Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/14/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I keep **** invoices for 8/17/23 svc from Achilles. When I asked for detailed billing they literally sent me a ledger. Because their billing is always confusing, I wasn't sure about the money for the day other than my copay, so I paid the $45.15 and saved my receipt. They have been asking for the pmt or the receipt - I've sent the receipt at least 3 times, as pdf, and screenshot, but they say it's illegible. Clicking the link for billing assistance has never worked. Achilles' billing has always been convoluted - pay when I get there, pay when I leave, pay a bill that comes in the mail. I honestly think that since they've been accused of ******** fraud and unethical billing that they're just grabbing for every dollar they can. I need my account cleared and the communications to stop.

  Business response

  01/15/2025

  Hi,

  The patients account has been settled with the proper receipt that was attached to the claim.

  We would like to remind the patient that is is unlawful in the Commonwealth of Virginia to make false accusations against an entity or person. Persons making such accusations in writing can cause defamation. Defamation is when someone makes false statements about another person or entity that harm their reputation. Defamation can be spoken (slander) or written (libel).
  To prove defamation, the accused must show that the false statements were made with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the truth.

  I honestly think that since they've been accused of ******** fraud and unethical billing that they're just grabbing for every dollar they can.

  The patient made a false statement with malicious intent to have her account settled by defamation. There is no record of ******** Fraud or Unethical billing practices. Achilles Foot and Ankle Center follows all rules and regulations as mandated by CMS. 
  

  The BBB should be reminded that it is also unlawful to publicly publish false statements as it too will be committing an unlawful act. We kindly request that this complaint not be published in any public forum. In the event that the complaint is published with the false statement, we intend to seek damages.

  Customer response

  01/16/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Once again, Achilles has not properly addressed my complaint. They also have obviously not reviewed the attached documents. Which is not the actions of a an ethical business.

  Instead of threatening me, they should consider reviewing the information I provided. I am happy to go to court if this is the best that Achilles can do. 

  Regards,
  
  ****** ********
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  The office is claiming we owe them money from 2 appointments from March of 2023. We paid the Co-Pay for both visits and paid (out of pocket) for the walking boot. Now all of a sudden they are claiming we owe them money The text my husband received says one amount and when they finally sent an itemized bill it's a different amount. When we add what they claim we owe on the bill it's not the same amount as the bill they sent. I **ntacted my insurance ** and they saw what we paid and what was billed. They **uld Not get in touch with their billing office since there is NO phone number for them. We are disputing this charge This was for my husband *** ******

  Customer response

  11/12/2024

  To Whom It May Concern I have not heard back from Achilles Foot and Ankle. All we got was a bill. I would like to send you the bill and the *** from my insurance company stating we Do Not owe them any money Can you please take care of this? I not think my husband should not get dinged or taken to court for money we do not owe these people How can I send this information to you? Please advise Thanks ****
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I filed a previous complaint in the same issue with BBB. I received a response from Achilles from the administrator/manager of the office. I paid my bill in full on 23AUG2024. I paid ***** on 18JUNE2024. I paid ***** on 18JUNE2024 for a total of ******. I returned via mail a pair of gauntlets and told them if I had to pay anything out of pocket, I did not want them because I was NOT told by the office if my insurance did not cover, I would have additional costs. The manager sent them back to me in the mail and said she was going to take off ***** off the bill. Just when I paid in full, I receive another bill for *****. This is ridiculous and absurd. I DO NOT OWE ANY MONEY, and they are seeking yet MORE MONEY. This needs to be finally fixed. ALSO, WARNING to potential future patients IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET SOMEONE ON THE PHONE. POOR!!! Spoke to ******** today which sent a message to billing to call me. It takes weeks for a return phone call from billing. I asked to speak to the office manager/administrator at her request for me to call her if I had any other issues and he refused to put billing, or the manager on the phone.

  Customer response

  10/18/2024

  
  I have heard from the Achilles Foot and Ankle and they erased my bill. I was billed in error. Now I owe zero as I claimed. Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  09/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I found Achilles Foot and Ankle because they were suggested by health insurance provider as "in-network", which helps me save expenses as a senior citizen, and visited them first early in 2024, but the office within a mile of my house suddenly closed shortly after my initial visit with a Dr. ****** early in 2024, I believe. They were difficult to contact, by I soon found that their only office near me is in **************, ********, and that was ok, but Dr. ***** was gone now and I had to start anew with Dr. ***** B. *******. I saw him in early 2024, when he suggested and in sole "orthotic" insert, but my insurance did not pay for that, and being on fixed Social Security retirement income only, I declined it. When I saw Dr. ******* the next time, he insisted upon a walking boot for my aching left Achilles Tendon. That boot lasted less than 24 hours on my seventy-one year old left leg. It was a horrible suggestion! I contacted my insurance company again to report it and asked for a list of other Podiatrists in my area. Meanwhile, Achilles Foot and Ankle began to send me invoices for $50.00. I balked because my insurance says I have no out-of-pocket expenditure due to "in-network" status. The duns have continued and on Sunday August 25th, I received a TEXT message which was threatening to send my "overdue" account to "collections attorney". I reported this to my insurance company and they have tried to contact this difficult practice, without success, so far as I know it to-date. Again, I never received this shoe insert they dun me for and they only gave me about four, smaller than palm-size adhesive pads for the bottom of my foot (they are only sticky until you take a shower), not custom orthotics by any definition. This harassment must stop and they must be willing to correct their records and apologize for their human error!

