Progressive Medical Centers

To whom it may concern,
sans-serif;">This letter is in response to a complaint that a patient has made regarding our billing practices. Progressive Medical Center is a specialty clinic that prides itself on professionalism and patient care. It is with great disappointment that I am responding to such a complaint. All of our New Patients speak with our New Patient Coordinator and are explained everything up front. The NPC explains what insurance companies we work with and checks benefit information prior to the patient scheduling. It is therefore extremely hard for me to believe that her benefits were not explained to her prior to her appointment. We also send out an email to all new patients explaining to them once again what our expecations are so that there are no surprises when the patient comes in for their appointment. We sent this patient an email with this information and have a returned receipt conforming that she read the email. Here is a copy of the email that was sent to the patient: "Dear Ms. ...   Thank you for trusting Progressive Medical Center with your health. We are very excited to have you as a patient and would like to welcome you to our practice. Here at Progressive we like to do things a bit different then what you may be used to. We are truly vested in your health and wellbeing and will be here with any questions or concerns that you may have. Here are a few things that you can expect from us: ·         Exceptional medical care ·         Prompt response to all concerns! questions ·         Team approach with many types of providers with multiple specialties ·         Extended office visit time with your providers ·         Value and respect of your time All we ask is that you arrive on time, give us 48 hours to re-schedule your appointment if needed, read all of our company policies and BE READY TO GET WELL! In advance to your appointment please, bring the following information with you: ·         Insurance card(s) ·         Driver's license or other photo identification ·         Completed patient history form ·         Completed privacy form ·         Patient Responsibility Please arrive 30 minutes early for your first appointment to ensure that you have the full time allotted for your visit with your provider. We are Located at: Progressive Medical Center - Austin [redacted] Main line: ###-###-#### Fax line: ###-###-#### Business hours Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm Payment policy It is our payment policy to collect the appropriate payment due at the time service is rendered. This includes your co-payment, co-insurance, and deductible if applicable. The office visit fee is $150.00. We also offer many payment programs, accept all major credit cards as well as Care Credit. Please feel free to email or call with any questions or concerns! Thank you and we look forward to meeting you. Best, [redacted]" We also sent her a conformation email to confirm her appointment; we received a return receipt confirming that she read the email. Here is a copy of the email that was sent to the patient: "Dear Ms........ , I am writing to you to confirm your appointment for your New Patient Exam with Dr. [redacted] on December 4, 2014 at 10:00a, Please email me or call at ###-###-#### to let us know that you will be able to make this appointment. The following is a brief overview of what to expect at your New Patient Exam: ·          Comprehensive History and Complete Physical ·          Nutrition History ·          Customized Treatment Plan ·          Recommended Customized Laboratory Panel ·          Total cost is $150.00 (unless insurance benefits are available) Please let me know if you have any questions or if you need to make any changes to your appointment. "Please note, we require a 48 hour cancelation notice Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon! " As you can see, we like to make sure the patients are informed of their responsibilities prior to their appointment. This brings me to my next point. This patient was seen by our Medical Director NOT a PA, and her appointment was over an hour long. She was not rushed and received exceptional care while she was here. Dr. [redacted] ordered several test for this patient to gain a better understanding as to why she was having the symptoms that she was having. Our Patient Care Coordinator then met with the patient to explain the pricing of the tests and the payment options if she chose to move forward with care. The patient became extremely agitated and stated that she did not wish to move forward with care because she was on a fixed income. Our PCC asked how she would like to pay for today's visit and the patient presented her card for us to charge the $150.00. The patient left the office is a good mood and was apologetic that she was not able to move forward with care. We will not be refunding the $150.00 charge as she was not mislead, received the services she solicited, and she provided her credit card to us. We wish her nothing but the best of luck in her health care goals.