Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  First, I have never been associated with this outfit in any way, shape, or form and YET:just received a letter from them informing that my information has been stolen FROM THEM SIX MONTHS AGO!!!Called numerous numbers trying to figure out how my data ended up in their scam database, left a message for some ******* ***** (apparently ceo) over two weeks ago, have not heard ******* reasonable person should trust this irresponsible outfit with a shovel leave alone anything related to your health.

  Customer response

  09/23/2024

   
  Complaint: 22255559
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The response contains NO substance. It does NOT explain WHY my information ended up in their system and WHY it took them six months to wake up and inform me about their mismanagement of MY information.

  An attempt to call - even if it did take place - answers no questions. I receive numerous scam calls every day PRECISELY because outfits like this (or maybe exactly this one) sell, lose, or otherwise abuse information they unilaterally assume stewardship of so I do not answer calls from unknown numbers. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *** ****

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband, ********************* had an MRI,We were billed, I paid the bill from our business account. I used our online bank and sent our payment to a PO Box address that Kootenai health provided. We kept getting bills for this charge; however we have proof of a cleared check. We then sent all the proof that we had paid and the cleared check to Kootenai health billing. We were told multiple times by multiple reps from Kootenai health that this would not go to collections. It went to collections- we tried to go to our bank they gave us an affidavit for KH to sign saying they received the payment but KH is now saying the payment was cashed by ******** and they dont have accounts with ******** even though it was sent to KH PO Box address they provided. Now KH wants an affidavit from our bank saying they (KH) didnt receive. This has been going on since last November. We need help! Please! We paid the bill and have proof but are being treated as if we didnt.Check # ********** Amount $308.86 This check posted 10/20/23 KH account # associated with this: ******* for ********************* Any other info you need please contact me and I am happy to get it or give it. We are dealing with ****** at North Idaho credit corp . ****** has been very helpful and will have a lot of info on not just our experience but apparently many other people that have had issues with Kootenai Health. We just want our payment to be recognized and our account to be credited for the payment and for this to be removed from collections. Thank you for any help you can give us.

  Business response

  07/08/2024

  Complaint ID: ********
  
  
  Good morning,
  I have reviewed the documentation that was submitted for complaint 21952808.  The cleared check was processed by ******** under lockbox ******* which is not a Kootenai Health bank or lockbox number. The payee details on what was submitted shows mailed to PO Box ***** (IMG_0108), our address also included in the documentation is PO Box ***** (IMG_0109).  It appears that when the patient/spouse were entering the address into their bill pay system a wrong PO Box was entered.  This caused the payment to be sent to ******** and not to Kootenai Health.  I do not have any way of receiving and posting this payment.  The guarantor will need to contact ******** and request a refund or submit a stop payment on the original payment and re-issue to the correct address.  Kootenai Health never received this payment and was unable to post to this account.  If the patient or spouse call us today at ************ to pay in full, we would be happy to remove from the collection agency and post this payment.  I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and that this was never escalated to me previously.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.
  
  
  *********************************
  Director, Central Business Office
  Kootenai Health
  2003 Kootenai Health Way
  **************************
  
  ************ phone
  ************ fax
  ******************
  www.kootenaihealth.org
  

  Customer response

  07/08/2024

   
  Complaint: 21952808
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  We have been dealing with this issue since November of last year. I now understand that the ** Box number is incorrect and if we had been assisted a long time ago this would have gone a different direction. We were told multiple times by multiple people that this would be resolved before it went to collections and we have had multiple interactions with multiple employees with Kootenai Health and our account will be noted, so to say this has never been brought to anyones attention is disingenuous and just wrong. 
  Moving forward, our bank has asked us to have an affidavit signed by Kootenai Health only stating that they did not receive payment. If Kootenai Health is truly wanting to go forward and resolve this, please tell me where to email the affidavit stating KH did not receive the funds so we can move forward with our bank and get KH their funds so we can all be done with this. This check was cashed, how and by who we are trying to figure out and we get that, but not one person with the hospital or the collections agency could tell us how or why. Please just help us help you so we can get this out of collections and so we can move on. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  07/08/2024

