ComplaintsforMedvet Pittsburgh

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my dog to this place on 4/3/2024 after he ate a rat poison pack. When I was there on the 3rd, and the vet told me that what needed to be done and part of that was bringing the dog back the following 2 days for blood work. The vet told me the total was $560.00, I proceeded to ask the vet if this included the next two days that I had to bring him back, the vet said yes. Part of the treatment plan was to bring the dog back after 30 days for a clotting test, I asked the vet again, the only time I will have to pay again is for that clotting test, the vet's answer was yes. I brought the dog back the next day, I waited in the lobby for 30 minutes, then they took my dog back for the test without explaining any of the cost. They then tell me to check out and they said I owed $250.00, I asked why, because the day before they told me this covered these days. They told me sorry for the confusion. They had ample time to tell me about the costs of the blood work the following days, cost was never explained other than that it was covered. I wrote an email on the contact us page, a lady then did call me. I told her that I felt lied to and mislead. Her response was half apology and have admittance to what they have done. The lady's response was "The vet did not purposely mislead you, but we are sorry that you feel that way". So she is telling me, yeah we did mislead you but not on purpose so it is okay. This is unethical and should have been dealt with differently than just a half-assed apology.

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  Hello,

  Due to a communication error on our team’s part, Mr. **** was not properly communicated of the estimated costs his follow up visits and bloodwork would entail. 

  I called Mr. **** to acknowledge and apologized for the miscommunication from our medical and clinical team. We did refund him the cost of the bloodwork that was done at his recheck visit which was $249.50.
  
  Any further assistance by your office is appreciated.  Please feel free to contact me for further details or information.  

   

  Sincerely,

  Ashley C****

   

  Hospital Director

  MedVet-Pittsburgh

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My two dogs were treated for a medical emergency and had to be under treatment for 48 hours. I made a payment of $4,200 when my dogs were admitted. When I received the call that the treatment was successful, I asked the MedVet employee over the phone if there was a balance and i was told no and that the $4,200 covered my pets' treatment. Also, when the dogs were picked up, protocol is to pay your balance as you leave. A payment was not requested or mentioned at the time. Nearly a month later, I received an invoice for $1,944.40. When I called the Hospital Director, she acknowledged that the employee who told me there was no balance was only employed there for 3 months and was still learning the computer system. This same person could have also entered in information for my dogs into the computer, which clearly leaves room for error. She also acknowledged that typical protocol is to pay your balance when the animals leave the facility, which was not requested by anyone when I took my pets home. I offered to meet in the middle and pay part of the invoice and wanted MedVet to acknowledge their errors and take ownership in their mistakes and breaking protocol, but they refused to make any adjustments to the pending balance. The situation was handled very poorly.

  Business response

  09/20/2023

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

  Dear Better Business Bureau,

  
  This letter is in response to the consumer complaint filed by ******* ******** regarding her concerns
  in communicating an outstanding balance for care on September 6, 2023, Case ID# ********.

  
  *******’s dogs, ***** and ***** were evaluated through our Emergency Service on 8/3/23 after
  ingesting raisins. They were both hospitalized and then discharged from our hospital on 8/6/23.

  
  Due to a communication error on our team’s part, her full balance was not collected or communicated
  at the time of discharge. ******* approved and signed care plans (estimates) to treat both ***** and
  ***** and treatment fell within the range provided. She is being invoiced for the care provided and
  agreed upon. The remaining balance was found during our 30-day billing cycle and subsequently
  ******* was notified of this outstanding balance.

  
  We acknowledged and apologized for the miscommunication from our clinical team and timeline on
  when this error was found, however we are still requesting for her to pay for the care and treatment her
  pets received.

  
  We do not feel that any refund of services is warranted. Any further assistance by your office is
  appreciated. Please feel free to contact me for further details or information.

