ComplaintsforBronson Healthcare Group, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Beginning March 15, 2023, Bronson Healthcare has not been payed by my secondary ********************************** (Bankers Fidelity) for many of my claims, although ******** has promptly approved and payed all of them. I have been going to Bronson for the majority of my healthcare needs for many years, with the same secondary ******** insurance company. Until 3/25/2023, every single claim has been payed promptly. I noticed through both my providers and my insurance websites that claims were not being payed months ago, and have contacted both companies several times about the issue. The amount now exceeds $14,000 and I am completely freaked. I am very low income (SSA only), elderly and have multiple medical issues. I have pushed very hard on the issue to both companies and finally was told by the insurance company that Bronson was billing them improperly. Bronson denies this. I notice that the four other providers that I have seen since 3/15/2023 were all payed promptly. Consequently, I am of the mindset that the burden to solve this problem lies mainly with Bronson. I finally received an actual bill recently from Bronson. I applied for Financial Assistance at Bronson and qualified for 100% but they refuse to apply it to my bill because of a large unpaid bill from my insurance company. The bill I received is only $93 (which I cannot pay) but from a conversation I had with Bronson billing recently, I am quite sure that the $14,000 in unpaid claims is headed in my direction. I am hoping to somehow get the billing issue solved before it destroys my credit, my health and possibly my life. I have canceled all my upcoming doctors appointments, a surgery, a CT and multiple blood tests because of this issue. Any help I get would be greatly appreciated.

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.
  
  This event began with noting the patient has a spend-down amount before ******** begins to pay covered claims. As a result, adjustments to the Bronson Financial Assistance Approval were postponed until all claims had been processed through January 2024 as Financial Assistance is considered the payor of last resort. All insurance payor submissions must be processed prior to any Assistance adjustments are made. We have reviewed our internal process with our billing team to identify any opportunities for improvement. Our team has attempted to contact the patient and left several voicemails to notify him of the resolution.
  
  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations. We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

  Customer response

  03/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21341392
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  1) In the past, my ******** deductible has always been deleted immediately due to the 100% Financial Assistance Award. Why is this year suddenly different. I have many unpaid claims from my ************************** and I am not sure if whos to blame. I have contacted MMAPs about the issue and they are eager to help as soon as the responsibility for this mess is discovered. It is far to soon n the process for me to accept any response. Once 1)all my claims are payed and 2)I feel comfortable that I will not receive a bill, I will be glad to accept the response as valid. The response actually makes ZERO sense to me at this point, as I have 1) refurbed ALL calls from Bronson 2) left messages to them that have not been answered and 3) called them multiple times. I am much more hopeful now that this will be resolved, but it is too early to accept that it has been resolved. I am willing and eager to communicate with Bronson anytime. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  03/01/2024

  Hi. Im kind of thinking that the response to my complaint from Bronson Hospital may have been sent before I talked with them on the phone Thursday afternoon 2/29/2024 and we had reached a tentative meeting of the minds. Consequently, I think my response to them is invalid. I dont know if you can delete it or not, but if you can delete it or put it on hold, I would appreciate it. Thank You. 

  Customer response

  03/12/2024

  As this nightmare transpired, it really seems as though my **************************************** Bankers Fidelity, is the negligent party in this matter, and I would like to either withdraw my complaint against Bronson or accept their rebuttal. Thank you.  

  Business response

  03/15/2024

  To whom it may concern,
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. The patients response on 3/3/24 was:
  
  
  Hi. Im kind of thinking that the response to my complaint from Bronson Hospital may have been sent before I talked with them on the phone Thursday afternoon 2/29/2024 and we had reached a tentative meeting of the minds. Consequently, I think my response to them is invalid. I dont know if you can delete it or not, but if you can delete it or put it on hold, I would appreciate it. Thank You."
  
  
  Based on this response, we believe this issue has been resolved and should be closed. 

  Business response

  03/15/2024

  To whom it may concern,
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. The patients last response on 3/3/24 was:
  
  
  Hi. Im kind of thinking that the response to my complaint from Bronson Hospital may have been sent before I talked with them on the phone Thursday afternoon 2/29/2024 and we had reached a tentative meeting of the minds. Consequently, I think my response to them is invalid. I dont know if you can delete it or not, but if you can delete it or put it on hold, I would appreciate it. Thank You.
  
  
  Based on this response, we believe this issue has been resolved and should be closed. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have received several billing statements from Bronson over the years as they are usually who I go to & where my dr's are located. I was put on a payment plan and was told that my new charges would be folded into the existing payment plan; they were, however, not. This was sent to collections (RMP). I have sent payments to the collectors, but they take up to 1 month to cash payments sent to them!!!I have since paid the balance of my account off (or so I thought) & I am still getting collections notices from RMP from 1/2022!! All of my statements have had different accounts listed on same statements....how can this be? What to they issue payment on when there are difference accounts listed? I look on mychart and it tells me there is a **** balance - so how can I still owe $$? I called the billing department and was treated very rudely. It was implied to me that I don't pay my bills and that's why it was sent to collections. I pay my bills religiously. I purposely pay my bills **** days before they are due - Bronson, as well as RMP, have waited up to 1 month before posting payment! That would make it conveniently "late". I have tracking numbers provided by my bill pay service that can show when check was issued and when it is cashed. The statements also have "Your account is past due" at the top; then at the bottom the statement due date has not passed yet. I have called numerous times and there is rarely a call back.