   
  Complaint: 21952808
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  We have been dealing with this issue since November of last year. I now understand that the ** Box number is incorrect and if we had been assisted a long time ago this would have gone a different direction. We were told multiple times by multiple people that this would be resolved before it went to collections and we have had multiple interactions with multiple employees with Kootenai Health and our account will be noted, so to say this has never been brought to anyones attention is disingenuous and just wrong. 
  Moving forward, our bank has asked us to have an affidavit signed by Kootenai Health only stating that they did not receive payment. If Kootenai Health is truly wanting to go forward and resolve this, please tell me where to email the affidavit stating KH did not receive the funds so we can move forward with our bank and get KH their funds so we can all be done with this. This check was cashed, how and by who we are trying to figure out and we get that, but not one person with the hospital or the collections agency could tell us how or why. Please just help us help you so we can get this out of collections and so we can move on. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  07/22/2024

  Please email me the affidavit from your bank directly to ****************** and include the appropriate return information.  Im happy to assist in any way that I can.  Thank-you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I moved to another State and have returned when I lived here before I was a patient of ****************** with Kootenai County Health. I have blood clots in my right leg that could break loose at any time with the potential of killing me. I called Kootenai Medical to get an appoint with ****************** regarding the blood clots in my leg and to get re-established as his patient. I realize, unfortunately, the frontline phone reps are scripted as to what they are allowed to say and do. However I called around the first part of May for both my husband and I and was told that no matter how life threatening my condition was... they could not book an appt for me until October OMG. Even though I had been a patient of ****************** for 7 years... and this is certainly an urgent life threatening situation. This is totally unreasonable, and lacking in caring the way a medical facility should operate. The blood clots could break loose at any time and go to my heart and instantly kill me. I said, then please put me on a cancellation list she refused that option as well!!??I have 16 years in law and I believe this would come under the jurisdiction of wrongful death... due to this totally unreasonable turn down to get me in to see the doctor in at least a timely manner when my life is literally at stake!I have tried calling the patient advocate office several times they NEVER answer leaving messages finally after many messages a rep by the name of **** calls me back and leaves a message... I called him back at the phone no. he left and again as before... he never answered and never called me back!!What kind of service is this... it is none... it is abusive... uncaring.Those in a position to be able to do something about these abuses have made themselves uncontactable. ??? When I lived here before I felt Kootenai was one of the best medical systems out there... Now... it seems to be in last place for a Caring Facility

  Business response

  06/21/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to reply to your concern. I am sorry to hear that you could not get an appointment with ****************** as quickly as you would like.  I understand that our staff has contacted you and was able to arrange for an appointment with another provider to help bridge your care until you are able to see ******************.  I trust that this is a satisfactory solution for you.  Thank you for choosing Kootenai Health for your care. 

  Customer response

  06/21/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  If only... the initial interaction in trying to set an appointment and in trying to talk to the representative prior was handled in the way it was just now taken care of

  by ***** she was kind and caring and offered viable ways to get me in sooner to see ****************** as well as set an appointment for me with a Doctor as an intermediary appointment

  to make sure the blood clots in my leg do not kill me before I can get to see ******************.

  She was Kind ... Understanding and extremely helpful as it should have been in the first place.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I w as in the ** with my father, he is 83 yrs old with dementia and fell, I meant my mother Wednesday 5/29 about 4 pm. He was bleeding badly in both hands so the aids at main check in put gauze and Coban on hands. He also was bleeding in his head. They got my father back did X-ray and Ct we were told he had a reaction to act contrast not one word. Well if so it was not relayed to us or his wife, Then we asked to put a patch on him because he is a smoker. After I did that nurse came in our room asked if were ready. Then asked if dr been in we said no in walks Dr ** Says everything is normal referred him to urologist. WE stopped asked about hands if he was going to look at them he said no nothing to do about the hands cant stitch . Well you could have cleaned out bacitracin on them and re did some bandaging but NO he acted like he wanted us gone! ***** care a bit. Patient care the worst. I called next to find out what his reaction was to the ct contrast no employee could find dictation or tell me what his reaction was ? That was a flag to me. Had to go to urgent care they cleaned it all up its so bad looked like a burn. Kootenai is the worst I work in medical field I have never seen such in caring care . They even left a poor little girl in Severe pain sit in waiting room with a broken foot. I am going to seek advice on this poor patient care so insensitive didnt care it was absolutely the worst.

