ComplaintsforUW Health

• Initial Complaint

  11/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On June 26, 2023, I had an Echo Pelvis Transvaginal Ultrasound at ***********************. At the onset of the procedure, the technician inserted the probe into my a*** I questioned why she was doing that. She quickly removed the probe and without cleaning it, reinserted it into my v***** I was stunned by this process, knowing that it was administered unhygenically. I felt mistreated and disrespected. I subsequently called UW ******* services to report the inappropriate service Id received and asked that the matter be addressed. I later received a bill in the amount of $163.51 for my share of the cost of the procedure. I called billing to contest paying for a service that was inappropriately and unprofessionally provided. I was referred to patient service whom I called repeated over a period of a few months. This week, I was informed that a committee had deemed that the service was provided appropriately, and that I needed to pay my share for the service. I explained that I was not seeking any compensation for the inappropriate administration of the procedure. Rather, I felt it behoved a health care organization that supposedly cared about their patients wellbeing, to recognize when a patient was harmed during a procedure and to relieve them of paying for such a service. I was not given an option to appeal the committees decision. I am therefore asking the BBB, to seek the outcome I expect - to remove the $163.51 from my bill and to offer an understanding and an apology for this harmful treatment. No one should experience having a probe inserted into their a*** instead of their vaginal, especially when it was not sanitized.

  Business response

  11/30/2023

  November 30, 2023
  
  BBB of Wisconsin (*********, **)
  *************************************************************
  *********,** 53214
  
  RE: 20935214
  
  This letter is in response to the email you sent regarding a complaint that was submitted to the Better Business Bureau on 11/30/23 and was assigned an ID of ********.  To adequately respond to the complaint, we need a completed and signed Release of Authorization for Protected Health Information sent to our organization. Once we received the appropriate signed release of authorization, we will proceed in responding to the complaint you shared.
  
  
  Respectfully,
  
  UW Health
  Patient Relations

  Customer response

  12/05/2023

  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.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  The matter has not been addressed in any way as UW Health requires that I sign a relates of information. I would like to sign the requested release of information so that UW Health can respond to the BBB with regards to my complaint. I do not know where to get the specific release form. Please ask UW Health to send me the form. Please advise me whether I should return it to UW Health or to the BBB. 

  Thank you. 
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  12/18/2023

  Good afternoon,

   

  We have sent the patient authorization paperwork needed to allow UW Health to communicate with you regarding their concerns. As soon as we receive this paperwork, we will reach back out to you.

   

  Thank you,

  UW Health Patient Relations 

  Customer response

  12/19/2023

  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.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  Please note that I did receive a release form from UW Health. Unfortunately, they sent the same incorrect form as the one they sent previously. I requested the correct release form that allows for verbal and written communication between the BBB and UW Health. There is no need for UW Health to provide records. All I need is for the BBB to discuss with UW Health why it is absurd for me to pay for a procedure that was performed in an unacceptable way. There is no way anyone should tolerate having a probe wrongly inserted into their a*** and then, without cleaning it, inserted into their v***** I think its wrong to charge me for their gross error. Please help.  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  12/19/2023

  Good morning,

   

  This letter is in response to the email you sent regarding a complaint that was submitted to the Better Business Bureau on 11/30/23 and was assigned an ID of ********.  To adequately respond to the complaint, we need a completed and signed Release of Authorization for Protected Health Information sent to our organization. As the patient is not willing to complete this document, UW Health cannot provide a review or share information with the Better Business Bureau. 
  
  
  Respectfully,
  
  UW Health
  Patient Relations

• Initial Complaint

  11/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My primary Doctor **************************** referred me to *************** after re: facial rash. In September 2022, I was seen by ***************, her diagnosis, Seborrheic dermatitis. On November 22, 2023, I contacted Dr. ******* office to refill a prescription for 20mg of Doxycycline, she prescribed for me November 2022, w/2 refills by 11/30/23 (because the 6 tubes of medication her office gave me/chgd $625 for made my rash worse. When I called on 11/22/23 for refill, I was told that **************** had stopped-my-treatment?! Although I had explained at 9/22 appt the rash routinely returned at start of winter. My complaint: *************** denied refill 20mg doxycycline w/2 eligible refills and arbitrarily stopping-my-treatment.!! After I had to waited for over a year to be treated in first place.

