Stanley Harris Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

Review: I called [redacted] Office on October 2012 to schedule an app for a [redacted], I was asked by his receptionist if I have an insurance, I answered yes and gave him all the info he requested in regards to my [redacted] insurance plan, it took him 48 hours to verified my insurance and to call me back to set the app, I came in on October ** 2012 to get my [redacted] and when he was done I asked the receptionist what is my co-pay? (that should be bet $40-$50 according to my policy), he explained me that I don't need to pay anything at the moment and that they will need to reach out to my insurance company before they will bill me, Six months went by and [redacted] called me again for another [redacted] and the same thing happened, he cleaned my teeth and explained me that he will need to reach out to my insurance company first, I explained him that it been six months since he said that and I never heard back from him and I wish not to drag this any longer, he apologized and he said that it does take them too long to handle billing and he promised me to handle this right away. 4 month went by since my last visit and on August 2012 I received a bill from [redacted] on the amount of $331 for both cleaning treatments, I called [redacted] for an explanation about this bill and he said that he dont handle billing and he will have someone call me back, someone from his office did call me she apologized for this whole misunderstanding and for the fact that they sent me a bill 10 months after my first visit and she promised me that she will review my bill with [redacted] and will mail me a revised one, I did receive a revised invoice on August [redacted] on the amount of $256, this time after receiving this invoice I realized who am I dealing with and went to [redacted]'s office to speak with him face to face and receive an explanation on why he billed me $256 for 2 [redacted] session when it should be $44 for each visit (Based on price chart he faxed me), he then explain that he also charged me for other services such as: [redacted], [redacted]. I explained him that he never disclosed the fact that he will be performing other services other then what I requested ([redacted]) and therefore I never gave my consent for this extra treatments, I also told him that I know that by the law he has to disclose any services he intend to provide and the cost as well so as a consumer I will be able to make a wise decision if to agree for the extra service he is offering or not. He said that I am right and he then revised the bill to $164 even though I knew that I shouldn't be paying more than $44 per visit I offered to pay the bill and put this behind me but he explained me that his receptionist will have to re-write a new invoice and send it to me via mail, I waited for over 2 weeks to receive the new invoice and when I didn't receive anything, I called again to find out why this was never sent to me? [redacted] receptionist put me on hold so he can find out why I never received my revised bill and when he got back to me he said they will send me the bill in a few days, at that point I felt that there is something very wrong with the way that [redacted] conduct business and I wanted to know if the bill was ever revised, his receptionist told me that my bill is $330 and I need to pay it, I was shocked and since he (the receptionist) was present at my last conversation with [redacted] in his office I started to remind him that conversation and the fact that [redacted] instructed him to revised my bill at this point he slam the phone on me, I called again and this time ask to speak with [redacted], his receptionist inform me that he is busy and cant speak with me and slam the phone again.The first thing I did after my conversation with [redacted]'s receptionist is to surf the web to find out if other patients had similar billing issues and when I found a few patients that had the same complain as I have plus the fact that he waited 10 months and 2 visits to mail me the bill plus the fact that when we met face to face to discuss this issue he didnt argue with me and [redacted] decided to drop some of the charges but never really send me the revised bill, I realized that this wasn't just a misunderstanding this is [redacted] method to scam new patients and to squeeze more money from them, therefore I decided to file a complain against him and I hope that you will be able to help by sending [redacted] a massage that what he is doing is wrong and against the law.Thank you in advance,[redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like to pay the $44 (according to [redacted] pricing chart) per session for the service I requested which is the [redacted].Please note I have excellent payments history and my credit report is in perfect shape and I want to make sure that [redacted] wont sale the debt he is trying to impose on me to a collection agency as he did to other previous patients of his in Example: [redacted] from [redacted] He did a few [redacted] for me, all of which fell out. Yes ALL! Be prepared to leave his office soaked after cleanings, and the biggest issue of them all, there's always a billing debacle. I noticed that he posted a debt on my credit when I was doing a routine credit check. I called and as usual, he couldn't answer any billing questions and made references to his [redacted] billing department. In the end, I fought it through the credit bureau and had it removed. Never heard from him or this billing department. Save yourself the hassle!

