Patricia Toledo

Review of Froedtert West Bend Health Cen...

The care was good, but the billing was AWFUL. I ha...

The care was good, but the billing was AWFUL. I have insurance and went in and asked before agreeing to services what which of my two co-pays I would be paying. The check-in clerk checked my insurance and told me my co-pay was a non-specialist co-pay for $30 verses the specialist $60. I asked twice if she was sure and she said yes. Then I checked in, saw a Physician's Assistant, and then paid my $30. Months later they billed me for another $30 saying it was a specialist. I disputed the claim and they checked it and told me to ignore the bills until the dispute was settled. Then another two months and they said that they billed it correctly and my insurance allowed them to charge for a specialist fee for a PA! Not only did they lie, but then they didn't make it right. Because directly after I spoke to them they didn't send me an additional bill, they sent me to a collections agency. First, how does a health care company (non or for profit) get to lie about what you will be paying BEFORE you agree to services? And second, how is it at all ethical to charge for services not rendered (ie I saw a PA not an oncologist)? They certainly won't pay the PA the rate the oncologist would earn. I do not recommend Froedtert at all because patient care does not stop at the time of treatment, but it is part of the billing process as well. They are not meeting up to their mission statement. I have reported them to the WI Attorney General's office for insurance fraud and for breaking a verbal agreement regarding cost of care.