UPMC Customer Service

Visit to UPMC Presby ED today due to family illness. Two issues with customer service: 1. Valet and 2. Security
Valet: Pulled into valet parking. Valet was giving instruction on how and what to do. I had to ask a few times as I am hard of hearing and when someone has a mask on, communication is just a little more difficult for me. Valet appeared “agitated” that I asked a couple of times for clarification and gave me that look with eyes wide and a sassy sway of the neck like, “Helllo?! You don’t understand what I am saying?!”
Security: Almost same issue with security. Thank goodness today is decent weather… it too hot or too cold as I am sitting outside the ED on the hard benches. Of course, I am the prepared type of person with food, water, and jacket….just in case.
Please realize that when patients/family are coming to your facility, most are visiting for a legitimate reason and our fear and anxiety are already heightened. I am a front line healthcare provider and I will be the first person to state that our work days can be long and overwhelming, However, when asked for clarification there is no reason to be short and display displeasure, whether verbal or non-verbal, with providing clarification…..especially when you are wearing a mask!

Review: I received a bill from a collection agency for the amount of 57$ owed to UPMC. I called UPMC billing services on 5/11/16, the day after I received the mail. The person I spoke to in billing said that they "got that bill back from collections because it was paid in full". Which is great, but I have no idea where the 57$ bill was generated or why it was sent to collections, what's more, I did not pay 57$. That same person said I owed 250$ that was sent to collections- again I have no record of where this bill was generated. I requested an itemized bill for all owed and paid charges and to speak to a supervisor. I never got it nor did I get a call back from a supervisor. On 5/24/16 I called and spoke to a different person in billing; they said they had no record of the 3 $25 payments I made- which were all cashed checks. I again asked for an itemized bill, and records of where my payments went as they were all cashed. I also asked for a supervisor to call back. I called again on 5/31/16 to speak to a supervisor. The person I spoke to refused to put me through to a supervisor and refused to provide me with information to get a hold of a supervisor.Desired Settlement: I need an itemized bill describing all of the charges owed, who I owe them to, and for the date and type of services. I also want an itemized bill with all of the payments I have made and where they have been applied. I have not received any of the bills or the amounts that they say I owe. I also need to speak to a supervisor to find out what went wrong and why I may or may not have been sent to collections. I am not making anymore payments to UPMC when they cash checks and have no record

Review: I had my daughter and had insurance with UPMC. Instead of billing it to my insurance it was billed straight to me. So I filed an appeal with UPMC. I received a letter MONTHS ago saying they would pay it. The dr office has tried contacting a woman named Vicki to try to get it paid and resolved an she is not answering or returning calls. This is something I should not be responsible for and it is on my husbands ([redacted]) credit report. It is affecting our ability to buy a house. This should have never been an issue to begin with had it been billed to my insurance in the first place. It has been months and UPMC has still not taken action to resolve this.Desired Settlement: I would like this removed from my credit report because this is not a bill we should be responsible for.

Review: I have been receiving phone calls from [redacted] to my cell phone about a bill that I've been paying monthly to UPMC for a couple years. At this time, I am requesting from you the Original Creditor's name, address, the amount owed, and the date of service. I have obligations that I typically pay at the end of each month using my HSA account. This has been and was discussed w/ a UPMC representative over a year ago. I have not been notified by [redacted] or UPMC choosing a collection agency to manage the collection of this debtI would also like to advise of the lack professionalism of your receptionist who had me on hold of over 5 minutes forcing me to call back. I also spoke with another woman on my second attempt who hung up on me because I refused to verify my information without her telling me why I'm being called by your company. Finally, after calling several times, I spoke w/ a [redacted] at ext 165 who gave out my information w/ out properly verifying me as well. She stated to me that I'm ruining my credit by not paying your company, and if that I can only pay her. I stated to her that I have in fact been paying these bills, (which I have documentation of payment every month). When I told her that I would not be paying her directly without the verification I need to prove the debt is mine, paying her over the phone or give her a date specific outside of the "end of the month." She became distastefully rude and ignorant. She stated that if UPMC doesn't notify them that I've been making payments that wasn't her fault. My understanding now is that UPMC is not properly crediting my payments to my accounts. She never stated the amount owed or offered assisting me in resolving this matter, or what I can provide to her as proof of payment. She just changed the tone of her voice to a higher pitch and stated that she would be ruining my credit and offered a smug, "Goodbye have a nice day!" which was immediately followed by the slamming of the phone. Since then they've called me daily.Desired Settlement: UPMC and [redacted] repair my credit immediately and waive any remaining balances owed.I'm also requesting from them the following: * Original Creditor * Date services were provided, * Amount of bill, * Amount that was paid (including dates and amounts tendered) * Remaining balances owed * Billing address.NOTE: Have not received UPMC bill on any of the 3 accounts that I have balances on in 6 months that I've been paying on.