  Business response

  06/05/2024

  I was disheartened to read your concerns regarding your father's visit to our Emergency Department.  Kootenai Health is committed to providing the best possible care for our patients, so we take these concerns very seriously.  One of our patient advocates left you a voicemail yesterday.  Please return his call so that we can identify your father and review what happened.  Thank you for bringing this concern to our attention.  

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Both my husband and I have an issue with billing regarding lab work performed at the ** ********** Clinic on ****** after each seeing a physician. On both occasions, we were encouraged by the physician to utilize the in-house lab at the facility. We usually receive lab work at the Lab across from the hospital in ************* and all our labs were done at no cost to us, at a $0 copay. However, because of their insistence and convenience, we each had our labs drawn at the ** clinic. My husband, ********************* received labs, at this location which popped up bills of $138.60 for him, on a previous visit, as well as ****** for myself on 9/21/23 visit., After going back and forth with *************** -1 in Billing at ***************, I contacted Patient Advocacy for their aid, ***** was erroneously billing ********* when were not member at that time. Service is slow in billing as well as inaccurate. She also stated the problem was either ours or *****'s. After four months of this merry go round, and receiving collection notices, ***** just recently, admitted the issue stems from the way ***************, as *************** these charges to the insurance company on a facility type bill (because the labs are processed at the main office). This does not understandably work with insurance company as Cigna processes the bill subject to our deductibles, If they bill it on a physician's type bill, it would be payable at no out of pocket. costs to us! And yet, I get Collection letters and ongoing notices of the statements. After a three-way conversation with *****, ***** in Billing and myself on 1/30/24, ***** merely tells me to write a letter to Kootenai Health. We asked to whom the letter is going, we got no response. Our suggestion is to re submit the lab work correctly to Cigna, or kindly write off the bills!

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  Thank you for bringing this concern to our attention. Our patient accounts supervisor reached out to the patient for further information and was able to resolve the issue.    

  Customer response

  02/13/2024

   
  Complaint: 21229318
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I believe a more detailed explanation is in order from Kootenai Health, to alert other patients of the ongoing problem there. The situation is that Kootenai Health bills the insurance carrier on a hospital billing for lab work performed in their clinics. This in turn, as in our case, informs the insurance carrier that the bill is from a hospital setting, with those specific hospital benefits payable. In our case, we were not "hospitalized", but received lab work, which gives us 100% coverage as opposed to benefits payable according "hospital benefits", which entails deductibles. This left us with nearly $400 out of pocket, as opposed to $0 dollar out of pocket.

  The physicians there like the patients to go to the clinic labs, not ********* because it is easier for them to get results. Thus, the physicians encourage patients to use the clinic labs. The clinic labs then bill under the hospital, which, in our case produced a big bill out of pocket. If we go to ********* on site there, 100% of the bill is payable by the insurance. The physicians either don't know this or just find it easier for them, for the patients to go to the clinic lab, and do not inform their patients of the potential higher costs.

  I find it an injustice to the patients to be subjected to this, as we were, getting notifications of overdue bills with threats of ****************** It's time consuming and stressful. 

  Finally, after nearly five months of this, did we get this resolved, after speaking to *****, in billing management, who told us the only way they could bill these blood work charges, was through the hospital. He did say to be "mindful" of what occurs. The 2 bills were finally written off.

   Moving forward, suggestion would be either bill lab work as "lab work", for proper benefits, get a better working relationship with ******** so physicians can easily access lab work, inform patients of the potential problems with using Kootenai Health Clinics for their lab work, inform physicians of the issue of higher costs for the patients and not  encourage patients to utilize the clinics for the blood draws, without informing them of the potential higher costs.

