Synergy Orthopedics

This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by [redacted] .As per the complaint, Ms [redacted] believes she should not be billed for the walking boot dispensed to her by her doctor in September She states the boot was defective and that Synergy Orthopedics never returned her phone calls regarding replacing the boot.On September 15", 2015, Ms [redacted] was seen by DrR [redacted] at Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates where she was prescribed a walking bootAt this time, Ms [redacted] signed an agreement Stating: "I understand that I am responsible for, and I agree to pay, any portion of the amount due for such product not paid by my insurer, whether resulting from deductibles, co-pays, or otherwiseI acknowledge that I have reviewed and understand my Patient Rights and Responsibilities on the reverse side of this formI also acknowledge that I have received and understand the information included on the tear-off form entitled 'Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive'.A copy of the signed agreement from Ms [redacted] as well as the form entitled “Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive” have been enclosed for your reviewPlease also note that our office telephone number is on this form which is given to every patient.On December 21, we received a letter dated December 17, from Ms [redacted] stating she has called our establishment on three occasions about wishing to return the defective cam walker she receivedShe states she has left messages without a single return call and that she has received an invoice from us for the amount of $She expresses her desire to speak with someone in authority regarding this mannerO On January 6th, we received another letter from Ms [redacted] , this one is dated January 4th, In this letter, Ms [redacted] states she has called Synergy and spoken with Greg and Andrea but has never heard back regarding her concerns over the defective bootShe asks that we speak with Andrea who she was “certain will verify that she has called numerous times.” After receiving this correspondence from the patient the situation was brought to my attentionBecause there was no record in our system of Ms [redacted] calling to discuss the defective boot, I asked our tellephone company to check our records to see if there was a phone call placed from either of the two phone numbers Ms [redacted] had given usI also reached out to the physicians office where Ms [redacted] received the boot originally to see if they had any record of the patient calling regarding the defective bootI then sent Ms [redacted] a letter as she had requested in her letter dated January 4th, o On January 11th, I sent a letter to Ms [redacted] to let her know that we had received the correspondence from herI explained to her that Synergy Orthopedics prides itself on providing outstanding care to all of our patients and that our staff is fully trained on all of our policies and procedures including handling a patient complaintI informed her that I did not have any information regarding her calling our office and that I double checked our phone records to ensure we had not missed anythingIn this letter, I offered Ms [redacted] the option to have someone come to her home or to schedule a visit in our office to swap the defective boot (as is our policy)I also informed her that we would not be able to disregard the balance due as it was an obligation from her insurance company that must be satisfiedAt this time, I left the patient a message at (215) 331-to let her know that I had sent her the lettero On January 22", 2016, Ms [redacted] returned my phone call stating she had not yet received the letterUnfortunately I had been away from my desk at the time so I was unable to speak with the patient directly but I did mail out a second copy of the letter to the patiente On May 17", 2016, Ms [redacted] called our office regarding an invoice dated 4/26/She was adamant that we have not returned any of her phone calls nor did she receive either of the letters sent to herShe expressed to me that someone from our office had told her the bill was going to be taken care of and that she would not be responsible for the balance dueAt this time, she informed me I should send all correspondence to her attorney and that she would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney GeneralI informed her that I would need to discuss the situation with my superior prior to sending any information to her attorney.As in any business, there are policies and procedures in place that allows us to keep our doors open to serve our patients, remain compliant and meet all required responsibilitiesUnfortunately these policies do not always satisfy everyone.Please be advised that Ms [redacted] was never told that her bill would be “taken care of as it is not our policy to waive co-payments or deductibles for patientsIn conclusion, Synergy Orthopedics, LLC agrees to accept the patients offer of $102.16, as payment in full, as a gesture of good customer service to Ms [redacted] although it is not our usual and customary policy to do soHowever; Synergy Orthopedics, LLC will work with Ms [redacted] if she can provide phone records that indicate she called our office within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the boot.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC processes and bills over 4,claims per month and in order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and proceduresUnfortunately, Ms [redacted] did not follow our proceduresEnclosed are the documents which Ms [redacted] received on September 15th, at her appointment with DrR [redacted] , a copy of our return policy and copies of the correspondence between our office and Ms [redacted] Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I appreciate your time and attentionSincerely, Sarah P***Compliance Manager Synergy Orthopedics, LLC