  Business response

  11/28/2023

  November 28, 2023
  
  BBB of Wisconsin (*********, **)
  ***********************************************************************************************
  
  RE: 20915363
  
  This letter is in response to the email you sent regarding a complaint that was submitted to the Better Business Bureau on 11/25/23 and was assigned an ID of ********.  To adequately respond to the complaint, we need a completed and signed Release of Authorization for Protected Health Information sent to our organization. Once we received the appropriate signed release of authorization, we will proceed in responding to the complaint you shared.
  
  
  Respectfully,
  
  UW Health
  Patient Relations

   

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  August 7th UW Hospital .Went to the hospital and removed all my jewelry,but did not realize my necklace was still on. In the operating room a nurse removed the necklace and hung it on a hook. The proper thing would have been to bag that necklace and give it to my husband or me but that was not done that necklace was left in the operating room. I called one week and talked to protection and safety lost in found public relations and they were going to do a search for my necklace. After that I kept calling and calling only to be getting that it was being researched and that they had to go back to the manager of that department and talk to them. After working with ***** from the radiology department who is the manager said that he was going to send me a check to replace my necklace. When I called ************ asked if this was for how much I paid for the necklace which was $399 or for how much it would be to replace it which was $3,800 cuz it's been 20 years. ****** and ******* sent them an invoice of what I paid and sent them a necklace that was the exact same one that I bought and what that replacement value would be and it was $3,800. When I called ***** and I asked him what payment services was sending me for a check he told me it was $399. That's not going to even come close to replacing my necklace and 20 years ago they didn't charge the same for my procedure that it cost me now. The last message that I received was that he had taken it to upper Management and they only replace what you paid for it not how much it's worth now but how much you paid for it I have no idea why a huge hospital could not put this on their insurance. Very disheartened that UW is not owning ownership of taking my necklace and not following procedures. It was even admitted that the necklace was lost at the hospital, never did I ever have possession of that necklace after they took it off my neck.

  Business response

  11/20/2023

  November 20, 2023
  
  BBB of Wisconsin (*********, **)
  *************************************************************
  *********, ** 53214
  
  RE: 20829954
  
  This letter is in response to the email you sent regarding a complaint that was submitted to the Better Business Bureau on 11/6/23 and was assigned an ID of ********. To adequately respond to the complaint, we need a completed and signed Release of Authorization for Protected Health Information sent to our organization. Once we received the appropriate signed release of authorization, we will proceed in responding to the complaint you shared.
  
  
  Respectfully,
  
  UW Health
  Patient Relations

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  unethical coding and billing. WENT INTO OFFICE EXCLUSIVELY FOR A PREVENTITIVE OFFICE VISIT 7.8.2023 AND WAS CHARGED A ADDITIONAL OFFICE VISIT OF $153.70 FOR A LEVEL 3 VISIT ( NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED NEW/OLD MEDICAL CONDITIONS) ASKED FOR CODING TO REVIEW AND THEY SAID IT WAS CORRECT. I REQUESTED MEDICAL RECORDS WAS CHARGED $6.50 NOONE IN BILLING WILL ANSWER MY QUESTIONS AND I'M SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT WHATEVER THEY CHARGE. THE OTHER CHARGE WAS A PREVENTATIVE VISIT ***** MIN AT $260.60 I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE IN 30 MIN OR LESS.

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  Good afternoon, 

  Attached we have the response letter that went out to the patient after further review by leadership was completed. It was found that billing and coding for his office visit were correct.

   

  Thank you,

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

  Patient Relations Department 

  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.
  
  Doctor stating are your refills upto date equals a additional office visit and medical management. Unethical]
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  It has been a year I've tried reaching out to billing department. I've made payments monthly and also asked for supervisor calls multiple times. No one has called me. I am a business office manager in healthcare. I do have a college degree. Now uw part of my account in collection. I put on my checks where funds were to go. Uw put my money payments where they wanted to! Once in collection I informed them my payments will stop. Period. No one has the right to tell me what I can or can't afford to pay! Some months I paid 200 dollars! Some months paid 100. But I paid! Take out of collection. I want a call from management. I have been a patient at Swedes for 30 years!!!!!!! Nice to know this is how uw swedes treats people! Recently had worst experience ever in your er when I broke my ankle. Not 1 person in the 7 hours I was there offered me water. A tylenol or blanket. Nothing!!! ***** I called and reported all this. Yet now I'm in collection!??! No!