Review: I made an appointment to see Dr. [redacted] on 7/25/14. I was told on the phone that they allowed 1 visit with my insurance ([redacted]) at the time. I was never told that the insurance would not pay anything towards my bill. They acted as if it was a regular visit, took my copay, then I get a bill in the mail for $48.40. Had I know this I would have found another Doctor. I am on disability and cannot afford to pay this bill.Desired Settlement: Something should be done about this bill and the way they tell people about the insurance.

Review: They are billing me everyday for a service that is covered by medical insurance.Desired Settlement: They must stop sending me any bills.

Review: UPMC Hamot is billing me for something my insurance carrier should cover. Someone typed in the code wrong, so it looks like something my insurance won't cover. I've been going back and forth for 5 months with UPMC Hamot to get the billing error fixed and they can't seem to get it fixed. They're going to put me in collections and ruin my credit rating over a bill I don't actually owe. Every time I talk to them, I get a different story. They have very poor follow-through. Every time I talk to them, they say it's fixed, and then I get another bill because no one checks to make sure the forms are filled out and faxed and received. Instead of fixing the problem, they just keep billing me and threatening collections. They need to fix the code and re-bill my insurance carrier, but they can't seem to get it done.Desired Settlement: I don't know if there's anything Revdex.com can do about this one. But someone needs to report them for being incompetent. If they put me in collections, then I'm left trying to clear that off my credit report when I haven't done anything wrong to begin with. How many people have they done this to?

Review: I received a bill (invoice # 2[redacted] 01100) in August 2013 for total amnt. of $116.87. I made a payment of $10 on Aug. 20, 2013, & a payment of $10 on Sept. 14, 2013 leaving me with a balance of $96.87. On Sept. 19, 20,2013 I received a letter stating I had to pay full amnt. or they would turn me over to Collect Agency. My husband called & they said I could make payments of $25.I called them on Sept. 20, 2013 to arrange payment plan. They said I could pay $20 a month. This was between 8am & 9am on Sept. 20, 2013 & I talked to [redacted]. She said by the way do you know you have been reported to the collection agency for a previous bill in Jan. of 2013. I said that I was never notified. She said that they sent me letters but she saw that they had all been returned to them because it was wrong address. I asked why they never called me (they had my correct phone #)& I never got an answer.I then spoke to the manager, Pammy (her direct phone number is:###-###-####). I asked why they did not call me when the letters were returned. She said that they were too busy.She said that they could pull it from the collection agency & add it too my exsisting bill. I said I want it on a seperate invoice & she said they can't do that. I said don't do anything until I contact her again. My complaint is that they should have contacted me before turning it into the collection agency. By the way, they had my correct address in their files.They said that the conversations were recorded.(and I am glad)Desired Settlement: I would like it to be erased from the collection agency.I want the bill sent to my address with a seperate invoice #.I would like to be notified in advance about any future bills that I am required to pay before it is turned over the the collection agency.