I gave Synergy Orthopedics a check for a knee brace in the amount of $on 01/27/ After Medicare paid the EOB (explanation of benefits) it showed I should have only paid $233.91, a difference of $ I have contacted them several times and even given them a copy of the EOB which has all been ignored Is there any way you can help me resolve this matter? Thank you

This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by [redacted] .As per the complaint, Ms [redacted] believes she should not be billed for the walking boot dispensed to her by her doctor in September She states the boot was defective and that Synergy Orthopedics never returned her phone calls regarding replacing the boot.On September 15", 2015, Ms [redacted] was seen by DrR [redacted] at Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates where she was prescribed a walking bootAt this time, Ms [redacted] signed an agreement Stating:"I understand that I am responsible for, and I agree to pay, any portion of the amount due for such product not paid by my insurer, whether resulting from deductibles, co-pays, or otherwiseI acknowledge that I have reviewed and understand my Patient Rights and Responsibilities on the reverse side of this formI also acknowledge that I have received and understand the information included on the tear-off form entitled 'Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive'.A copy of the signed agreement from Ms [redacted] as well as the form entitled “Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive” have been enclosed for your review.Please also note that our office telephone number is on this form which is given to every patient.On December 21, we received a letter dated December 17, from Ms [redacted] stating she has called our establishment on three occasions about wishing to return the defective cam walker she receivedShe states she has left messages without a single return call and that she has received an invoice from us for the amount of $She expresses her desire to speak with someone in authority regarding this manner.O On January 6th, we received another letter from Ms [redacted] , this one is dated January 4th, In this letter, Ms [redacted] states she has called Synergy and spoken with Greg and Andrea but has never heard back regarding her concerns over the defective bootShe asks that we speak with Andrea who she was “certain will verify that she has called numerous times.”After receiving this correspondence from the patient the situation was brought to my attentionBecause there was no record in our system of Ms [redacted] calling to discuss the defective boot, I asked our tellephone company to check our records to see if there was a phone call placed from either of the two phone numbers Ms [redacted] had given usI also reached out to the physicians office where Ms [redacted] received the boot originally to see if they had any record of the patient calling regarding the defective bootI then sent Ms [redacted] a letter as she had requested in her letter dated January 4th, 2016.o On January 11th, I sent a letter to Ms [redacted] to let her know that we had received the correspondence from herI explained to her that Synergy Orthopedics prides itself on providing outstanding care to all of our patients and that our staff is fully trained on all of our policies and procedures including handling a patient complaintI informed her that I did not have any information regarding her calling our office and that I double checked our phone records to ensure we had not missed anythingIn this letter, I offered Ms [redacted] the option to have someone come to her home or to schedule a visit in our office to swap the defective boot (as is our policy)I also informed her that we would not be able to disregard the balance due as it was an obligation from her insurance company that must be satisfiedAt this time, I left the patient a message at (215) 331-to let her know that I had sent her the letter.o On January 22", 2016, Ms [redacted] returned my phone call stating she had not yet received the letterUnfortunately I had been away from my desk at the time so I was unable to speak with the patient directly but I did mail out a second copy of the letter to the patient.e On May 17", 2016, Ms [redacted] called our office regarding an invoice dated 4/26/She was adamant that we have not returned any of her phone calls nor did she receive either of the letters sent to herShe expressed to me that someone from our office had told her the bill was going to be taken care of and that she would not be responsible for the balance dueAt this time, she informed me I should send all correspondence to her attorney and that she would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney GeneralI informed her that I would need to discuss the situation with my superior prior to sending any information to her attorney.As in any business, there are policies and procedures in place that allows us to keep our doors open to serve our patients, remain compliant and meet all required responsibilitiesUnfortunately these policies do not always satisfy everyone.Please be advised that Ms [redacted] was never told that her bill would be “taken care of as it is not our policy to waive co-payments or deductibles for patients.In conclusion, Synergy Orthopedics, LLC agrees to accept the patients offer of $102.16, as payment in full, as a gesture of good customer service to Ms [redacted] although it is not our usual and customary policy to do soHowever; Synergy Orthopedics, LLC will work with Ms [redacted] if she can provide phone records that indicate she called our office within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the boot.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC processes and bills over 4,claims per month and in order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and proceduresUnfortunately, Ms [redacted] did not follow our procedures.Enclosed are the documents which Ms [redacted] received on September 15th, at her appointment with DrR [redacted] , a copy of our return policy and copies of the correspondence between our office and Ms [redacted] .Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I appreciate your time and attention.Sincerely,Sarah P***Compliance Manager Synergy Orthopedics, LLC

