ComplaintsforCHRISTUS Hospital-St. Elizabeth, Beaumont

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Today on 1-25-24 I received a call from the ****** of St. Elizabeth stating a day before my surgery that was scheduled with ************ at 9:30am on 1-26-24 that I need to pay an amount because I did not meet my deductible. I was told by ************** ****** that I would need to pay the ****** deductible and anesthesia and pre-op things. St. Elizabeth employee tells me I need to pay something when I asked them why was I not called prior to my surgery in order to make this payment. They stated we were backed up in paperwork so that is why we called today the day before surgery! I asked to speak to the manager ******************* to see why I had to wait the day before surgery for a call and payment and she gives me the same reason of being behind in their work. She then tells me after speaking to Dr. ****** you rescheduled with them before so you can do it again and this is an elective surgery anyways! After telling her there should have been no reasoning ************ off explained none of my situation to this ****** about my matters she says well its nothing I can do. I ask for her boss number several times and she kept getting smart with me and stated i am the manager it gets no better than this!I told her I will come up there to ask for her boss and she tells me okay here is my boss number! And then hangs up! I was not okay how this situation was handled and how I was handled !

  

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  To Whom It May ******************* letter is in response to a complaint received by the BBB on 01/25/2024 regarding a phone call from our business office within the hospital o ************** Decquire. CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St Elizabeth regrets that ************************ experience did not meet her expectations.

  Unfortunately,we do have to communicate closely with the physician to coordinate care. I am sorry if that caused any uncomfortable feelings. If a patient refuses or is unable to pay, we do need the physician's input as we would never want to put a patient's wellbeing or safety at risk.
  I do apologize for being called the day before surgery, that is not our goal. We will be doing a thorough review of our process to see how we can better serve our customers.
  We are fully aware that costs can be an issue which is why requesting well below a 10%deposit was approved.

  Should you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth strives to serve our community by extending the healing ministry of ***********************. We apologize that we were not able to meet this goal for Ms. ***************************************************************************************** Advocate

• Initial Complaint

  10/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  October 19,2023 been here for hours and nothing has been done other than a CT and fluid iv when I fell 16ft on my back and hit my head

  

  Business response

  10/24/2023

  
  
  Date: 10/24/2023
  
  
  
  To Whom It May ******************** letter is in response to a complaint received by the BBB on 10/20/23 regarding an emergency room visit by Mr. ***************************** on 10/19/23. CHRISTUS Southeast Texas ******************************** regrets that ****************** experience did not meet his expectations.
  At CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth Hospital, we strive to provide high-quality care in a healing environment. Unfortunately, physical environment constraints limit our capacity to do so, especially when the census in the emergency department exceeds capacity. This was the case on the date of ****************** emergency department visit. Our high emergency department census, along with the acuity of illness in our patients, required us to use internal communal spaces to provide patient care. We made this decision so as not to delay care by having our patients remain in the waiting room.
  We understand that this environment is not as private as we desire and we make efforts to ensure we do not violate any regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). ****************** experience has brought to light that we have an opportunity to continue to improve our efforts. We will do so post haste. Additionally, we will continue to improve our communication regarding the expected timeframes for visits to the emergency department.Providing this information may have helped ****************** understand the length of the emergency department visit. While we cannot discuss ****************** medical care, we have performed a review of services and found that the appropriate studies and treatments were provided for his medical condition.
  
  
  Should you need further information please do not hesitate to contact us. CHRISTUS
  Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth strives to serve our community by extending the healing ministry of ***********************. We apologize that we were not able to meet this goal for *******************
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ***********************
  Patient Advocate
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband is in the hospital for almost 3 weeks at St. Elizabeth in Beaumont TX and we are requesting the main doctors who are taking care of him to sign paperwork for STD and FMLA because he needs it to protect his jobs and his medical insurance. None of the doctors who saw and who are taking care of him wants to take the responsibility. I do not understand why you are the one who managing the case but can not sign the paperwork to justify it. If my husband claim is closed, he may loose his job and his benefits. Who is going to pay all the hospital bills?