  Business response

  06/20/2023

  Thank-you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to your concerns.

  Our billing supervisor has attempted to call you numerous times to help rectify your billing concern, but he has been unsuccessful. 

  Please call ************ and asked to be transferred to the supervisor for further assistance regarding the billing concern. 

  If you have any other quality care complaints or issues, please call ******* Relations at ************. 

  Thank-you. 

  Customer response

  06/20/2023

  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.
  NO SUPERVISOR HAS EVER CALLED ME MULTIPLE TIMES. APPARENTLY YOU DID NOT READ ALL THE MESSAGES FROM MY CHART. I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT HIGHER UP BECAUSE WHOEVER ANSWERED THIS COMPLAINT DID NOTHING BUT TELL ME TO CALL. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. UNTIL SOMEONE HIGHER UP CALLS ME - TAKES MY ACCOUNT OUT OF COLLECTION - NO MORE PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO FILE COMPLAINTS. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ** HOSPITAL of ******* **, has restricted me from visiting my 25yr old daughter who has a life threatening diease for something a nurse fabricated and told patient relations on me, 2018 is when this all happened. My child is admitted there now since December 18th and they escorted out they are racists they treat my daughter like a dog don't want to touch her telling her she needs to do things herself as she's telling them that I can't do it myself my legs hurt I can't walk can you please get my bedside commode and bring it to my bed they tell her no you have to get up and try getting it yourself and they won't even put the pills in her mouth they tell her that she needs to pick the pills up and put them in her mouth nor will they even hold the straw for her to take a sip of her drink to swallow the pills down and so my daughter is begging these nurses to please can you help me please it's so absurd they treat her bad when I'm not there I am my daughter's caretaker of Wisconsin and her power of attorney. I've called the administrative office at the ** Hospital and they've had patient relations get back to me in their response and their response was they said that they are not lifting the band they are not lifting the restriction I don't know what else to do I've done everything that I could my next steps would be to contact an attorney and the news stations this is so totally unacceptable something that a nurse said that I said I didn't say anything wrong I didn't threaten anyone or anything I don't know what else to do my daughter is bedridden and she needs my help and she is at a death state with her temperature being at ***** they are putting ice bags on my daughter's legs and under the covers so that they can bring the temperature down but it's not working with me not being there as her support team and she's been battling this Sickle Cell since birth since she was a newborn and it's just been complications They can't do this they need to lift the banrestriction

  Business response

  01/06/2023

  see attached

• Initial Complaint

  12/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  My daughter, ****************, was seen in Sauk Prairie where it was confirmed she had **************** a blood clotting disorder. Sauk referred her/us to American Family Childrens Hospital Hematology Clinic. We were told that American Family Childrens Hospital would be reaching out to us. Which they did. We DID NOT call them. They called us to set up the appointment. **** transferred *******'s lab results in October. Her appointment was December 1st at UW Childrens. ******* took off school. Her Dad took off work. They drove an hour to the appointment. Once they got there they were informed by first the PA that she didn't know why they were there and told they did not have the labs. Sauk sent them in October. The doctor then came in. Was in the room for a total of 2 minutes and said "I apologize, I don't know why you are here", and proceeded to tell her to not smoke and maintain and healthy diet and then sent them home. THAT WAS IT! Remind you that UW Childrens Hospital called us to set up the appointment. Is it customary of their clinic to call at random and set up unknown appointments? NOW they are trying to charge us for this visit. We will NOT be paying for this as UW clearly dropped the ball here. They have submitted, so far, a facility fee of $209 and the provider fee may follow. They are unsure at this current time. I expect ALL fees to be removed from this waste of time visit. I also expect a written apology from the clinic for the their error and unprofessionalism.

  Business response

  01/04/2023

  see attached

  we take this concern very seriously 

  Customer response

  01/05/2023

  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.
  