November 8th, 2016This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint filed by *** ***.As per the complaint, *** *** believes he is due a refund and that our refund process takes too long. • On July
7th, we received an order from *** ***'s physician for a back brace • On July 8th, we contacted ***'s insurance company who provided us with the current benefit and accumulations per *** ***s insuranceThe benefits given were as follows: o Spoke with Bob with call reference #*** o Deductible: $with $remaining Out of Pocket: $with $remaining o Covered at 80% after deductible is met o Total allowed amount: $ o Total patient responsibility: $ • On July 13th, we reached out to *** to go over these benefits and to collect the out of pocket expense • On July 21st, *** called to let us know he would be mailing in a check for the amount due • On August 5th, *** *** contacted our office and made payment via credit card • On August 9th, the back brace was delivered to *** *** and the claim was subsequently billed to his insurance • On September 7th, we received payment in full from the insurance company.We verify benefits for the patient prior to dispensing items that cost this much as a courtesy to the patientSynergy Orthopedics strives to provide excellent patient care and part of this is making sure that patients are informed about their financial responsibility before delivering a braceAs is our standard policy, there is a thirty (30) day waiting period from the date the payment is received from the insurance company before the patient account is reviewed for possible refund. • On September 21st, *** *** called our office to inform us that they had received an explanation of benefits from the insurance company which indicated they had overpaidAt this time, the proper paperwork (per our standard policy) was completed.• On October 4th, *** called our office asking about the status of the refundAt this time, it was explained to him that the standard turnaround time for a refund is sixty (60) days (the initial thirty (30) day plus the standard time it takes to review the account and process the refund).• On October 28th, *** *** called again asking for the status of the refundHe was told that it was in process and should be coming soon.• On November 7th, we finalized the process of the refund and the check was sent out to *** ***.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC processes over 5,claims per month and has developed policies and procedures in order to ensure accuracy with its handling of claimsWe followed our standard policy for processing refunds and *** *** was informed of this process during one of the calls to our office.At this time, the refund check has been issued to *** *** and should he feel the need to contact us, we urge him to do so via phone at ###-###-####.I appreciate your time and attention.Sincerely,Sarah P.Billing and Compliance Manager

This company took almost a month to get my brace to me and then it was incorrectI had to pay 15% of brace before they would order itThey claimed that wad my copayThey did not process medical insurance paperwork firstMy health insurance provider indicated that I was overcharged and protocol is they get copay after they fileI wasaw overcharged $When I called, I was told it would take to days for a refundWe're at and no moneyEssentially they got an interest free loan from me

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the Synergy Orthopedics in reference to complaint ID ***. I accept the response that the company agrees to process my refund once provided with my cell phone records I am attaching my cell phone records here for the time frame in question. The phone number of Mark Z*** (***) is circled. Please note the call made to him on 12/31/when I left a voice message notifying him of the CPM malfunction. His return call to me on 1/4/to schedule CPM piis also highlighted. At the time Mark picked up the CPM machine he told me he would be making a notation on my paperwork to inform the office that I did contact him on 12/31/14. Additionally, I am scanning and attaching the ONLY packet of information I was provided from Synergy OrthopedicsThis packet looks slightly different than what Synergy provided in their attachment. On the front page, I was given Mark Z***'s contact number and verbally told to call with any problems. Nowhere in this packet of information is there a page that says to call Synergy at ###-###-#### for machine pior malfunction. It very well may be stated on stickers on the machine but I was looking at my paperwork and not the machine when trying to contact someone Your field representatives are the primary source of contact for your customers. Until the first time I called Joan B***, Mark was the ONLY contact I had at Synergy. I was provided with Joan's phone number and extension by Mark Z***. I trusted that when corresponding with Mark Z***, I WAS corresponding with Synergy Orthopedics.
Regards,
*** ***

This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by [redacted].As per the complaint, Ms. [redacted] believes she should not be billed for the walking boot dispensed to her by her doctor in...

