My husband recently got his hearing aids and my insurance covers $3,000 per ear. He made sure he did not pick one that would go over the amount. Then the medical clinic coded the Bluetooth hearing aid under one code which was covered but then coded the charging dock under a different code and insurance will not cover it as the code the clinic used was for an added accessory. This is complete double dipping on the part of the clinic as these charging docks come with the hearing aids themselves and they would not work without them. I am fighting having to pay the $400 they are charging us (yes, it isn’t a lot but it is the principal of it that bothers us). No one will call me back or reply to my concerns, they just threaten me with collections. These hearing aids do not have removeable batteries therefore the only way they work is when they are put into the charging dock. I have called several hearing aid mfg. and they all say the charging docks are part of the unit. My insurance even said that they would cover it if the clinic would just code it correctly but the clinic refuses. Any suggestions on how to deal with this clinic?
Return the hearing aids and go elsewhere if the clinic is not returning your calls? Are you still in the trial period?
Never heard the likes before @RRR Name & Shame them, so that others on here can steer well clear of this clinic, I would not personally even contemplate doing a deal with such a under handed company, as @Neville says, take them back!!! Cheers Kev.
The clinic was paid $6,000 by insurance and still wants $400 for the charger?
Call the manufacturer or distributor of the aids you bought and lodge a complaint against the Vendor you purchased them from.
Call the Better Business Bureau.
Call your state’s attorney general.
Contact local news organizations, many have an ombudsman that will go to bat for consumers.
If you happen to have a family lawyer or a lawyer friend have them write a polite letter to the clinic.
Find out what office in your state licences your clinic and fike a complaint with them.
You may get some traction on the issue with some of these agencies, if not you may at least get the satisfaction of making life difficult for the office.
Jim
No, we are past the review period to do any type of return.
Yes, and all they need to do is re-code it and it would be paid but they refuse and say they have always coded the chargers this way and will not change it.
I did contact the Attorney General of WA State and they sent them a letter with zero response back to the AG. So, the AG said it was out of their hands and I could contact a lawyer on my own.
I did think about a local news channel and still may contact them!
Good luck - I hope it works out.
Jim
Is there a licensing board that manages the vendor? Review on Yelp or local website? (If so, be factual.) Complaint to manufacturer? FTC? FDA? One letter should work for all.
You might also try the Insurance Commissioner’s office. They may be able to apply pressure on the insurance side to do something reasonable.
I live in WA too, and the IC is pretty proactive there.