  I have already signed and submitted the ***** form. This is all I'm seeing as submitted from UW.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my son into UW health ********/Windsor clinic for a routine 1 year old ***** draw. The technician, though given instructions from my doctor to pull ***** via arm stick, drew ***** via finger poke - I have, in writing from my physician, "apparently they have been having issues with the fingerstick ***** draws which is why they are trying to move away from doing them and doing only venipuncture/arm draws". admitting this error was on UW.Due to the technician's error, and faulty equipment at UW - my son's results came back incorrect. Because of this - I had to go in for repeat ***** work - all of which came back completely normal - because on the 2nd ***** draw the technician did what they were asked to do and drew ***** via arm.I am now, instead of having a copay only ***** draw to pay for, being told I need to pay $636 for the additional ***** draws - that 1. I was not told would be additional cost and 2. were only necessary because UW messed up in the first place.After months of working with patient relations, and even getting the doctor to try to get this written off, UW health is still requiring I make payment on this. After much deliberation, and knowing that my doctor said in writing that fingersticks have been an issue for this clinic - I consider this to be a medical scam to get money out of patients - it really seems like they purposely drew ***** incorrectly so that they were able to charge me for many additional very expensive test that were unnecessary.

  Business response

  09/13/2022

  see attached 

  This letter is in response to the email you sent regarding a complaint that was submitted to the Better Business Bureau on 9/2/2022 and was assigned an ID of ********. To adequately respond to the complaint, we need a completed and signed Release of A uthorizarionfor Protected Health Information sent to our organization. Once we received the appropriate signed release of authorization, we will proceed in responding to the complaint you shared.

• Initial Complaint

  07/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  IN MARCH 2022 I REQUESTED AN APPOINTMENT FOR A PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE PHYSICAL EXAM WITH MY PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER DR ********************** UW HEALTH, BEAVER DAM. I RESTATED THIS PURPOSE ON APRIL 4, 2022 UPON CHECK-IN AND AT CHECK-OUT. MY HEALTH INSURENCE PROVIDER **************** SHIELD) PROVIDES FROM ONE PREVENTIVE CARE PHYSICAL EXAM/YEAR WITH NO CO-PAY.The purpose of a preventive visit is to review your overall health, identify risks and find out how to stay healthy. Check your weight, height, temperature, blood pressure and pulse; Listen to your heart and lungs; Check your ears, eyes, throat, skin and abdomen; Various immunizations; Various cancer screenings, such as for breast, colorectal, cervical and prostate cancer; Certain blood tests to check such things as cholesterol or blood sugar https://www.anthem.com/preventive-care/DURING MY PE THERE WHERE NO NEW HEALTH CONCERNS RAISED BY ME; I WAS NOT TREATED FOR ANY SPECIFIC HEALTH CONERNS; AND NO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS PERFORMED FOR SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS OR CONDITIONS. THEREFORE THIS VISIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CODED AND BILLED AS A PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE ROUTINE PHYSICAL EXAM.HOWEVER, IT WAS CODED AND BILLED BY UW HEALTH AS AN OFFICE VISIT WHICH RESULTED IN MY BEING CHARGED A $30 CO-PAY. MY ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THIS WITH UW HEALTH HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. *************** ADMITTED IN CORRESPONDANCE THOUGH MYCHART (ATTACHED) THAT HE MADE AN ERROR AND THAT HE WOULD RESUBMIT THE BILLING USING THE PROPER PREVENTIVE CARE CODES. THAT NEVER HAPPENED.I WAS ADVISED BY UW HEALTH BILLING TO FILE AN "AMENDMENT TO HEALH RECORD." I SUBMITTED THIS AMENDMENT (ATTACHED) BY US MAIL ON MAY 3, 2022 BUT AS OF THIS DATE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONCE.

  Business response

  07/13/2022

  The patient was responded to today via his MyChart account. 

  Customer response

  07/13/2022

  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.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  There was nothing new provided in the response today that I received via MyChart. Once again UW Health contends that the billing was coded correctly but again provides no explanation as to why it was not coded as a *************** Physical Exam. I specifically requested an appointment for a *************** visit. They accepted my request. If for some reason during the visit one of the healthcare providers took an action, asked a question, or raised an issue that changed the circumstances, it would have been their obligation to immediately notify me. They did not. I left the appointment assuming that my visit was coded as a *************** Exam.
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  07/20/2022

  Please see the attached communication to ****************** providing him a more detailed explanation of UW Health billing practices.  All communication is being sent to ****************** via the mail. We have also sent him a letter regarding his amendment request but it appears this letter can be attached due to system limits of 2 documents.  

  Customer response

  07/21/2022

  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.
  