• Initial Complaint

  09/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Sep 6, 2023 (almost exactly a year ago) I visited Achilles foot and ankle for plantar fasciitis appt. At the appt I was sold a set of inserts and paid $160 for the visit and the inserts. A month or so later I got a bill for over $330 that showed charges for xrays, that were never taken, and no credit for the $160 payment I had made. I immediately called them and spoke to their "service" team and promised a call back. I never got one. A month later I get the bill again they say they will look into it but I never hear from them again until 8/18/24 via text and email threatening to turn my account over to collections. I now called their service team again on 8/19/24. This time they immediately looked up the charges for the xrays and the office confirmed none were ever done so they took them off of my bill. I also told them I made a payment via credit card on 9/6/23 at the time I had the appointment. They had no record and asked me to provide them the cc information which I supplied via email on 8/20/24. This would have left me with a balance of about $22. I never heard anything until today 9/2/24 an automated call and a text message saying if not paid immediately it will be turned over to their attorneys and I will have to pay a 30% surcharge. Between the wait times and the multiple phone calls and email I have spent nearly 3 hours dealing with this to only still be told it's going to collections. I'm not spending anymore time on this. I read reviews that say they have had the same issue with this company. This seems to not be isolated and maybe even the business model. The BBB needs to investigate the billing practices of this company. I understand mistakes are made but to bill me wrong and not record payment made and then take a year to even address it after multiple calls seems like alot of coincidences and seems like fraud. I would ask the BBB to look into this business and the other complaints you may have received. I'm not dealing with this any longer.

  Business response

  09/10/2024

  The patient did reach out to our office initially on 10/13/2023.  The individual that received the message apparently did not correct the issue and now, is no longer with the company.  The patient received four statements after the initial call and did not reach out again.  The payment did not migrate from our payment platform into his account.  I have added the payment and his balance is currently $22.64.  A team member will be reaching out to the patient.  There was no intent to commit fraud.  

  Customer response

  09/12/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: **********************************************.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Charged for unnecessary procedures to treat a common toenail fungus. ** pushed for full foot X-rays even though no foot/internal bone issues were described to call for the need of X-rays.

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I took my son, as a new patient, to Achilles Foot and Ankle in ******************* on February 27, 2024. My son has seen a podiatrist for about 13 years, since being diagnosed as having short tendons. He wears orthotics. I explained this at the appointment. They said they would take photos of his feet with their ipad to make new orthotics. This was a new procedure for us. He had always pressed his feet in foam to make casts before. They assured me this way was better. We had to wait about an hour, since the battery in the ipad was dead. I had to pay $450 up-front for them to be ordered. I have the receipt. We picked the orthotics up in March. I noticed that they looked different from his previous ones, with a large bump in the middle. I was told it should be fine and that it would keep him pain-free. He'd never had pain before. Three months later, the orthotics were falling apart. The top layer had separated from the bottom at the toes and was ripping. Some of the top layer near the heels had also come off. They looked worse than the 2-year old pair we were replacing. On June 14, 2024, I returned to the **** ***** office to discuss what could be done about replacing them or refunding my money. I was told I could not see anyone because there was no doctor there and was given a number to call. The person who answered said I would receive a call from a manager and a call from the insert team within 2 business days. I received 2 calls on the 14th from 2 different people. One person said the manager was not available until Monday. The other person said the doctor they needed to talk to was out until Monday and maybe they would refurbish the top layer of the inserts. I was told I'd get at least one call the next week. No one has called in 2 weeks. On July 1, I took my son to another podiatrist office. The doctor examined my son's feet and looked at the inserts. She said they were not made correctly for his feet and would not help with his condition.

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 7/20/2023 we were charged $385 for inserts for my son. He told them when doing the scan he did not think his foot was on correctly but they insisted it was. When the inserts came in they were wrong and they had to send them back. A month went by and he called about when they would arrive. He was told at one point he could go get them but each time he went to the office it was closed. They ended up closing the office he had attended and the doctor he saw is apparently not there anymore. Despite repeated calls by him and myself in which they saw they will call back and address this they have never called us back. My last call on 2/19/24 said I expected my card to be refunded. Again was told someone would call me about this again nothing.

  Customer response

  03/08/2024

  I attached the release for you all to talk to Achilles Foot and Ankle signed by my son. The inserts were for him and it is his account but I paid for them with my HSA account. I am his mom ***********************. He is 26 years old and he asked me to submit this for him if you need his phone number ******************* is ************. 

  My cell phone *********************** is ************. 

  Please let me know if you need anything else. 

  Thank you

  **********;

  Business response

  03/26/2024

  Good Afternoon -
  
  In response to your letter, I called and spoke with *****************.  The monies have been refunded.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************, CPC, CPPM
  Director of Revenue Cycle Management 
  *******************************************************************

  Customer response

  04/04/2024

  Hello, 

  I could not figure out how to respond on the site. Achilles Foot and Ankle did finally reach out to me and they have refunded the money. 

  Thank you!

  **********;

• Initial Complaint

  12/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Patient is my minor son, *************************, DOB 12/06/2006. On the first appointment with the provider I paid cash payment for an entire medical visit even though we have PPO ********************** and they had been provided with this information before the day of the original appointment for verification that they accepted our insurance. The provider was paid cash for the entire visit amount, however, they have also received payment from CIGNA since this was a covered service and now we have a credit on the account and they have refused to issue a refund. I have called them four times to resolve the issue and I keep getting told they are working on this. It has been over 6 months since the first call request for refund.

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I prefer specialized shoes 2 x they keep Messing up on size and color and delivery

*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. ↩