay. The lying practices of this business are not, and do not meet the standards set forth by the Revdex.com.

Regards,

I would like to apologize for the frustration that Ms. [redacted] and her husband, Mr. [redacted], have experienced and assure them that it is never the intention of Preferred Homecare (PHC) to provide less than satisfactory service to our patients and their families. However, this matter has been reviewed...

and PHC stands firm on the decision that the balance in question is in fact owed.

Ms. [redacted] has provided her account of everything that took place and I have attached a timeline that reflects services, as well as all of the calls made between Ms. [redacted]/Mr. [redacted] and Preferred Homecare, with a notes from each conversation. While Ms. [redacted] contends that the main issue is how/when they were billed, the bigger problem and the reason their bill is so high is the fact that they had a deductible on their insurance that was not met. This means that until that amount is met, all services are to be paid out of pocket by the patient.

It is the responsibility of the patient to understand their insurance coverage and they are financially responsible for any amount the insurance does not pay. A copy of our policy is provided to the patient at the time of setup (attached). PHC collects co-pays upfront and then our billing practice is to first bill the insurance company. Once the payment and response is received, if an additional balance is owed by the patient, a bill is sent out. In Mr. [redacted]’s case, we were unable to submit our bill to the insurance company until we had full compliance from his download. As you can see from the notes attached, it took several months for the patient to comply with our requests. I understand he was out of the country and unable to visit our office, but this is why the billing was delayed.

When Mr. [redacted] received the invoice and was upset that the expense was all out of pocket, we explained that the deductible was not met and advised that he contact his insurance company for more information on that. However, we also understood his frustration with the situation and attempted to help by only charging him for the initial setup and use of the equipment, $367.25, and agreeing to refund/waive the additional convert to purchase amount of $625.50, if he returned the equipment. This did not appease either Mr. [redacted] or Ms. [redacted], both seemed to believe that they should be able to keep the equipment and not pay for any of it. This offer, in attempt to reconcile this issue, was made in September of 2013 and we were still willing to uphold it all the way through March 2014. During the last conversation with Ms. [redacted] on March 31st, she maintained her position that they were unwilling to pay for anything and the decision was made to send the account to collections. The amount of $992.75 is now due to TSA Collections. Payment arrangements can be made by calling ([redacted]) [redacted].

Preferred Homecare believes that we made a genuine effort to resolve this matter fairly, and finds the allegations of “dilatory, inappropriate and unfair business practices” to be unwarranted. We hope that this matter with the Revdex.com can be closed. If for any reason this is not a satisfactory resolution, please contacted me directly and I will do my best to further assist.

Respectfully Submitted,

Risk Manager

Preferred Homecare, LifeCare Solutions,

& Comprehensive Sleep Solutions

I have had to contact this business 3 times in reference to travel needing a portable oxygen concentrator. This company is impossible to deal with. I had to cancel my trip over Christmas because they said I didn't need a portable when my pulmonary doctor states that I do. Every time you contact them you are treated horribly. I have never had such poor customer service. Preferred's excuse today was, "She didn't notify us two weeks in advance, only 12 days ahead of time. I called them on the 28th for a trip on the 10th of July. I pity anyone trying to work with this company. I checked with the doctor's office and I'm not the only one having problems with them.

The status on their WEB Portal now says my balance is zero.
Someone from Preferred Homecare did call before this response and told me I would receive a letter telling that the balance would be zero. However, I am still waiting for this letter. I am a little hesitant to rely on the WEB Portal as I have been told several times by their accounting folks, the the WEB Portal isn't accurate.
Thomas