  
  Sincerely,

  Joseph I*****, DVM
  Medical Director

  
  joe.ielapi@medvet.com
  

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  When my two dogs were admitted on 8/3/23, I was given an estimate of costs for my dogs visits.  and I was asked to put down a specific percentage, which was calculated to be $4,200.  I stressed the importance of reducing any unnecessary treatments to keep costs at a minimum.  Upon receiving the call from an employee (Nick) at MedVet on 8/6/23, I was told that my dogs were ready to be discharged.  I asked if there was a balance to be paid.  Nick responded with, “No, your deposit covered it.”  The dogs were picked up and there was not a request for a balance to be paid.  I have been told by multiple MedVet employees that protocol is to pay the balance in full at the time of discharge.  Again, no payment was requested. 

  
  On 9/1/23, I received an invoice via email for $1,944.40.  I am bewildered as to how a charge this significant can appear close to 30 days later.  Our transaction was completed when the dogs were discharged on 8/6/23, nearly one month prior.  MedVet wrote in their response that “We do not feel that any refund of services is warranted.”  No “refund” is being requested because this was not a charge when my dogs that was showing when my dogs were under their care.  I have communicated with them multiple times over the past few weeks in an attempt to come to an agreement, but have not had success.  
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ********

   

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

• Initial Complaint

  03/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 12/22/22, we brought our dog, ******, into Medvet for suspected seizure activity. After testing and assessment, the vet came in and said that he basically had a cardiac tamponade (fluid around the heart) and needed a pericardiocentesis to withdraw fluid from a syringe to decrease pressure and collect a sample for testing. The vet returned after the procedure and stated that the procedure failed and that she accidentally stuck the pericardial sac with a numbing needle which resulted in the fluid leaking into the chest cavity. When I realized this was an absolute fail on their end, I demanded that the charge for the procedure be dropped. They agreed to this but pushed euthanizing him as he was “almost gaurenteed to die throughout the night”. I noticed the vet bullying my mom into this and insisted she allow us to take our dog home. She wasn’t going to let us until I stated I was a nurse and that it was illegal to keep us there. They set us up at checkout and my sister paid the bill with my mother. I, ****** *****, was no where near checkout or billing. Apparently, since I was the first to walk in, as my mother was hysterical crying in the car, I was to be the one billed for an erroneous additional bill. Almost a week after this I received an email stating that we owed an additional $300 some dollars. This was never discussed at checkout and the handbook for Medvet states that charges must be paid in full at the time of discharge unless Carecredit was used, which we didn’t. There is no reason an additional bill should exist, especially under my name. This needs addressed. I have contacted customer service several times and they just ignore the fact that the handbook states that and continue to send me the bill demanding to be paid.

  Business response

  04/08/2023

  Dear *****, 

  This letter is in response to the consumer complaint filed by ****** ***** in regard to the care of her mother's pet, ****** at our facility on December 22, 2022. ID # ********

  ****** was evaluated through our emergency department and found to have pericardial effusion or fluid around the heart. This is a life-threatening condition that required immediate attention and treatments to be performed. These treatments, risks and possible causes were reviewed with ****** and her mother ******. The associated costs were also reviewed and acknowledged with a signature by ******. 
  

  One procedure that was part of the treatment plan, a pericardiocentesis, was not performed and subsequently not invoiced. All other portions of charges on the invoice provided on December 22, 2022 were for services performed - treatments, medications and monitoring that ****** received. When payment was asked for ****** refused to pay the full amount and would not allow for a detailed explanation of services. She paid 50% of what was owed. 
  Our financial team and clinical team have reached out on multiple occasions to help resolve and clarify this situation and have not been able to speak with ****** beyond electronic correspondence. 
  

  ****** is also claiming that she is not responsible for any further finances as she is not the owner of ******, it is her mother's dog. At the time of the consultation, ****** provided her name as the primary owner in order to assist her mother, ******, with decisions. In our system, ****** was added as secondary on the account vs the primary contact for both medical and financial decisions. We have attempted to remedy this as well and have had no response by ******. 
  

  We acknowledge that in times of high stress and emotion in an emergency, communication can be difficult and assistance is needed with family members to aid decision making. We feel that the medical treatments and care provided was appropriate and accurately communicated with signed acknowledgement. 
  

  We feel that we have attempted to resolve this matter amicably but any further assistance by your office is appreciated. Please feel free to contact me for further details or information. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  

  Joseph I****** DVM

  Medical Director 

*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. ↩