Cristina Swenson

Review of Optimal Health Services

UPDATE on June 6, 2013: After my sister-in-law spe...

UPDATE on June 6, 2013: After my sister-in-law spent three days on the phone with Optimal and Medicare, we finally got what we needed, and service greatly improved. Jessica Janney (Physical Therapist) and the RN were so, so helpful in helping us navigate everything. Jessica is, in a word, amazing. We're glad that we finally got things worked out. Thank you for your help.

Optimal Health Services has been nothing but disappointing.

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage 5 brain cancer on April 7, 2013. Just over a week later, on April 14, she came home, and hospice began through Optimal Health Services. 3 days later, on April 17, we informed the nurse we would be changing our services to home health instead of hospice, since my mother-in-law wanted to seek treatment. Optimal Health's RN told us that switching wouldn't be a problem, but failed to tell us how long it would take to be discharged from hospice, and enrolled in home health.

Yesterday, May 20th, it took 5 phone calls to Optimal Health just to get the right information to get an important prescription refilled. They have been taking money, but doing nothing. We were supposed to have two physical therapy appointments yesterday, and no-one came or called.

Also yesterday, the supervisor of billing told us that my mother-in-law's status would finally be updating from hospice to home health. Her radiation and chemo treatments have already been pushed back three times, due to waiting for the update.

Later that afternoon, she called back and apologized for the misinformation and informed us that hospice billing takes 14 days to go through Medicare, meaning that it would not be completed until May 30th. This will push the treatments back for a 4th time with the doctors.

Why wasn't the billing put through when we asked to be discharged from hospice over a month ago?

Why did nobody at Optimal understand how the Medicare system works, including the supervisor of billing?

The only bright light is Yvonne, who comes and bathes my mother-in-law, and is great to work with.

If you are interested in someone dying soon in order to collect insurance money, use Optimal. If the individual in question is a loved one, do not.