  In ******* communications between me and *************** he stated: "Sorry ****, that is my bad. Most patients your age have ******** and they don't pay for annual
  physicals, so I just get used to not billing for preventative exams. We can resubmit the billing with the appropriate codes ***********************, DO." (a copy of that statement was even included in the UW Health reply)

   To me, use of the word "bad" implies mistake. I interpret this to mean that *************** understood that my visit was for preventive care and that he overlooked coding it as such. He then went on to say that he (we) "can resubmit the billing with the appropriate code." That implies that he was going to take an action, but never did.

  I contend that *************** and UW Health need to abide by what they told me. 

   

      [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  We strive to provide transparency where ever possible,however it is often impossible to know what will be addressed during a visit prior to the visit actually occurring.  However, we hear your concerns on how preventative visit billing can be confusing for patients.  Therefore,with your feedback in mind, we will be exploring additional communication pathways we can have with patients during or prior to their scheduled physicals to explain the possibility of office visit charges in more detail. 

  Customer response

  07/25/2022

  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.
  
  While it encouraging to hear that UW Health will explore additional communication pathways to explain to patients the possibility of office visit charges in more detail, that is only half of the problem. The other half is explaining to their primary care physicians how to treat a patient that schedules a preventive care physical exam. I researched and thoroughly understood the difference between an office visit and a preventive care visit prior to making my appointment. I checked with my *************** Shield representative prior to making the appointment (attachment) and explicitly followed their instructions. If proper procedures were not followed during this appointment it was not because of my actions. Therefore I do not consider this issue closed until the co-pay I have been charged is waived. [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I had a tele visit with ***************************, PA, on January 7, 2022. This was the second "tele-visit" that I had with ******, the first being in March of 2021. The call was ***** minutes in length and was very similar to the call we had in March 2021. The March 2021 call had me billed for the "office visit" which occurred.I received a **** from UW Health for the 1/7/22 visit, and it billed for the office visit as well as a separate charge for "glucose monitor, cont. phys I&R". This separate charge was for $274.00. I was shocked at seeing this as this visit was the same as my one back in March 2021, and no such charge existed. I was also shocked in that we talked about my continuous glucose monitor and readings for just a few minutes, as we had back on the March 2021 call as well as all prior face-to-face visits I had with ******. Just as a note, I am a Type I diabetic and have been wearing a continuous glucose monitor for over 4 years.I contacted UW Health and they advised this charge was valid, at which point I expressed my complaint as to being billed this. They advised I could ask ****** to amend her visit notes and see if that would let their billing group address these charges. I contacted ****** via MyChart and received the following response (see uploaded document attached) on 3/18/22:I never agreed to having this done, and to say you did it for no charge, and now decided to **** for it is equivalent to a service station changing ones car's oil for free for years, then deciding to charge for it and billing you after you drive in and have them do an oil change. If asked I would have refused this. My insurance only covers a portion of this charge, leaving me with a charge of $178.10 from UW Health which was never discussed before "supposedly" being done, and was not done with my approval. As an active diabetic, I read my own CGM and examine and chart the data it generates many times a day...and I know UW Health did not review my CGM readings every day

  Business response

  03/28/2022

  Good afternoon,
  
  Customer Case ID ********
  
  ********************** receive a complaint from the patient in February 2022. In response to the complaint, we initiated a coding review for the service on 1/7/2022. Per ***************** response: Upon review, the visit is coded correctly. The information was downloaded on 1/7/22 at 12:40 and an interpretation was stated within providers note. Note: this is an integral part of how the provider formulates recommendations, especially related to diet and medication use. We informed the patient that the charge was correct on 3/17/2022. The outstanding balance on the charge is being applied to the patients deductible.
  
  I have reached out to the Endocrinology clinic that provided the service and was informed by the Clinic Manager that this was always a service the patient received, however there was not a way for the provider to enter the charge and therefor the providers were not getting credit for the services they were providing. In April 2021 UW Health was able to have the charge added to the billing system. I inquired if the clinic has been able to do a charge back, however that request will be and has been denied as this is a valid charge. Per the clinic, this is a service that will be provided each time as this is important information that is required for the provider to continue to treat the patient.
  
  If that patient is concerned in the future UW Health offers price estimates that allows patients to see what their out-of-pocket costs are as well as the procedure codes so the patient can follow up with their insurance to verify coverage. We have provided the patient with our Financial Assistance program. If he chooses to fill out the information, he may qualify for an adjustment through that program.
  