  Business response

  11/03/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.

  This patient has multiple accounts from 2021-2022. The patient started on a payment plan for balances owed. The payment plan became delinquent when payments did not occur. Bronsons practice is accounts add on to the payment plan if the payment plan is current. When the payment plan became delinquent,we were unable to add any further accounts to the plan. Patient Accounts discussed this process with the patient on two occasions.

  On January 11,2022, the patient called to have accounts added to her payment plan. Patient accounts advised she was overdue. Bronson received a payment from the patient, but it was not for full overdue amount. The account remained delinquent at that time.

  On April 5,2022, the patient called to add accounts again. Patient accounts advised that she was still delinquent and could not add accounts until overdue balances resolved. The patient paid the overdue balance; however, the additional accounts were in collection. Accounts cannot add to a payment plan if they are in collection.

  Our investigation included reaching out to the collection company,RMP, regarding payments and their practices. RMP verified that they did receive payments from the patient, but there are two outstanding payments due. Payments made through bank bill pay post within ten days of check date.

  Bronson my Chart includes current Bronson balances. It does not include delinquent balances on patient accounts.

  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations.We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

• Initial Complaint

  09/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My wife had an emergency room visit in June,2023. Unfortunately, since its an emergency we didn't have time to review price transparency. I received a bill from Bronson for the emergency visit in July which I paid, and towards end of August I received another bill from Southwestern MI Emergency Services for the provider. Southwestern Emergency Service doesn't have a different address, they work at Bronson, teach Bronson residents, work as Bronson ER Drs. How is this legal to be charged twice for the same service? Its like getting billed twice at your car dealership for emergency service. The worst part you receive the bill after 2 months in the mail from an **** address. You couldn't see the bill on your Bronson mychart like the other bills from Bronson Hospital. The minimum the hospital could do is atleast mention when you get discharged you will receive a separate bill for the provider, and give a clear explanation behind this separate bill. Unfortunately, since health care is a profit care business like any other business in the *** as a consumer this is the bare minimum the hospital could do for customers (patients in other developed countries). It would be nice if I could get a billing adjustment, and a detailed explanation from the hospital.

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.

  
  The first bill the patient received was a bill for the Bronson facility charges, this includes the nursing care, medications, etc. The other bill received from ********************* Emergency Services included charges for the physician. ********************* Emergency Services is a separate corporation that does their own billing. The physician billing does not appear in my chart because billing comes from a separate corporation. We appreciate the suggestion of including this billing information to patients. As a team, we will be evaluating how to best inform our patients to anticipate this as part of our billing process.

  
  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations.We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

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

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Aug. 5, 2022 I had an appointment with my Doctor for follow up check up. When I was in the office the nurse gave me a piece of paper and said draw a clock. I said what is this for and she said doctor said to do it. My doctor ***************************** came in and my wife and I both told her that I do not get a wellness check up till ***. March of 2023 I have a bill from bronson which states ******** will not pay for this wellness exam, but paid for the checkup. I called bronson billing and told her all the above. I also stated ******** only pays for a wellness exam once a year. So, bronson double charged, one for wellness exam and one for the checkup. The woman said well you signed the paper what your insurance does not pay, you will. I stated that is true, but I was not at the doctors office for a wellness exam and told that to the nurse and the doctor. She got very upset with me and said you *** and hung up. May 31, 2023 I contacted bronson Patient Relations at ************** and explained all the above. She told me it will be looked into and someone will contact me. I would like this looked into for this is not a right thing to do. Perform a exam on a person and a wellness exam and not told being double charged when I went in the office for one thing only.

  Business response

  06/12/2023

   Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern.  A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.

  
  After reviewing the record, it was discovered that the patient was incorrectly charged for the wellness visit on August 5, 2022. In February 2023, the charge for this wellness visit was voided. The August 5, 2022 office visit charge remains the patients responsibility as it is appropriate for the date of service.
  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations.We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