Business

Response:

Dear Sir:

This letter is being sent in response to the complaint made by [redacted] to your agency. I take this opportunity to respond to the complaint.

When [redacted] first made an appointment with the office, the receptionist would have asked him about his insurance information and, it appears, that his insurance plan at that time was Heathplex plan.

When [redacted] first came into my office on October [redacted], 2012 the receptionist advised him that on this initial visit he would have a full mouth series of x-rays, a comprehensive oral evaluation, a prophylaxis (a cleaning) and fluoride treatment. The patient was told that we did not yet know what his insurance would cover and/or what he would have to pay and that we were waiting to hear from Healthplex in this regard.

The patient was then taken into the treatment area where he met me. As I do with all my patients, I told him that on this first visit I would perform a complete series of bitewing x-rays, a comprehensive oral evaluation, a prophlaxis (a cleaning) and fluroride treatment and told him why. [redacted] did not object to having any of these treatments. I then proceeded to do the x-rays, the comprehensive oral evaluation, the prophylaxis and the fluoride treatment. At the end of the treatment the patient made no complaints.

After the visit a bill would be normally sent to [redacted] by my billing person. It Appears that no bill was sent out to him after this first visit due to clerical error.

When the patient came back for a second visit on May [redacted], 2013, as he had been told to do on the first visit, he was told by my staff that we were still not sure what his insurance would cover. I would note that at the time of the visit the patient's dental insurance had terminated but the patient did not advise my office of said termination. We found this out after the visit from Healthplex.

When the patient presented to my office for the second visit, the patient was told by the receptionist that he was going to have a comprehensive examination, a prophylaxis and fluoride treatment.

As on the first visit, the patient was brought to the treatment area where he was told by me that he was going to have a comprehensive examination, a prophylaxis (cleaning) and a fluoride treatment. The patient did not object to my doing any of these procedures. I then proceeded to do the comprehensive examination, the prophylaxis and the fluoride. At the end of the treatment, the patient made no complaints.

In August of 2013, a bill was sent by my office to the patient for the treatment that was rendered in the amount of $331.00. I would note that even though the patient no longer had insurance coverage for second visit, I gave the patient the courtesy of only charging the Healthplex plan rates, not my more expensives private, non-insurance company rates. Although I do not remember a call from [redacted] regarding this billing. I would have told him, as he said in his complaint, that I do not handle the billing and that I would have someone call him back. Sometime after this, I was advised by a billing person that [redacted] had called objecting to having to pay for the fluoride treatment which was explained to the patient beforehand and was proper treatment, I told my billing person to deduct the fluoroscopy treatment charges on the bill as a courtesy to [redacted].

Sometime after this , [redacted] came unannounced and without an appointment to my office to complain again about being billed for the treatment that was rendered to him. [redacted] insisted that he only wanted to pay for the prophlaxis and nothing else. Surely , on the first visit if I only cleaned the teeth and did not do x-rays, a comprehensive evaluation and fluoride treatments, I could be criticized. I advised [redacted] that I had discussed the performance of x-rays, complete oral evaluation, a prophylaxis and fluoride treatments before I began anything on the first visit with him. I also reminded him that on the second visit, before I began any treatment with him, I discussed the comprehensive oral examination, prophylaxis and fluoride treatment with him. I never told him that he was "right" and that he should not have to pay for any of these treatments other than a cleaning. However, I decided to reduce the bill to $160.00 in an attempt to appease [redacted], get him out of my reception area, and end our relationship. I told my receptionist to make a note for my billing person to send him a billing statement for $160.00. Unfortunately, this statement was not sent by the billing person.

[redacted] says that he thereafter had a conversation with my receptionist which did not go well. My receptionist has advised me that [redacted] was belligerent and abusive during telephone conversations. The receptionist told the billing person to send a new bill for $160.00 to [redacted]. It does not appear that this bill was sent.

In order to put this situation behind me, I am willing to accept $160.00 payment from [redacted] in full settlement of all outstanding charges as previously agreed. I would note that I department, specifically the sending of timely bills to my patients. I would also note that I have never sent [redacted] outstanding bill to collection

Respectfully submitted,

[redacted].

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and would like to comment:

My complaint for the service provider was stiriclty on the fact that he didn't disclose his rates for the services he was about to perform.