PsyCare Associates Inc

Hello, In our last response, we indicated that we needed a release from the patient to discuss this event. We received the release, and therefore kindly request that this be considered our formal response. We respectfully disagree with the description of events set forth by Ms
***. Our records indicate that Ms*** late-cancelled her first appointment with Dr***. It is PsyCare policy to require a $deposit to schedule a second new patient appointment if the first was late-cancelled or missed. This policy is explained to patients when they call in to schedule an initial appointment. It does appear that originally Ms*** was told the deposit would be $in error, then later told it would be $100. Our records then show that Ms*** arrived minutes late to the second appointment, and had not filled out her initial paperwork (which also takes another minutes, for which patients are instructed to arrive minutes early, or download and fill out beforehand) Thus, Dr*** asked that she again reschedule. Because Ms*** had missed the appointment for the second time, she would have been required to put down a $deposit to make yet another initial appointment. After that, Ms*** chose not to schedule. Ms*** was made aware of the policy regarding late-cancelling and missing appointments when she first called in to schedule, and yet she still late-cancelled, and then effectively missed, each of her appointments respectively. However, because Ms*** was originally quoted a $deposit, and because we strive to make the best effort possible in customer service, we will be refunding $to Ms***. Ms*** has already been made aware of the refund Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, or if we need to respond further. *** ***, Esq Risk ManagerPsyCare, Inc

To Whom It May Concern: 
 
We are sorry to hear that the customer was dissatisfied with her service here. 
 
I show that the customer had a total of 6 visits with one of our doctors. The customer did provide insurance information which was verified and subsequently...

billed for each of her sessions. 3 of her 6 sessions were paid by the insurance with the customer owing only a co-pay. However, after billing the insurance, we were alerted by her insurance company that she had a "pre-existing" clause on her policy, meaning she needed to provide proof of prior medical coverage to the insurance company in order for them to pay for the first 3 visits she had with us. The customer did provide us with information, but the insurance company determined this information was insufficient and decided that she had a "positive pre-existing condition," which, in turn, meant that they would not pay for her first three visits since they fell withing the pre-existing clause's time period. 
 
Our Billing Department then contacted the doctor and explained the situation. The doctor agreed to put the customer on a "sliding scale" and reduce her fees for each session. Instead of charging the full $300 for her initial visit, the doctor reduced the fee to $250 and her two follow-up appointments were reduced to $75 from $100. The customer was not charged $150 for one, 15-minute session. The $150 was for two sessions and the initial appointment was a higher charge because it is a 45-minute session. Also, the co-pays she paid at each of these sessions were credited to her account and her balance was adjusted accordingly. 
 
These visits were from February to September of 2013. After the insurance issue, we were in communication with the customer and she informed us that she was appealing the insurance's decision in January 2014. We did not hear from her again after that. We tried to send the customer a statement about her outstanding balance, but received a mail return. We attempted to call the customer again in June of 2014 to check the status of her appeal, but she did not return our call. The customer was not sent to a collection agency until July 2014, almost a year after her last visit. We make it a point to always try and work out payment plans or assist customers with insurance issues before sending them to an agency. Unfortunately, if the customer does not return our outreach attempts, they are sent to collections. 
 
Please feel free to contact us with any future questions at [redacted], press Option 6 for the operator and ask for [redacted] in Administration. 
 
PsyCare, Inc.
 
[redacted]

To Whom it May Concern:We will contact this individual to discuss complaint. Unfortunately, due to HIPPA laws, we are unable to release any information to the Revdex.com.Thank you,[redacted]

To protect patient confidentiality and due to the information that would need to be disclosed at this point, we do not feel comfortable further discussing this complaint in a public forum. The consumer is more than welcome to contact our Resolutions Department by dialing, [redacted], pressing 6 for the operator and asking for Resolutions.

Revdex.com:
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 for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
[redacted]

To Whom It May Concern,I was informed that my assistant [redacted] did call your office regarding this complaint to explain we have not release of information on file for this patient in order to release any information to you. We have called the complainant to ask if she authorizes any...

information to be released. We have not received a response.Sincerely,[redacted]PsyCare, Inc.

Revdex.com:
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.
 
Psycare Inc. is not responding, consequently, that is not acceptable resolution. I am requesting a response on my request to erase the balance they say I owe AND cancel the collections service they have hired AND remove any negative comments regarding my credit worthiness since this bill was not approved by me nor was I aware of a balance and I should have been told about it prior to December 2013 when I had visited Psycare office in person. 
Regards,
[redacted]

I would like to dismiss the complaint against. PsyCare made good on there part and refunded me the money.

Review: I am a patient at Psycare in the Alvarado office. I have had reason to ask for financial assistance from the staff before but it falls on deaf ears. The practice re appointments is to call as a reminder but I have had reason not to get reminders and for the most part I attend but very rarely I have missed an appointment because of lack of a reminder call. My appointments are months apart so it helps. The business states they are busy with a shortage of doctors and they do overbook and I have often sat for more than 20-30 mins waiting and had to tolerate them cancelling appointments at a few hours notice. They don't seem to care to make sure your appointment is confirmed. But when I miss an appointment it must be canceled within 24 hrs. Once I was sick and cancelled at 23 1/2 hrs and they still charged me plus a service fee. Well it has happened again and despite my pleas they just charge you. I have never even seen this dr. They say its up to the drs discretion but even complaining to the dr is a waste of time. I just can't afford these cancellation costs fees, they are so greedy. Please help.Desired Settlement: Remove the cancellation costs and fees.