  Thank you,
  
  **************
  Customer Service Team Lead
  ********************** Patient Accounts

  Customer response

  04/03/2022

  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.
  
  To: ************************* WI. Better Business Bureau
  Subject: Customer Case ID ********
  
  Dear ****:
  Thank you for your message and forwarding the response from UW Health regarding my complaint.  You asked for my reply regarding my acceptance or rejection of their business response, which I would like to do in this response.  Please be advised that I adamantly reject the response from UW Health and find it unacceptable.  I would like to provide you with some information and oversight so as to better understand my complaint and response to their comments.
  

  I am a Type I diabetic and went began using the Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor (***) approximately 3-4 years ago.  Prior to that, I used a conventional blood glucose testing meter, which involves pricking your finger to obtain a drop of blood,which is applied to a test strip that is inserted into the meter before the blood is applied.  This generates a reading for your blood sugar or blood glucose level at that specific moment in time.  The *** allows the patient to avoid the finger ****** and lets one get a reading of their blood sugar/glucose level continuously at any time.  A sensor is inserted into ones arm or stomach and that sensor stays in you for a 10-day period.  An application from the *** provider (in this case Dexcom) is downloaded on ones smartphone and allows the phone to become a reader for getting the blood sugar readings.  Dexcom also has an application called Clarity that acts more as a data gatherer and provides summaries of your blood sugar levels for periods of 2, 7, 30 and 90 days.  For your information, I have attached photos of an actual reading taken from my phone (done today, 4/3/22) as well as the Clarity summaries for 30 and 90 days (also taken on 4/3/22).
  

  Managing ones diabetes, in my case, involves constantly looking at my readings throughout the day and evening, and in some cases using those readings to make adjustments to the amount of insulin I take during each of the 4 insulin shots I take each day, the types and amount of food that I eat, and the activity I am doing or plan to do.  I probably look at my readings over ******* times a day, and will take notes of what physical activity I may have done or am doing as well as any other conditions (stress, anxiety, general busyness, etc) and what my diet and food intake has been in order to understand why my blood sugar may be going in a certain direction and why I may feel a certain way (tired, lethargic etc)at any point in time.  I keep spreadsheets and a log, as well as charting everything I eat, to help understand and formulate daily management.  To be quite candid, the patient is really the pilot, navigator, air traffic controller and flight attendant for the plane that in this case is the daily management of the disease and ones blood sugar levels.  To hear UW Health state that they can look just at information from the *** and formulate recommendations is comical at best,and why I want to preface that in regards to their service that was charged for separately.  The last comment I will make is that what makes diabetes a tough disease to address is that each and every person who has it is different, and how the disease impacts them is different there is no single approach or vanilla recipe for taking care of yourself and understanding how your body acts and reacts to both the disease and things that can impact it.
  

  Prior to using the ***, the approach taken in going over blood sugar readings with my doctor was my putting a spreadsheet together with my readings for a period of time, which was given to the doctors nurse/assistant at the start of my visit/appointment (before I saw the doctor) and discussed with the doctor during the appointment.  This approach worked (and works) perfectly fine.
  

  The response from UW Health is sad in its rationale for a number of reasons and items that I will list below:
  
  1. A statement was made The information was downloaded on 1/7/22 at 12:40 and an interpretation was stated within providers note.  This seems odd, since my video appointment was at 8:10am on January 7.  I highly doubt that a downloading was done at 12:40am that morning/evening, and if it was, how anyone could have extensively reviewed the information and come up with interpretations at that time of night, especially without speaking to me to understand what my activity levels were, where I was seeing low or high readings, or understanding my diet and what food intake I had over any period related to any readings.  That is both unrealistic and beyond a reach.
  

  2. Right after the statement quoted in #1 above, another statement was madeNote: this is an integral part of how the provider formulates recommendations, especially related to diet and medication use.  During our appointment(s), both on the 7th as well as those held going back for many years, ****************** does not make any formulated recommendations.  We talk which is part of what I am charged for as a doctors visit and discuss if any changes might want to be made.  *************************** and I both discuss, and ultimately the decision rests with me as to if and how I might want to address any suggestions (if any).  For our visit on the 7th, no changes were made to any medications, and everything was status quo, so to infer that an extensive report was formulated regarding my diet and medication use is blatantly false.
  

