Preferred Primary Care Physicians

Review: Received a bill in July for total balance due of $20; - sent payment by check on July 19; - received a notice from collection agency ([redacted])dated July 18 requesting payment of $40; - called Preferred Primary Care on July 24, was told over the phone payment had been received by them on July 23 and to disreguard collection agency notice;- received second notice from [redacted] dated July 29, requesting $40 payment;- on August 5 called [redacted], they told us to contact, Preferred Primary Care;- on August 6 called Preferred Primary Care, told that we "won't receive any more letters"My question is why would my doctor's office refer us to a collection agency over a $20 bill that was paid in full within the month it was issued, and how can the collection agency requestion payment double the amount of the bill?If this happen to me, how many other people are suject to this type of billing by Preferred Primary Care?Desired Settlement: I would like to receive written confirmation from Preferred Primary Care that my bill has been paid timely and in full. I would like to receive a written confirmation from [redacted] that this matter will not be reported on my credit report.

Business

Response:

Re: complaint ID [redacted]

Dear Ms. [redacted],

Preferred Primary Care Physicians utilizes [redacted] for numerous aspects of patient billing. When a patient bill remains unpaid for more than 60 days, [redacted] mails reminder letters to the patient. When a patient is receiving reminder letters, they are not in "collections" and their credit rating is not affected. If the bill continues to be unpaid, the account may eventually go to "collections". This patient was receiving reminder letters, and was not in collections. The specific sequence of events experienced by this patient is not typical of the process experienced by the majority of patients. There was an isolated miscommunication between [redacted] and PPCP due to an accidental misapplication of a patient payment. It has since been resolved and a letter has been sent to the patient.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: Although I was a patient at this office for many years, the office manager [redacted] has recently treated me rudely and very disrespectully, stating that "no one wants me at their facility" and that I would have to get another doctor to refill my prescriptions. There are other rude personnel at this practice as well, who in the past actually wanted to argue with me. At one office visit I was double-billed, being told that "it's the bank's problem"; thus, the bank obtained my refund. Also, when I went to pick up my records before seeing a specialist, another patient's private information was stapled in the middle of mine, which could have had distastrous effects had I not noticed before taking my information to that specialist.Desired Settlement: I would like to receive a written apology from the office manager for her blatant unprofessional and demeaning remarks.

Business

Response:

February 20, 2014