Review: Services rendered to me from this facility on the date of 10/22/2012 were covered by my health insurance, EXCEPT, for the amount of $79.07. I paid this amount of balance, $79.07, through my banking online. It was confirmed by my bank that the payment went out to UPMC Northwest. Since that time, I have been receiving calls from UPMC's Central Billing Office in Pittsburgh about an overdue amount of $79.07, PLUS all the papers from the collection agency they use, which is [redacted] Financial Systems, Inc. To keep this short, I noted that it was paid from my online banking, I noted that is was "checked off" as paid in my checkbook, BUT we had to get a bank statement as proof on our part, per this collection agency's request. We went to the bank, they printed out papers for us showing, not just US, but the collection agency proof of payment. We have faxed the papers from the bank to [redacted] Financial Systems, Inc. We were told by [redacted], that this was proof enough for them, & that they were going to inform UPMC (I'm assuming to the UPMC Central Billing office). [redacted] Financial, not only believing that the bill was paid IN FULL, told me they would make a notation on the "alleged amount owed", that it was reported to the UPMC billing dep't, that is was up to THEM, UPMC, to find the money. NO FURTHER CALLS OR LETTERS SHOULD BE COMING FROM EITHER SITE. I am still receiving phone calls & letters from the collection agency, though I was told I would not. I have been fighting this battle with both institutions on this since 10/22/2012, over a year. I want this STOPPED. They continue to harass me about a balance due by me of $79.07 & keep turning it in to collection. THEN, I have to call the collection agency, AGAIN for the "umpteenth" time. They look up my account, & as they're reading, OH, we see where you did all the work to prove that amount was paid. DUH!! "I'll change this AGAIN & add ANOTHER NOTATION that you are not responsible, that UPMN it's up to UPMC to find the monay." HELP ME, PLEASE!!!Desired Settlement: I want this "problem" of $79.07 to go away. I cannot nor will not pay for a service for which I have already paid the amount in question. I want the phone & mail harassments to stop!! Everytime a collection agency contacts me, my credit rating is affected, & my emotional stability becomes more unstable. I don't feel it's my job to be going back & forth between these to companies, but that's what they've had me doing. Please, help me with this.Thank you,[redacted]

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter dated November 15, 2013 regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] is questioning the payment of $79.07 remaining on the account for date of service October 22, 2012.

Ms.[redacted] did indeed send a proof of payment to us of that amount, $79.07. However, the payment was made to [redacted], which is not part of UPMC. She will need to

contact them for any refund. Our balance of $79.07 remains due to Northwest Hospital.

I would like to thank Ms. [redacted] for taking the time to express his concerns. I hope this information has clarified any outstanding questions. If you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.

Review: Can you please explain the charges on this statement.

First of all my daughter goes to [redacted] and needs allergy shots. The nurse at [redacted] does not have the authority to administer these type of shots to her, so the nurse at [redacted] contacted the [redacted] to see if the nurse there could administer the shots.

However, as you can see by the attached statement they are charging [redacted] for a physician visit, she has never seen a physician there! The charges are inconsistent, varying amounts, $63,$126, $171 they are not providing vials of medicine, that was paid for at her doctor's office in Mt. Lebanon, her doctor in Mt. Lebanon charges $24 for both shots administered by a nurse.

How can you justify all these different amounts when she has never seen a physician, just the nurse who administers the shots with [redacted]'s medicine.

Also our insurance has been paying part of these charges which are actually coming out of our HRA account with our insurance carrier.

Someone is coding these all wrong and not even in a consistent manner.

Please explain? I need to know exactly what the charge is to actually give the shot and that is it, by a nurse. As I stated the allergists nurse charges $24, not hundreds of dollars.Desired Settlement: I called upmc's customer service number and they could not explain the difference's in the charges. They are billing this as an office visit with a physician, she has never seen a physician there. The nurse has [redacted]'s vials from the her doctor's office and she gives her the allergy shots, That is it. I am assuming they do not know how to code this but someone has to straighten this out. I am not going to pay for a physician visit when she has never seen one there.

The money from our HRA that our insurance has been paying to UPMC also has to be straightened out, the one charge was $171, $126, and $63 for a nurse to give her a shot. Does not seem reasonable at all. I need to know what is the charge for a nurse to give a patient a charge, and then we have to figure out how much are we being overcharged, and the money already paid from the HSA needs to be returned. I really have never seen anything like this, it's borders on fraud in my opinion.