September 2015. She states the boot was defective and that Synergy Orthopedics never returned her phone calls regarding replacing the boot.On September 15", 2015, Ms. [redacted] was seen by Dr. R[redacted] at Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates where she was prescribed a walking boot. At this time, Ms. [redacted] signed an agreement Stating:
"I understand that I am responsible for, and I agree to pay, any portion of the amount due for such product not paid by my insurer, whether resulting from deductibles, co-pays, or otherwise. I acknowledge that I have reviewed and understand my Patient Rights and Responsibilities on the reverse side of this form. I also acknowledge that I have received and understand the information included on the tear-off form entitled 'Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive'.A copy of the signed agreement from Ms. [redacted] as well as the form entitled “Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive” have been enclosed for your review.
Please also note that our office telephone number is on this form which is given to every patient.On December 21, 2015 we received a letter dated December 17, 2015 from Ms. [redacted] stating she has called our establishment on three occasions about wishing to return the defective cam walker she received. She states she has left messages without a single return call and that she has received an invoice from us for the amount of $204.33. She expresses her desire to speak with someone in authority regarding this manner.
O On January 6th, 2016 we received another letter from Ms. [redacted], this one is dated January 4th, 2016. In this letter, Ms. [redacted] states she has called Synergy and spoken with Greg and Andrea but has never heard back regarding her concerns over the defective boot. She asks that we speak with Andrea who she was “certain will verify that she has called numerous times.”
After receiving this correspondence from the patient the situation was brought to my attention. Because there was no record in our system of Ms. [redacted] calling to discuss the defective boot, I asked our tellephone company to check our records to see if there was a phone call placed from either of the two phone numbers Ms. [redacted] had given us. I also reached out to the physicians office where Ms. [redacted] received the boot originally to see if they had any record of the patient calling regarding the defective boot. I then sent Ms. [redacted] a letter as she had requested in her letter dated January 4th, 2016.
o On January 11th, 2016 I sent a letter to Ms. [redacted] to let her know that we had received the correspondence from her. I explained to her that Synergy Orthopedics prides itself on providing outstanding care to all of our patients and that our staff is fully trained on all of our policies and procedures including handling a patient complaint. I informed her that I did not have any information regarding her calling our office and that I double checked our phone records to ensure we had not missed anything. In this letter, I offered Ms. [redacted] the option to have someone come to her home or to schedule a visit in our office to swap the defective boot (as is our policy). I also informed her that we would not be able to disregard the balance due as it was an obligation from her insurance company that must be satisfied. At this time, I left the patient a message at (215) 331-1970 to let her know that I had sent her the letter.
o On January 22", 2016, Ms. [redacted] returned my phone call stating she had not yet received the letter. Unfortunately I had been away from my desk at the time so I was unable to speak with the patient directly but I did mail out a second copy of the letter to the patient.
e On May 17", 2016, Ms. [redacted] called our office regarding an invoice dated 4/26/16. She was adamant that we have not returned any of her phone calls nor did she receive either of the letters sent to her. She expressed to me that someone from our office had told her the bill was going to be taken care of and that she would not be responsible for the balance due. At this time, she informed me I should send all correspondence to her attorney and that she would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney General. I informed her that I would need to discuss the situation with my superior prior to sending any information to her attorney.As in any business, there are policies and procedures in place that allows us to keep our doors open to serve our patients, remain compliant and meet all required responsibilities. Unfortunately these policies do not always satisfy everyone.Please be advised that Ms. [redacted] was never told that her bill would be “taken care of as it is not our policy to waive co-payments or deductibles for patients.
In conclusion, Synergy Orthopedics, LLC agrees to accept the patients offer of $102.16, as payment in full, as a gesture of good customer service to Ms. [redacted] although it is not our usual and customary policy to do so. However; Synergy Orthopedics, LLC will work with Ms. [redacted] if she can provide phone records that indicate she called our office within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the boot.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC processes and bills over 4,000 claims per month and in order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and procedures. Unfortunately, Ms. [redacted] did not follow our procedures.
Enclosed are the documents which Ms. [redacted] received on September 15th, 2015 at her appointment with Dr. R[redacted], a copy of our return policy and copies of the correspondence between our office and Ms. [redacted].
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I appreciate your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Sarah P[redacted]Compliance Manager Synergy Orthopedics, LLC

While this company is well aware that I did, in fact, call them in September and left many unanswered voice messages for them, I will pay half to bill to make them go away. They are disgrace and complete liars. I will call their office today to pay the 1/2 bill.

