Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i missed an appointment, and understood there is a missed appt fee - this is not an issue. i was told i was sent to collections within 1 week of that missed appointment. no mail correspondence, no phone call. just straight to collections 7 days later.

  Business response

  05/16/2022

  I am unable to find any record for this person nor phone number.  Can they tell me the name of the pet and if they are the listed name on record or if it is under a family member perhaps?

  Customer response

  05/17/2022

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: J***** ***** - ###-###-#### - Pet Name: M**** - they have records
  
  Regards,
  
  J******* ********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Business response

  05/24/2022

  We have looked at our records and did not find any information that this account was sent to collections.  When we do send a client to collections, the account is notated with date and time that it was sent and then closed in our office management application.  None of these show.  We do show that the contact paid our missed appointment fee, as she stated, and the account is current with no balance. Missed appointment fees are applied when an appointment is missed since we are a medical facility and the time slot is reserved for a patient (same as a human doctor)

  We contacted the 3rd party collection agency that we use (just to be sure) and they did not have any records for this contact. 

  Therefore we called this client directly in case of an error.  She notified us that she believes she was told that we sent her to collections verbally -- that she has no documentation showing that she was in fact sent to collections.  As best as we can ascertain, she may have misunderstood that we do send accounts to collections that do not pay; however, she did pay her missed appointment fee and is in good standing.

  Hopefully this clears her concern and we can continue our good relationship with her.
  

  Customer response

  05/25/2022

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: i am rejecting this response because it does not reflect my phone conversation in its entirety with the person responding to the BBB. The person i spoke to and whoever is responding to my initial complaint is withholding several key and important FACTS, which i will gladly state here, in full detail. 
  
  I missed an appt for my frenchie, M****, roughly around March 22 . I expected there would a missed fee, as this is a basic standard in any medical office. End of April, roughly a month after the missed appt, I called trying to schedule an appt for my boston terrier puppy, Penelope. With my previous missed appt balance and the new appt, the visit alone would be a bit over $100. a bit nervous on that, i hesitated since i knew Penelope would need medications and possibly testing,  which would also add to my total cost. the person on the phone said "wait a minute, i think you've already been sent to collections."
  
  SHOCKED! i am almost 40 years old, a long time pet owner and mother of 3 older kids, and a responsible human being, know that i should have at the very least received a bill. which i have not. i clearly state that to the employee on the phone. she has no real response as she sounds confused on the very things she is speaking of. remember, i didnt even bring up collections or disputed my prior bill. i have no problem ANYWHERE paying what is due. i then proceed to ask her the office protocol for sending people to collections since it has only been a month and i hadnt even received a bill. In my life i have never seen medical professionals sent accounts to collections, especially for minor bills, so quickly, especially without trying to collect from the patient prior. She goes on to say she doesnt know the collections protocol but has a PDF onfile that shows i was sent a bill and that i was sent to collections. i ask her to read it to me and send me a copy immediately. she then says she has technical issues opening this document. of course she would. she did check in with the "manager" and the manager said she just sends ALL open balances to collection at the end of the month. So then i asked, "so i was sent to collections at the end of March?" she says "yes that is what the manager said" i clarified, because despite her being the employee and having the record before her eyes in the computer. i said " so i was sent to collections at the end of march" not even 10 days after i missed my appt?" sounding confused, she said "yes".
  i was stunned. i proceed to tell her i decided to invest in this business as a customer despite bad reputation because i wanted to invest in this side of the community. i regret it so much, as most of my experience with the front office of this clinic has not been good. the vet techs are great. covering veterenarian is great. but the front staff needs better training clrearly. She then told me i can pay the missed fee and they will pull me from collections. i paid the $54 over the phone then and there, as i meant to anyway and dont want this on my credit report. 
  
  we then file this complaint and keep on living our lives. 
  
  I get a call from the clinic, a much kinder person this time. i tell her this entire story. she is very apologetic. i thought she meant it but clearly with the response she gave here shows the apology was untruthful. she said i was never sent to collections, nor do they show any resord of it and that my account is in good standing. she explained their collection process, which at that time serves me no purpose other than to prove shes doing damage control. i hear her out anyway. I explained the gal on the initial phone call stated there was a PDF onfile proving it. i am told there are no PDFs onfile and that PDF i was told of doesnt exist. I was shocked and in disbelief. who runs a clinic like this!? she asked if i know who it was that gave me the "false" info. i didnt grab her name i said, "but if you check in your system, whoever processed my payment over the phone, that is who it was because i was". i was never transferred during that call. She checked and she said "now it makes sense". her voice had that "a ha" tone to it as if she figured out the problem. i said "have you been having problems with that person?" she said yes. 
  
  Either way, they've given me conflicting clinical info in the past, lost a stool sample of mine, i told her i intend to finish up wth my puppy plan which was already paid for, and leave the clinic and not return. she was very apologetic for the miscommunication from their un named staff member, which i accepted and respected her for it. 
  
  my initial call where i was concerned for my injured puppy, then get bombarded with collections claims was very traumatic and overwhelming at the time. this person was apologetic and i felt much better about it once i got off the phone. now shes saying im 'as best as we can ascertain, she may have misunderstood that we do send accounts to collections that do not pay".
  
  No miss heard, the only person confused on your collections protocols, are your own employees.
  
  and to copy your ending statement: 
  
  Hopefully this clears YOUR concern and idk where you thought we would continue a non existent good relationship. especially lying on the phone, and here online. please do not contact me further if you will return here with lies. 
  
  Is that another complaint i should file? 
  
  Regards,
  
  J******* ********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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