Internists - North Richland Hills, TX

"There is a lot going on with this clinic. At the moment there isn’t a office manager to get things resolved and the newly hired manager doesn’t step into the role into later. This is understandable in a way… just letting people now but that’s not my issue. I have learned that it doesn’t matter what you request your visit to be when setting up your visit they will bill as they see fit. A year prior to my visit the rep said this doctor was non par. I knew that was incorrect because I work for the insurance. Instead of arguing I used another provider which was out my way of my new location. Then I tried again this year because I wanted to be closer, I wanted to stay in the USMD system and other personal things I was looking for in a physician. I was finally able to secure an appt for a well adult exam. When I checked in and the front desk asked what my visit was for I said well adult exam again. Went to the back at the medical assistant was very nice. I had questioned why the front desk lady asked her to tell me to put a paper mask over my cloth mask. She didn’t understand why that happened. I told her that was weird and she could have asked me when I sat in the front for 30 mins to change my mama. No biggie for me I would have done it but it was very weird and almost uncomfortable that she wouldn’t speak to me directly but whatever.. we walked to the back and had my vitals done.. in comes the doctor. She was pleasant, very warm and caring. She then started asking me questions about my health, how was I feeling about covid etc. I told her I wanted to confirm that if I went over my history, as I am a new patient, I didn’t want to go over my annual visit. I know from experience with working in claims that some doctors change the nature of the visit due to patients going deeper into their medical history. The doctor reassured me that this is her way to get the necessary info from her patients to not only get the full picture of that person/health but be able to get an understanding and make sure the treatment plan is best tailored to them as well. I understood-made sense to me. I then continued on with our conversation. The doctor made me feel like I made the right decision and I wouldn’t be sad that my favorite pcp and gyn isn’t in my network anymore. A few months had passed and I never got a bill. I will be honest, I typically look out for my eobs but I didn’t at the time because I was going through orthodontist care with my kid and oral surgery car for myself. So locating providers, trying to schedule with covid going on and finding time off from work was hectic at the time. I did receive an invoice in December. I called the billing and was told that the codes was an E/M OV. I explained my story and even asked them to see if they can pull the recording of my appt setting request. She said she will send a review request to the doctors office and get back with me. She did return my call and said that per the notes the rep at the clinic couldn’t change my claim and I would have to speak to a office manager. I called the office and was told they didn’t have a office manager and they just finished interviewing for one but wouldn’t start to the new year. I told them I would call back. I received another bill in January. Call the office back and then was told about the part time manager working with particular hours/days until the permanent one starts in February or March 2022. So I called billing back to see if my account could be placed back with insurance, I.e on hold due to me unable to resolve it. I was unable to have that done. I understand that because of the timeframe but I told the rep that the initial rep should have done that knowing what was going on in the office. I found out on my second call to billing I was speaking to the supervisor then. Now I really feel that servicing the patient isn’t their concern. This rep was very willing to help me or as she said make me feel better before I got off the call and I told her really if I can get a true explanation of the error maybe I can figure out how to resolve this almost $300 bill. She reviewed my claim once more and called the doctor office and told me this.. I’m going to be honest with you. After speaking to the office because you were a new patient and this was your first visit they billed it as establishing care for a new patient. Although the did put well visit diagnosis code but they also put other diagnoses code based off your conversation. I was then upset because I knew I said at least 3 times my whole intent of visit. I don’t go to the doctors office at all. Only to satisfy my annual visit-which sometimes I miss and/or my jobs metabolic screening requirement. If when placing the visit if someone told me I wouldn’t have gotten my well adult exam and it would just be an outpatient office visit to get my background I could have then made a decision to go or not to. I have never been billed for establishing care services on my first visit. Matter of fact, I screen my sought after doctor based on that first visit. How was the office, the doctors knowledge and/or concern, their website, etc. lastly, I have used the usmd network before, granted it was several years ago but again never been hit like this. Working in this industry I know stuff change which is why I look online read their website policy etc. I make the comments about only wanting this particular service etc. What happened in this visit reminding me of my favorite pcp that used to be where I lived prior to moving 20 mins away. So there was nothing that would flagged me to say this would have happened. At this point I am feeling really violated and can’t stop thinking about all the other potential patients this could have happened to. I am currently trying to get this matter resolved but it is quite difficult. I just can’t get over if someone would have told me prior to I would have never even went or set up the appointment. Hell even on that day if I was corrected I would have turned around. I don’t need to pay $300 for services I know is covered at 100% on my policy. It’s also baffling too now thinking about it no one in billing asked me why I paid the extra $47 for my vitamin D claim and not this. It’s because I know we don’t cover that under annual visit. I know that’s my fee and I paid it. I’m not trying to get Over on anyone. I just want everyone to honor what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong moral code. Hopefully my review and my complaint with the company goes heard and some kind of memo gets in the view of patients faces so they know prior to receiving services. This is beyond ridiculous.. I know have felt what my customers have went through. I never had an issue all my life. Working in this industry for the last 10 years i prided myself in asking questions and being transparent.. in my opinion why I hadn’t went through any of this issues. I rated them one star. The doctor’s level of car and concern was really nice but all this hassle has left a bad taste in my mouth. I should have known better when I tried the very first time and they said the doctor wasn’t in my network but I wanted to go with what I was looking for within that network. Not only will I not go back to this doctor but this network as well. Their whole system has failed me. "