April 20th 2015
This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics LLC, from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by [redacted].As per complaint, [redacted] believes she is due a refund. She claims she is due a refund because...

she did not use the Continuous Passive Motion (CPH) machine in January of 2015,• On 12/15/2014 Synergy received a request from [redacted]’s Physician to provide a CPM machine for 21 days. 12/16/2014 to 1/7/2015« On 12/15/2014 [redacted]'s health Insurance benefits with [redacted] were verified as follows: o Synergy In Network benefitso Spoke [redacted] Insurance benefits department - call reference #[redacted]o 2014 Deductible amount = $600o 2014 Deductible amount remaining = $.00o 2015 Deductible amount = $600o 2015 Deductible amount remaining = $600o 2014 Out of Pocket amount = 500.00o 2014 Out of Pocket amount remaining =500,00o 2015 Out of Pocket amount = 500.00o 2015 Out of Pocket amount remaining =500,00o % covered/coinsurance = 100%  after deductible is meto Call reference number [redacted]o Total allowed amount $ 495.04 for CPM 21 day'rentalo Patient owes $ 147.98 (due to 2015 deductible not being met)• Because deductible had not been met, at the time the verification of benefits was done, [redacted] was financially responsible for $147.98• On 12/15/2014 $ 147.98 was collected from patient via credit cardPJease be advised that all of Synergy’s CPM machines have a visible slicker staling to contact the Synergy office at ###-###-#### as soon as treatment Is complete. The purpose for this is to ensure Synergy ONLY bills Insurance for the true and actual time of the CPM treatment. [redacted] did not call the Synergy office to notify the office that she stopped her treatment nor to say that the CPM unit did not work.• [redacted] called Synergy Service Representative, Mark Z[redacted]'s cell telephone number and left a message stating the CPM unit was not working and to pick up the unit because she did not need it any longer. Unfortunately, that call cannot be tracked, because Mark Z[redacted] works out in the field not in an office where incoming calls can be tracked. That being said, this is the very reason why we have our units clearly marked to call the Synergy Office to notify the office of end date of treatment• Oh 1/7/2015 Service Representative, Mark Z[redacted], picked up the CPM unit and [redacted] stated at the time of pick up that she stopped using the CPM unit on 12/31/2014.• On 1/13/2015,2/12/2015 & 3/18/2015 [redacted] emailed the Synergy ofice_and spoke with Joan B[redacted], she stated she stopped using the CPM unit and wanted a refund for the $147.98 because she did not use the CPM unit after 12/31.14.o Joan said "okay I will submit a refund request for you. The refund process takes about 30 days",Please note Joan did not give [redacted] accurate Information, [redacted]’s should have been fold that the Synergy office does not have a record of her calling 12/31/2014 to state she slopped using the CPM and that because it is now 1/13/15, and the CPM unit was picked up on 1/7/2015, which by the way that was the scheduled date to stop treatment, there is no refund due.On 4/6/2015 when I became aware of the issue, Joan was instructed to contact the patient and inform her that a refund will not be issued.Since the above Joan and other Synergy employees that handle CPM claims have gone through refresher on CPM claims.