Suburban Radiologic Consultants

I was referred by my primary care doctor to Suburban Imaging due to pelvic issues. I had imaging done at Suburban Imaging on 9/27/2019 where I paid my up front copay. I do recall receiving 1 statement from suburban imaging but nothing else after that, the claim showed pending with my insurance so I had assumed I would receive an updated statement once processed by my insurance company. I do not recall receiving a statement from Suburban Imaging after that so had assumed all that was owed was the up front copay that I paid the date of my visit. I moved in early January of 2020 then have been undergoing financial hardships due to COVID-19 shutting down my partners business and helping care for family. I never received a notice from Suburban Imaging of a past due amount nor that I would be sent to a collections company, if I would've received proper notice I would've been more than happy to set up a payment plan with them. It was until April that I received a call from a collections agency, I was completely caught off guard. I have been doing my best to keep up with my bills especially my medical bills. I explained to the collections agency that I didn't receive any notice from the collections agency nor Suburban Imaging that there was an outstanding amount. She said the statement from the agency was very recently sent and that I should be receiving it shortly, she confirmed my mailing address which was correct. I did not receive the notice from the collections agency nor did she offer me an online option, I just received a follow up call from the agency who claims the notice was sent and offered an online solution which I've utilized. I find it completely inappropriate for Suburban Imaging to turn over this debt with a lack of communication and make very little attempt to collect the amount then for them to turn it over DURING a global pandemic as I'm struggling financially seems excessive and not right.

I was referred to Suburban Imaging by my referring doctor. She stated that I needed to get a ultrasound exam for a health issue I was experiencing. I asked how expensive it was and she mentioned it was one of the least expensive procedures available. ($200 average cost based on state average). When I agreed to an ultrasound, I understood that I was getting an ultrasound only. I was shocked when I received a $720 charge to my insurance company for a $500 urology exam. I did not agree to this charge, I didn’t agree to this procedure being done, I was not told that this procedure would be done. Even the receptionist for Suburban Imaging stayed I was in for an Ultrasound. No mention of a $500 exam or procedure.

I called in on 9/10 to a supervisor and spoke to DAVE ***, who told me he understands where I am coming from, and will look into if I was provided with notice that I was going to have a vascular exam, and If I was not, he will remove the charge. Dave told me he would get back to me by noon on 9/11. I called in at 1pm and was transferred to his voicemail. I called in at 3pm and was told he went it sick.

I had a heart attack on November 9, 2018 and was treated by Fairview Hospital and other local entities, including Suburban Radiologic Consultants, LTD. I'm a 30% service-connected disable veteran, and old enough that the majority of my treatments were covered by Medicare, with the remainder of expenses paid by the VA as "secondary." Shortly after being treated, I began to receive various co-payment bills, such as for hospital and ambulance services, and for radiologic services and drugs, etc., and all of my expenses were paid for either by medicare or the VA--with the exception of SRC, the entity I'm filing this complaint against. I have previously contacted them about being billed, but they have continued to send me a bill for $72.17, and in the last bill just received, I was warned that "if this account is not paid within 10 days it may be placed with a collection agency." I went ahead and mailed the payment out today rather than take a chance on having my credit destroyed by SRC. I talked by phone with "V...." from SRC today and while on the phone, "V" talked with "D...," who is the VA representative at SRC, and the bottom line is that "D" told "V" to inform me that the VA would not be paying my bill for $72.17. I question whether this is true, since every other bill associated with my treatment was paid for by either medicare or the VA--without exception. The amount in question may not seem like much, but I receive very little income, only a small amount from the VA and from Social Security.