Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  on 01/12/2024 I went into Sleep Eze for a consultation to find out how much my out of pocket cost would be. I had been to other sleep study centers and was price shopping. At the office, I was handed a stack of forms to fill out. I had asked the first receptionist if she could tell me what my out of pocket cost would be but she said the other girl could tell me but she was not in yet. I continued to fill out the paperwork and took issue with some of their policies as I felt they only protected themselves while disregarding my rights. I was told they could not give me any information unless I agreed to their policies.. I signed but I did state that it was under protest. The other girl finally came in and when I asked her about the out of pocket cost she told me she would have to look it up and that the "Dr"(?) would have more information for me. I felt they were gaslighting me the entire time. The so called "Dr" came out and I asked about the out of pocket cost but instead, she explained the process of a sleep study to which I explained that I already did my first sleep study and was aware of the process and that all I needed to know was How Much? She led me out to the first w receptionists and asked to see what it was going to cost me. They told me my out of pocket was going to be $800 so I said everywhere else is $200 so I will not be needing your services and left. Sleep EZE then took it upon themselves to charge my insurance for services they did not render and are sending me statements claiming I owe them $238.74. I absolutely refuse to pay any amount because there were never any services rendered. I never did use them for my sleep study and only did a consultation in which I was basically told that I could not afford their services.. If no services were ever rendered, then they should not expect a payment. I also feel charging my insurance was fraud.

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  *** ******* made an appiontment to see *** ******* for a consultation on 01/05/2024. The appointment was scheduled for 01/12/2024. At anytime from 01/05-1/11 *** ******* could have canceled the appiontment, however, he chose not to. He was given a confirmation call the day prior to his appiontment and could have canceled the appointment then also. He attended the appointment and met with *** *******, therefore his insurance was charge for a new patient consultation office visit. His insurance sent an explanation of benefits, which has been attached,  stating he was the responsible party for the cost as he had not met his annual deductible. The bill was discounted by $169.26 per ins contracted amount. He is responsible for the billed amount as he did meet with *** ******* for his consultation visit. He has harassed our sleep technologists during the night and made them feel very uncomfortable as he has been showing up in the middle of the night. We would very much like to work with *** *******, but as he has been stalking our facility we are more likely to contact police if he continues to visit our facility after office hours, which are M-F 8am-4pm. 

  Customer response

  07/29/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: As stated before, the appointment was made for a consultation. However, when I asked REPEATEDLY, if there was going to be an out-of-pocket charge, I was never given an answer and told they would determine it when I went in.

    I arrived at the appointment and asked the first receptionist what my out-of-pocket cost would be to which she told me that the girl that had that information was not in as of yet and had me start filling out paperwork.

    I read through the paperwork and said I was not comfortable signing it because I felt that it all basically stripped me of any rights and only protected Sleep eze.

   By this time the 2nd receptionist finally showed up for work and I asked again what my out-of-pocket cost was going to be and I was told that unless I signed the paperwork that she would not be able to tell me anything.  So I signed with a note that I was signing "under protest".    At no point was I ever told there would be a charge for a simple consultation. And I still had not been given an answer to the most basic of questions, "How much is my out-of-pocket going to be."

    So I was told to go into a room alone with a female doctor and she ran me through what they do at a sleep study, which I was already aware of, and she asked if I had any questions I said, "Yes. What is my out-of-pocket cost going to be?"     I was mostly concerned with the sleep study cost because I was never told there would be a consultation cost.  No matter how many times I asked about any costs, they all kept gaslighting me and would not give me an answer.

     Finally when the "doctor" asked if I had questions and I asked again about the out-of-pocket cost, she took me up front to ask the late receptionist what that cost would be to which she replied $800.00 so I told them that I would not be needing their services and left.

     That was the first time anyone at Sleep Eze finally gave me a number amount.   They kept stringing me along using their bait and switch method to get me to sign things I was not comfortable with telling me they could not answer any of my questions unless I signed.

     I did deliver a letter of refusal on evening as I was taking my mother home as my aunt was having a difficulty at the ***** ***** ******* ******** and was simply on my way to my mother's house as well as mine.  I was not menacing at all and simply would have left it in the mail box as I do with such things as payments to legitimate companies.

     I did find it interesting that my mother has had dealings with Sleep Eze as well.   She informed me that she had to do a sleep study with them and they used the same bait and switch tactics with her and before she knew it she is now tied into them under a contract for a C-Pap machine that she can not even use.   I have encouraged her to file a complaint with the BBB as well and I truly hope she does.

    I feel the people at Sleep Eze were dishonest and not forthcoming with any concerns I may have had about any costs I would be charged as no one would ever give me an answer when I asked multiple times.  It feels like a bait and switch or they just keep gaslighting you until they are able to get what ever they need to be able to charge insurance companies.  I feel as if they are committing fraud against their customers insurance and trying to strong arm people into "studies" and equipment that is more than likely unnecessary.
  
  
  
  Regards,

  ****** *******

   

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, the consumer must give a reason why they are rejecting the response. If the consumer does not provide a reason the complaint will be closed Answered]

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