ComplaintsforFamily Life Consultants

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am filing a complaint on behalf of my daughter, ***** *********. She has been receiving services from this "counseling outfit". She is an adult, covered under my health insurance. My insurance has paid them, she has made the $20 copayments at each visit. My problem is this....she missed ONE appointment, and they charged her (took from her ***** account) $100 for a missed appointment fee. This (in my opinion) is an outrageous amount to charge someone. This transaction occurred on 7/20/2022. I understand their time is valuable, I work in the medical field as well. But, that fee is in every way wrong. I feel she was taken advantage of. I feel she could have been given a warning, or perhaps, just charged her copay of $20. I'm sad she has sought help from them, and I'm sad my insurance has paid them. I would like her card (***** card, which is on file with them), to be refunded that $100, or at the very least $80. I think this unethical, unfair treatment, especially from people she goes to for counseling, hence why I feel she was taken advantage of.

  Business response

  09/08/2022

  It is customary to charge for missed appointments unless in case of emergency .  Please find attached signed document by the patient agreeing to a 70.00 charge.  Our fee has gone up to 100.00 since the agreement was signed.  I will refund 30.00 since I do not have a new signed agreement indicating the current 100.00 charge.

   

  Family Life Consultants, Inc

  Customer response

  09/13/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  now I am really upset that you took more than you should have!  She received the $30, but now I feel that was fraudulent in taking more than she agreed upon.  so I believe she deserves the whole $100 back now.  $100 no show fee is ridiculous.  I imagining someone calling her and saying "well you missed an appointment, you know we have to take $100 for that".  and ***** being vulnerable, saying "yes I know, go ahead and take it."  She's 22 years old, doesn't make a lot of money, she made a mistake if she missed an appointment.  Shame on you for taking advantage of someone like that.  These are people who come to you for help, counseling.  They trust you.  You know, what if that was the last of her money, for groceries?  As you were looking up her ***** card number, did you happen to look at the contract she signed that she agreed to $70 and not $100?  I hope you give this careful consideration, and I would suggest checking over your contracts that people sign before you charge their cards.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  Business response

  09/15/2022

  She did sign to pay 70.00 and will be responsible for that amount.  As a courtesy we wrote off and refunded 30.00 to match up to the policy she had signed since we had not gotten her signature on our updated policy.  It is customary for physicians and professionals in many fields to charge for no shows and late cancels. The therapist loses out on an average of 100.00 every time there is a late cancel or no show.

  Customer response

  09/15/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I'm not disputing the fact that she agreed (and signed) to pay $70.  I saw that agreement she signed, and she received the $30 difference from you.  My first issue is that your no show/late cancel fee is ridiculous.  My next issue is that you charged her $100, when you should've only charged her $70, but no one batted an eye when they took more than they should.  And you say you refunded her $30 as a "courtesy"????  I don't think so.  That was by no means a "courtesy" to give her back the money that you were NOT authorized to take.  So, that's my complaints.  My insurance company has paid you for your services, and ***** has paid her copays for her visits (as that is the agreement between ***** and your practice).  I know she is not a habitual no call/no show patient.  I think it was wrong of you to smack her with that amount of money for her first offense.  And I understand about non-compliant patients, and I understand all about a provider's time and schedules, so I don't need to be reminded about that as I have worked in the medical field for 30 years.  I understand it's "customary" to charge a fee for a missed appointment, but $100????  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

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