  This wasted my time and was totally unnecessary as the issue was known beforehand.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  sitting waiting to be seen for a serious problem and everytime myself or any of my children have come in we have all been treated like c*** front desk people talking about us and rolling their eyes when a question was asked or something was said particularly two gals with brown hair 12:29 am 12/24

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  We are not able to find a 12/24/23 date of service for *****************************.  We request that she please contact our patient advocacy office at ************ to provide more information so that we are able to address this concern.    

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a ct scan done in Aug 2023 at Kootneia Health, the total bill after insurance was $1968.80. I have never not paid a medicle bill and I dont owe them any money beyond this bill. This amount is not enough to keep them going as a hospital, but more than I can pay all at once. When they finally sent me a bill in Oct, I started paying $100 a month because that is all I can afford. Apparently this isn't good enough for KH. They have begun harrasing me with phone calls MULTIPLE times a day. When I try to set up a payment plan of $100 a month, they demand that I pay $200 a month, which I cannot afford. I have not missed a payment since I started paying the bill for services that happened less than 6 months ago. This is unacceptable as there are people that have probably never paid them a cent and owe them far more money than I do. They need to stop harrasing me with daily phone calls and emails.

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. A financial counselor will contact the consumer directly for resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am a former employee of Kootenai health and I was fired illegally by them for an altercation that included one of there security guards harassing me and preventing me from leaving with my dog trapped in my car. When I was fired they called my college and let them know that I wouldn't be attending my classes anymore and I had to find out from the school so not only did they interfere with my job but they interfered with my education. fast foward to these past few weeks I have been fighting them to receive my W2 to file my taxes and I have yet to receive it, I have called and emailed and tried to many tactics to get them to send it to me and nothing seems to be working I have confirmed my email and home address and still somehow I haven't gotten a single thing. They also put me on a do not hire list again as i was considered aggressive when I was not the one being aggressive. This to me sounds like retaliation and it is inappropriate. I just want my W2 to file my taxes at this point this is a corrupt health care provider and it is irresponsible of them to hold my W2 from me.

  Business response

  03/14/2023

  No action needed, sent to HR for follow-up.

  Customer response

  03/14/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On august 27,2022 our daughter was admitted to KH acute care facility due to a suicide attempt she was transferred there from ***************************** ER. she was there for almost 2 week at first she was in the hallway then in a room with a roommate with multiple beds. after she was released we received a bill with Doctor charges ect. its was all paid with out issue. we thought everything was finished. then in Dec we got another bill from the hospital labeld "room and board" visit # *********** for $20,700. insurance paid or adjusted $12,423 of it so the remaining was $8363.14, as this was way over our max out of pocket yearly i called the insurance *** who told me we were charged for a private room. and that was not covered. As she never had a private room and we were not even consulted about the possibility of one we called the BILLING **** who never called us back and we have since received another bill with the same amount on it. i then did some more research and found out that my daughters room mate "private room" ? has the same memory of no private room and our Daughter being in a hall way for at least 2 nights and will support us if it ever goes to court. i cant figure out why no one has contacted me about this error. we have *************** and the account # at KBH is ******* ********************* ************

  Business response

  02/02/2023

  Our billing department is in review of the charges and will reach out to the patient when a resolution is in place. 

  Customer response

  02/02/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have requested a refund of $1120.12 since September 6, 2022, for overpayment for services provided by Kootenai Health on March 27, 2022. I have spoken with ***************** Services 6 times regarding the refund request and have gotten the run around each and every time. I paid for these services promptly upon receiving the invoice for the services provided.Kootenai Health has received reimbursement from ******** for these services but still refuses to reimburse **** have spoken with ******* on 9/6/2022, **** on 10/26/2022, ***** on 10/28/2022, ****** on 11/28/2022, **** on 11/30/2022 and ***** on 12/16/2022.

  Business response

  01/02/2023

  This refund was processed in December.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