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern,I was informed that my assistant [redacted] did call your office regarding this complaint to explain we have not release of information on file for this patient in order to release any information to you. We have called the complainant to ask if she authorizes any information to be released. We have not received a response.Sincerely,[redacted]PsyCare, Inc.

I attempted to schedule an appointment after going to the wrong location given to me by administration staff for my Saturday appointment. This was my first appointment so when I arrived at the incorrect location I could not reach any live person to tell me what the correct address was. I tried calling to reschedule today being a Monday and I was told that I would have to put a deposit down to be seen. I told the person on the phone that I refuse to pay since I was given the wrong address and made every attempt to reach someone even left a voicemail on the personal mailbox of the psychologist and never received a call back. The girl named [redacted] quickly interrupted me and said they could not provide me services if I didn't pay the deposit. She also said I had not cancelled my previous appointment within 24 hours which is incorrect since I left it with more than 24 notice by leaving a voicemail since there is no live person available. I informed her that I have never signed forms binding me to paying anything at this point so I told her I have never heard of a policy especially when they gave me the wrong address. I told her I would like to speak to a manager to file a complaint and she hung up on me. After a recent death in the family I simply wanted to make an appointment during a stressful time however the process is far more stressful than what I thought it would be and no longer worth it for me. I would not recommend this business since there is a lack of professionalism by the administration in the office along with difficulty in making appointments and speaking to a live person when needed. There is no accountability from staff when it comes to making appointments or rescheduling. Based on previous complaints and yelp reviews it looks like I am not the only one out there. I will look elsewhere if necessary for services.

Review: Psycare charged my debit card unauthorized for $50 and I want my money back. I did not authorize them to charge $50 to my debit card today March 2nd 2015Desired Settlement: I would like my money refunded to my credit card the $50 ASAP

Consumer

Response:

I would like to dismiss the complaint against. PsyCare made good on there part and refunded me the money.

Review: psycare inc. sent me a bill for doctor visits after I had paid a copay each time and my health insurance had paid the appropriate amount for a 15 minute doctor visit to confirm no change needed in prescription and only to write another prescription. I would have stopped going to the doctor if I had known they would try and charge me an additional $150 for each 15 minute consultation just to confirm my prescription was still working as needed and no change was needed on prescription. This is bad medical practice to steal from patients for not doing anything and not telling the patient that a larger bill for each visit will be coming when you stop making an appointment. If they had charged me the $150 upfront, I would have paid and then never come again but instead they just billed me at $150 for each visit I had come to AFTER I stopped coming to the doctor for appointments. And when I questioned the bill, they sent the bill to a collection agency and damaged my credit.Desired Settlement: Void any outstanding debt owed and tell the collection company to remove any comments about not paying this bill. This bill should not have been sent to me and is very bad conduct for this practice.

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern:

Review: I had a scheduled appointment with a doctor at PsyCare and I had to call to cancel after falling I'll (beyond my control) which did not fall within the required 24 hour cancellation time frame. I received a voicemail from [redacted] on 10/28/15 @ 4:45 PST stating that in order for her to reschedule my appointment she would have to collect a $50 deposit. I returned her call the next afternoon to which I was told by [redacted] that it would actually be $100. I just had dental surgery and couldn't talk much without pain so Inwent ahead and paid the $100 deposit and scheduled my next appointment for 11/20 at 2:00 pm. I arrived at my appointment time only to be told I was supposed to check in at 1:30 and to start filling out the paperwork and they would see if the doctor would be able to see me. Five minutes later I get called back to be told I have to reschedule and it would be another $100 deposit in order to do so. I declined and left. I don'tknow what kkind of business they're running but I feel as though my $100 (or at least $50) should be refunded. Especially when your VM states it will be $50. I wonder how Tricare would feel if they knew they were doing this to the beneficiaries. I would like at least $50 of my money refunded. Funny they don't tell you about this obscene fee until after the fact. I still have [redacted] VM by the way.Desired Settlement: To get half or the full amount of my $100.

Business

Response:

Hello, In our last response, we indicated that we needed a release from the patient to discuss this event. We received the release, and therefore kindly request that this be considered our formal response. We respectfully disagree with the description of events set forth by Ms. [redacted]. Our records indicate that Ms. [redacted] late-cancelled her first appointment with Dr. [redacted]. It is PsyCare policy to require a $100 deposit to schedule a second new patient appointment if the first was late-cancelled or missed. This policy is explained to patients when they call in to schedule an initial appointment. It does appear that originally Ms. [redacted] was told the deposit would be $50 in error, then later told it would be $100. Our records then show that Ms. [redacted] arrived 30 minutes late to the second appointment, and had not filled out her initial paperwork (which also takes another 30 minutes, for which patients are instructed to arrive 30 minutes early, or download and fill out beforehand). Thus, Dr. [redacted] asked that she again reschedule. Because Ms. [redacted] had missed the appointment for the second time, she would have been required to put down a $100 deposit to make yet another initial appointment. After that, Ms. [redacted] chose not to schedule. Ms. [redacted] was made aware of the policy regarding late-cancelling and missing appointments when she first called in to schedule, and yet she still late-cancelled, and then effectively missed, each of her appointments respectively. However, because Ms. [redacted] was originally quoted a $50 deposit, and because we strive to make the best effort possible in customer service, we will be refunding $50 to Ms. [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] has already been made aware of the refund. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, or if we need to respond further. [redacted], Esq. Risk ManagerPsyCare, Inc.