  Customer response

  06/12/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. If they did void the charge for wellness exam. that was not to be done at all, than I am satisfied. Thank you. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is *****, account #**********. During the first week of January of 2021, I went to the college clinic (I attend ***************************) and complained to the doctor about hip pain. The doctor recommended physical therapy at her work, Bronson Health. On 9/13/2021, I started physical therapy at Bronson Health and finished up on November 5, 2021. In January of 2022, I received a statement from TherMatrix (provider for physical therapy) that they would NOT be paying for the physical therapy done in September; since Bronson Health is a non-network provider (copy is enclosed) and my responsibility is $687.50. I called the billing department and explained that I was a full-time student, and I am enlisted in the National Guard. The only pay I get is the once-a-month drill that I go to and some tutoring at *** campus. She recommended that I fill out the application for Bronson Financial Assistance Program. The following month I received a letter dated 2/23/22, that I was approved for 100% discount and that it expires 8/8/22 (see attached). Financial assistance paid the $687.50 balance. I am very grateful for the assistance and feel very blessed since, I can not afford to pay. In April of 2022, I received another statement from TherMatrix that Bronson Health billed for October and November services in the amount of $1650.00 would not be covered. I called and billing said the letter was on file. Fast forward to a week ago I received another letter dated 1/10/23, that if I did not pay then I would be sent to collections. On 1/18/23, my mom called billing and spoke to ******, who explained that the financial aid letter expired on 8/8/22 and Bronson Health did not bill me till September of 2022 for the $1650.00. ****** said to fill out the financial assistance again. I did and sent it in 2 days later. Yesterday I received an email that I now OWE $3,300.00. HELP.

  Business response

  02/03/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern.  A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.

  
  Bronson Medical Financial Assistance had not been applied to any balances due to a coordination of benefits issue. Our team verified that the issue has been resolved. The claims have been resubmitted and taken out of patient responsibility. If the patients primary insurance leaves a balance,such as a deductible, the financial assistance will cover that portion. Our team has contacted the patient and notified her of the resolution.
  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations.We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

• Initial Complaint

  12/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a date of service for 2/15/2022. I received a bill on 10/1/22 for the *** and for ****** the full amount with no payment from insurance. Received same bill different account number 11/1/22. No EOB from my insurance to be found. Called my old insurance company and they said they have no record of a claim from Bronson Health for that *** 2/15/22. They asked for it to be resubmitted and they will process it. Bronson Billing says we submitted it to your insurance already and they denied saying no coverage. They are reading from a note. I told many different billing employees that there is a mistake; one there are different account numbers, and second my insurance company never received the claim-and asked to resubmit the claim no response. I left a message for the manager, no response. I only have until 2/5/2023 to get it submitted to the insurance provider before it is denied for timing. There is a HIPPA concern if they submitted it to the wrong company. There is an integrity concern if someone did not do their job and said they did. They will not tell me who they submitted it to, the number they used, the address they used. Its a secret. All I ask is it for it to be submitted to the correct insurance company I will give them the information, because they do not have that company information or my group number because I switched insurance companies in 5/22.. So how can they say they billed it correctly? A statement was not sent to me for *** for 2/15/22 until 10/1/22. They probably put the wrong *** also. I do not know because they will not tell me anything accept I looked into your account and it was denied. I believe they want the full amount from me and not willing to submit the claim. They are sending me to a collection agency . I will not pay them any amount no matter what until they submit it to the correct insurance.company. All I want is for them to send to the correct insurance company and I will pay the remainder but not until they do what they should.

  Business response

  01/09/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern.  A team has met and has conducted a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.
  The incorrect insurance company was billed due to lack of correct insurance information on the original date of service 2/15/22.  We have obtained the correct insurance information and billed the insurance company. We have contacted the patient and notified her of the resolution.
  Bronsons mission is to provide excellent healthcare services and we regret that we did not fully meet the patients expectations.We appreciate the opportunity to investigate and hope that this response is helpful.

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  During Jan. 5, 2022 Wellness appointment when asked about anything going on, I mentioned I was getting a few more migraines (have had them since late 20's and I have prescription for those migraines). On April 22, 2022 I received a text and email saying I owed $84.77, with no explanation, to Bronson Healthcare Group. I logged onto my Bronson My Chart and all it showed was amount due with no explanation. Called billing department today, April 25, 2022, and was told because I mentioned migraines, ******** assumed I would be having a follow-up appointment to discuss the issue and that is why Bronson Healthcare Group sent me the ****. I did not have any follow-up visit. The billing department said because it was ********'s policy, even though I did not have the follow-up visit, I was still responsible to them for the $84.77. Very strange conversation to say the least. All I ask is that the $84.77 be removed from my account as an invalid charge.

  Business response

  01/16/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this patients concern. A team has met and has conducted
  a review of the submitted complaint. Below you will find the results of our review.
  After reviewing the record, it was discovered that the patient was incorrectly charged. The patient was
  originally charged for a ******** Annual Wellness visit along with a preventative visit. During this visit
  with their provider, the patient discussed multiple chronic conditions including HLD, allergies, vitamin D
  deficiency and hypothyroidism. Following a review by our compliance team it is felt that the claim is
  best submitted as an annual wellness visit and a problem focused visit. A claim correction has been
  submitted to ******** and we anticipate this will be processed as an allowable charge minus any
  copays and deductibles.

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