•If the Synergy office is not notified by the patient of a unit's malfunction or of early stop date of treatment and the patient keeps the unit for the number of days it is prescribed the patient’s health insurance will be billed for the prescribed rental period. The patient is responsible for contacting the Synergy office to notify Synergy on THE DATE they stop treatment or the unit malfunctions. Calls after the fact will not be acknowledged as acceptable notification to alter stop dates.Due to the rental time period running into the 2015 deductible year [redacted]’s claim was split into 2 claims, As of 4/20/2015, Ms.Dietrich’s insurance company has processed and paid for the first half of the claim 12/18/2014 to 12/31/2014, as for the second half, 1/1/2015 to 1/7/2015, it Is still being processed by the insurance company and currently pending status.If and when the insurance company processes the 2nd half of the rental claim and determines that at the time of claim processing the deductible has been met, then [redacted] will receive a refund for whatever the overpayment may be due at that time. Protocol followed once the insurance processes a claim and sends Synergy an Explanation of Benefits is:o Once a claim is billed to the patient's health insurance company and the health insurance company processes the claim and sends an explanation of benefits, overpayments, credit balances and or refunds due by Synergy are processed and refunded within 30 days.As in any business, there are policies and procedures in place that allows us to keep our doors open to serve our patients, remain compliant and meet all required responsibilities unfortunately these do not always satisfy everyone, [redacted] did not follow the procedure to notify the Synergy office on the dare treatment ended therefore making it impossible for Synergy to confirm [redacted]'s CPM treatment ended 12/31,2014.
Please be advised [redacted] never mentioned to anyone at the Synergy office that she could or would provide her cell phone records as confirmation she called Synergy Representative, Mark Z[redacted], on 12/31/2015, If that that had been offered I would have accepted as confirmation and refunded [redacted].In conclusion, because the Synergy office was not notified by [redacted], as it’s clearly slated on the CPM unit to do so, Synergy does not owe [redacted] a refund, however:1. If [redacted]’s insurance determines, when they complete the processing of the 2nd half of the claim, that [redacted]'s deductible has been met, [redacted] will receive a refund, OR2, If [redacted] provides Synergy with her cell phone records as confirmation she called Synergy Representative, Mark Z[redacted], on 12/31/2014, [redacted] will receive a refund,Synergy processes and bills over 4000 claims a month and In order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and procedures. Unfortunately [redacted] did not follow our procedure.Enclosed are pictures of multiple CPM units with visible sticker, copy of documents signed at the time of CPM delivery, copy of Synergy’s policy regarding stop dates and a copy of the letter received from Revdex.com. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I appreciate your time and attention.Sincerely,Evelyn L
General  Manager & Compliance Officer