  3. The second paragraph of the UW Health response discusses this service they provide and that it was always a service the patient received.  As I mentioned and UW Health confirmed, it may have been done BUT I have never been charged a separate charge or fee for any such service in the past.  I use an analogy to this situation, which I will provide below:
  

  A gas station in town has been giving car washes to customers at no chargeanyone purchasing gas can pull their auto into the car wash and receive a washing and not be charged.  The station has done this for a number of years, and customers are accustomed to it, as a precedent has been established to an extent.  Now a customer drives up,gets gas, and then proceeds to pull their car into the car wash.  No signs at the station in any location say anything about charging for a car wash.  The customer gets their car washed, and then is given a **** / invoice from the station for $25, and the station states they have now decided to charge for this service (which they were providing at no cost in the past) and the driver owes them $25.
  

  Not only is this highly unethical, but I would wonder if it were legal.  If UW Health was going to now charge for this service, would it have been proper to notify patients/customers prior to billing them for this, as well as getting the patients/customers approval to have this done if there was now going to be a significant charge for it.  Next, they may decide to charge separately for taking a patients blood pressure during a visit, which is always done but never charged forWho Knows?  It would not have been difficult for UW Health to have sent all their diabetic patients that are using a *** a notice either in MyChart or through the mail or email to notify them of a change in policy and advising that effective on a certain date that they would now be charging $XXX for providing this service.  I NEVER RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF NOTIFICATION OF THIS change, and doubt they ever provided it to any other patients.  If I was told that there was going to be a charge for this prior to or even during my appointment, I would have cancelled the appointment or ended it before we even got to that point.  The last paragraph of the UW Health response states If that patient is concerned in the future UW Health offers price estimates that allows patients to see what their out-of-pocket costs are as well as the procedure codes.  What is infuriating here is they bring that up now, after the fact, but sure did not do any type of communication, advisement, pre-authorization from the patient, or any other step, other than **** me $274 for this service.  Just as a note, to charge that amount for what they say they did (in reality what they didnt!) is absolutely sad and price gouging to the Nth degreeits the equivalent of charging someone $100 for a gallon of milk.
  

  If UW Health wants to charge me for this for future visits,then at least now I am aware of it.  It definitely changes my view on using them for my medical health and support.  But to pull this rabbit out of the hat to myself as well as any other diabetic patients they did this to without any type of notification or approval from the patient is horrible and lacking in any type of integrity whatsoever.
  

  If you need any other information from me, please just let me know and I will get back to you as soon as I can.  Thank you for your time, and my apologies for my sarcasm at certain points, but to say I am infuriated and feel like someone is trying to steal from me is an understatement and does get my blood boiling.
  

  Thank you again and have a great week ahead.
  
  Best regards,
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  04/11/2022

  You have been handling a complaint I filed with the Wisconsin BBB regarding UW Health.  I am contacting you only as I learned some interesting information that I wanted to pass along regarding the charges UW Health made that I am contesting.

  
  

  Their charges related to reading my Continuous Glucose Monitor are based on accessing the application / program developed for the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose meter, which is owned and sold/promoted exclusively by Dexcom, Inc.  I spoke with Dexcom today and their technical staff advised me that no physician should be charging anyone for using or accessing the Dexcom Clarity program and the data that it contains, as this is solely owned and provided by Dexcom.  I was told by their technical staff that I need to contact their Customer Support Team on Monday morning (April 11) so as to get further information and speak to the appropriate individual(s).  I will do so on Monday morning and will pass along my findings to you.

  
  

  Thank you for your time, and I hope you had a nice weekend.

  
  

  Best regards,

  
  

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

  Customer response

  04/12/2022

  Good morning...following up on my email of April 9 to you, I just finished speaking with ************ customer support group and just wanted to pass along the information they shared that is pertinent to my complaint filed in regards to UW Health's charges.
  
  Dexcom clarified that their Clarity software is a free service that they provide to Dexcom continuous glucose monitor end users and doctors.  There is no cost associated with it other than the cost to the end user (and their insurance carrier) for purchasing the receiver, sensors and transmitters used in the operation of the CGM.  
  
  If you should need to learn more from Dexcom about their proprietary CGM units and software, their ********************** can be reached at **************.
  
  Thank you for your help in this matter, and if you need any other information from me please don't hesitate to let me know.
  
  Have a great day.
  
  Best regards,
  
  *******************

*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. ↩