  

  Business response

  08/15/2023

  We had to allow up to 30 days for management to do their investigation and respond.  This case was just closed and we have responded by registered mail to the patient. The letter was sent yesterday, 8/14/2023.
  

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was scheduled for a procedure at Christus St Elizabeth Beaumont TX on 10/03/22. Prior to that, I received a phone call about payment for services. It was requested that I pay approximately $700 up front for services for account number ************. I explained that I was not comfortable doing that because I had just paid $1500 for another procedure up front at another location and it took a long time to receive my refund. It was agreed that I could pay $210 prior to have the procedure done. On 10/03/22, payment was paid for $210.00. On 10/10/22, my insurance provided paid the claim and I was not responsible for any payment to Christ's St Elizabeth. I called the "Billing Department" and have my insurance provider conference in and provide the "Billing Department" with payment information. My insurance provider confirmed that payment was paid on 10/10/22 ACH for $459.53 reference ******* and that payment was accepted. According to my Explanation of Benefits, patient responsibility was zero. I was told I would be refunded back to my original form of payment and that I would not need to call back in to request refund. On 10/21/22 I still had not been refunded payment so I called the "Billing Department" back. They then told me I would be refunded by check, which was not my original form of payment. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was told supervisors do not speak to customers. When I asked who I speak with above the supervisor, I was not provided with any information. When I asked the customer service representative which company she worked for she said she worked for Christus. If the "Billing Department" is a third party, please provide their contact information.

  

  Business response

  10/25/2022

  I have received the complaint and have opened an investigation. Thank you.

  

  Business response

  10/31/2022

  Good Afternoon!
  

  Our manager for revenue cycle was able to speak with Mr. ****** Wednesday afternoon on October 26, 2022 and address his concerns with not being able to speak with a supervisor or manger. This issue has been addressed with our team to ensure that if there is a request to speak with leadership, if we are not available, a return call will be made within 24 hours. Our revenue cycle manager was also able to go over Mr. ****** account and confirmed that insurance paid and when the refund was issued back to his card.

   

  **** ******

  Patient Advocate Coordinator

  CHRISTUS Southeast Texas- St. Elizabeth

   ***** ******** 

  Customer response

  10/31/2022

  
  Complaint: 18302022
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I was told she handled one part of the complaint and another department would follow up with me about the other items requested in my original complaint  should be able to review the call we had to confirm this  

  Sincerely,
  ***** ******

  

  Business response

  11/04/2022

  1. Provide date of payment from insurance. Insurance paid 10/17 and that information was provided to Mr. ****** on the phone call with him and our revenue cycle manager on 10/26/22.
  

  2. Provide payment amount. CHRISTUS refunded patient in the amount of $200 and this was communicated to Mr. ****** on the phone call with him and our revenue cycle manager on 10/26/22. What did insurance pay? On 10/17, insurance payment posted for $459.53
  
  3. Provide name of company responsible for contacting customers TLRA, they are an extended business office of Christus Health and this was communicated to Mr. ****** on the phone call with him and our revenue cycle manager on 10/26/22 when he asked what TLRA was.
  
  4. Provide policy that states customers are not transferred to supervisors. It was explained during the call on 10/26/22 with Mr. ****** and our revenue cycle manager that if a call is escalated, he should have been transferred directly to us and if we were not available, if he leaves a voicemail, we would contact him back within 24 hours.
  
  5. Provide policy that states supervisors do not return their phone calls. This was not discussed during the call with Mr. ****** and our revenue cycle manager on 10/26/22 but there is not a policy.
  
  Additional question Mr. ****** asked Patient Advocate at CHRISTUS Health: How did we come up with original settlement amount of $700? 9/29 Electronic Estimate showed Deductible met $1146.04 of $1500 = $353.96 with coinsurance of 80/20. OOP Met $4926.47 of $7000 so the Electronic estimation came up as $730.
  My understanding is that the $10 for the radiologist reading fee was explained to Mr. ****** and he was provided with the phone number to contact the Radiologist reading Fee contact.

  Customer response

  11/04/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 18302022, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

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