I gave Synergy Orthopedics a check for a knee brace in the amount of $269.00 on 01/27/15. After Medicare paid the EOB (explanation of benefits) it showed I should have only paid $233.91, a difference of $35.09. I have contacted them several times and even given them a copy of the EOB which has all been ignored. Is there any way you can help me resolve this matter?
Thank you

This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by [redacted].As per the complaint, Ms. [redacted] believes she should not be billed for the walking boot dispensed to her by her doctor in September 2015....

She states the boot was defective and that Synergy Orthopedics never returned her phone calls regarding replacing the boot.On September 15", 2015, Ms. [redacted] was seen by Dr. R[redacted] at Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates where she was prescribed a walking boot. At this time, Ms. [redacted] signed an agreement Stating:"I understand that I am responsible for, and I agree to pay, any portion of the amount due for such product not paid by my insurer, whether resulting from deductibles, co-pays, or otherwise. I acknowledge that I have reviewed and understand my Patient Rights and Responsibilities on the reverse side of this form. I also acknowledge that I have received and understand the information included on the tear-off form entitled 'Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive'.A copy of the signed agreement from Ms. [redacted] as well as the form entitled “Important Information About The Medical Product You Are About To Receive” have been enclosed for your review.Please also note that our office telephone number is on this form which is given to every patient.On December 21, 2015 we received a letter dated December 17, 2015 from Ms. [redacted] stating she has called our establishment on three occasions about wishing to return the defective cam walker she received. She states she has left messages without a single return call and that she has received an invoice from us for the amount of $204.33. She expresses her desire to speak with someone in authority regarding this manner.O On January 6th, 2016 we received another letter from Ms. [redacted], this one is dated January 4th, 2016. In this letter, Ms. [redacted] states she has called Synergy and spoken with Greg and Andrea but has never heard back regarding her concerns over the defective boot. She asks that we speak with Andrea who she was “certain will verify that she has called numerous times.”After receiving this correspondence from the patient the situation was brought to my attention. Because there was no record in our system of Ms. [redacted] calling to discuss the defective boot, I asked our tellephone company to check our records to see if there was a phone call placed from either of the two phone numbers Ms. [redacted] had given us. I also reached out to the physicians office where Ms. [redacted] received the boot originally to see if they had any record of the patient calling regarding the defective boot. I then sent Ms. [redacted] a letter as she had requested in her letter dated January 4th, 2016.o On January 11th, 2016 I sent a letter to Ms. [redacted] to let her know that we had received the correspondence from her. I explained to her that Synergy Orthopedics prides itself on providing outstanding care to all of our patients and that our staff is fully trained on all of our policies and procedures including handling a patient complaint. I informed her that I did not have any information regarding her calling our office and that I double checked our phone records to ensure we had not missed anything. In this letter, I offered Ms. [redacted] the option to have someone come to her home or to schedule a visit in our office to swap the defective boot (as is our policy). I also informed her that we would not be able to disregard the balance due as it was an obligation from her insurance company that must be satisfied. At this time, I left the patient a message at (215) 331-1970 to let her know that I had sent her the letter.o On January 22", 2016, Ms. [redacted] returned my phone call stating she had not yet received the letter. Unfortunately I had been away from my desk at the time so I was unable to speak with the patient directly but I did mail out a second copy of the letter to the patient.e On May 17", 2016, Ms. [redacted] called our office regarding an invoice dated 4/26/16. She was adamant that we have not returned any of her phone calls nor did she receive either of the letters sent to her. She expressed to me that someone from our office had told her the bill was going to be taken care of and that she would not be responsible for the balance due. At this time, she informed me I should send all correspondence to her attorney and that she would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney General. I informed her that I would need to discuss the situation with my superior prior to sending any information to her attorney.As in any business, there are policies and procedures in place that allows us to keep our doors open to serve our patients, remain compliant and meet all required responsibilities. Unfortunately these policies do not always satisfy everyone.Please be advised that Ms. [redacted] was never told that her bill would be “taken care of as it is not our policy to waive co-payments or deductibles for patients.In conclusion, Synergy Orthopedics, LLC agrees to accept the patients offer of $102.16, as payment in full, as a gesture of good customer service to Ms. [redacted] although it is not our usual and customary policy to do so. However; Synergy Orthopedics, LLC will work with Ms. [redacted] if she can provide phone records that indicate she called our office within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the boot.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC processes and bills over 4,000 claims per month and in order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and procedures. Unfortunately, Ms. [redacted] did not follow our procedures.Enclosed are the documents which Ms. [redacted] received on September 15th, 2015 at her appointment with Dr. R[redacted], a copy of our return policy and copies of the correspondence between our office and Ms. [redacted].Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I appreciate your time and attention.Sincerely,Sarah P[redacted]Compliance Manager Synergy Orthopedics, LLC

This letter is in response to correspondence received by Synergy Orthopedics LLC, from the Revdex.com regarding a complaint made by Alice M. [redacted].As per complaint, Mrs. [redacted] believes she was double billed for a knee brace...

she received on November 3", 2014 also that a refund due was not issued. Please be advised that Mrs.[redacted] was not double billed, below you will find Synergy’s policy and procedure for refunds due and the sequence of events that occurred during the processing of this claim.Synergy’s policies and procedures for overpayment, credit balances and refunds due:The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that Synergy Orthopedics, LLC, appropriately refunds overpayments to third party payers, guarantors, and patients.Synergy Orthopedics, LLC will refund third party payers, guarantors, and or patients whenever a refund is due. This policy applies to all patient claims billed by Synergy Orthopedics, LLC. It is the responsibility of Compliance Officer and Compliance Manager to ensure compliance with this policy.Overpayments are identified through Routine Audits.On a monthly basis the billing department shall review all credit balances to determine whether an overpayment exists or whether the credit balance is due to misapplied charges/credits, incorrect patient account adjustments, or cash posting errors that occur in the routine course of business. Credit balances attributed to cash posting errors shall be corrected in Empower. -Patient refunds due to patients attributed to collecting upfront for co-pays, co-insurance and or deductibles will be mailed to the last known address of the patient.• On 10/2/2014 Synergy received a request from Mrs. [redacted]’s Physician to provide a custom made orthotic knee brace with build OA brace Smartdose kit -• On 10/2/2014 Mrs. [redacted]’s insurance benefits with [redacted] of Delaware were verified as follows:??Synergy In Network benefits Spoke with [redacted] at [redacted] OF DE Insurance benefits department Deductible amount = $500Deductible amount remaining = $500.00Out of Pocket amount = 500.00Out of Pocket amount remaining =500.00% covered/coinsurance = 90%Call reference number 14[redacted] Total allowed amount $ 1050.76 for custom brace Total allowed amount for smartdose kit is patient responsibility insurance does not pay for this Patient owes $ 565.00 (this includes $65.00 charge for OA brace smartdose kit)• Because deductible had not been met at the time the verification of benefits was done Mrs. [redacted] was financially responsible for $565.00• On 10/3/2014 a message was left for Mrs. [redacted] to contact the office to review benefits for prescribed knee brace• On 10/6/2014 a 2nd attempt was made to contact Mrs. [redacted] and benefits were reviewed. Mrs. [redacted] stated she wanted to discuss with husband and asked to be called back on 10/13/2014
• On 10/13/14 Mrs. [redacted] called the office and paid $282.50 and stated she will either mail the rest or use the credit card on file for monthly $50.00 payment plan to begin November 1st, 2014
On 10/13/14 custom orthotic brace was ordered• On 10/29/14 Mrs. [redacted] called the office to say she believes she made an overpayment. She was informed her insurance carrier had not been billed yet due to she not receiving her brace yet and that once the brace is completed and delivered to her Synergy will bill her insurance and if benefit deductibles and or coinsurance have changed she would receive a refund• On 11/1/2014 the Billing department did not bill Mrs. [redacted]’s credit card because in addition to the custom brace not completed and or delivered to Mrs. [redacted]’s, Mrs. [redacted]’s had contacted the office on 10/29/14 stating she believed she may have overpaid - -• On 11/3/2014 the office contacted Mrs. [redacted]’s and she stated she received an injection at her last doctor visit and believes her benefit amounts had now been met. Again informed Mrs. [redacted]’s once insurance is billed any refund due will be paid to her and also her credit card has not been charged again since her initial payment of $282.50
On 11/3/2014 the custom orthotic brace with build OA brace smartdose kit was delivered to Mrs. [redacted]’s
On 11/4/2014 Mrs. [redacted] insurance carrier was billed• On 11/12/2014 Mrs. [redacted]’s insurance carrier paid Synergy—see attached explanation of benefits attachedo Patient is responsible for $65.00 OA brace smartdose kit the tool added to the brace to make it easier to adjust the brace settings to relieve pain, patient paid upfront for this feature
Insurance carrier allowed $1050.76
o Insurance carrier applied $9.89 towards deductible not met–patient responsibility
o Insurance carrier applied $104.09 towards Co-Insurance – patient responsibility
o Insurance carrier paid $936.78 -• On 12/30/2014 overpayment of $103.52 was identified• On 2/1/2015 refund approval• On 2/9/2015 Mrs. [redacted] called office regarding status on refund she was informed that refund has been approved and processed and check will be sent out• On 2/16/2015 Mr. [redacted] called office and once again was informed that the check has been approved and being sent out -
On 2/17/2015 refund check #[redacted] was mailed to Mrs. [redacted]
On 2/23/2015 check cleared Synergy’s bank
On 2/26/2015 Synergy received correspondence from Revdex.com On 2/27/15
Synergy sent Revdex.com a written response regarding 2/26/15 correspondence
In conclusion, Synergy did not double bill or refuse to refund the credit refund that was due to Mrs. [redacted]. There are policies and procedures in place that allows Synergy to remain compliant and meet all responsibilities and all deadlines. Mrs. [redacted]’s claim was processed as per our policies and procedures.
Synergy processes and bills over 4000 claims a month and in order to operate effective and efficiently we must implement and follow processes and procedures. Unfortunately Mrs. [redacted] felt our process was not quick enough and did not meet her expectations and for this we apologize.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
I appreciate your time and attention
Sincerely,
Evelyn L[redacted]
General Manager & Compliance Officer

I gave Synergy Orthopedics a check for a knee brace in the amount of $269.00 on 01/27/15. After Medicare paid the EOB (explanation of benefits) it showed I should have only paid $233.91, a difference of $35.09. I have contacted them several times and even given them a copy of the EOB which has all been ignored. Is there any way you can help me resolve this matter?
Thank you