Friday, February 13, 2009

A Service Fee...

Yep, that's what our clinic said.

"It is not a discount, nor a kickback, it is a service fee."

Yeah, whatever.

Their explanation is that their administrator and C One has an arrangement. Since C One pays so timely and the funds are EFT into the clinic's account, the clinic's administrator has made this agreement that C One keeps 5% off the top. It is a "service fee" for their timely and immediate EFT payment.

No patient advocate. DH called yesterday and spoke to the financial person first. Then, he says, let me put my wife on the phone so you can explain it to her. I was probably the rudest person I have ever been in my life (I am sure it did not help that I was PMS-ing and AF arrived this morning). And she gave me that lame explanation.

It really is not about the money because we knew what the IVF package price was and agreed to pay it. It is the fact that they are doing this without disclosing this practice to their customers. It is TOTALLY wrong and unethical, IMO.

I told her, "I cannot believe you have not been sued over this!"

She said, "Really? Why? I guess I don't understand what you mean?"

I said, "We signed documents saying that C One would pay XXXXXX to Dr. XXXXX. We agreed to make payments to them for this amount. And now, we find out that you did not actually receive that amount from C One? What isn't clear here?"

She kept going back to "it's an arrangement that our administrator and C One has made". She assured me, "that this arrangement is so that the patient is not burdened with making sure the payment is to us and you still receive your treatment."

So.....I do not know if we are going to pursue anything else. Maybe, a letter to our RE just expressing our concern about this practice. It just does not leave a good impression of their so-called patient-friendly care when you find out after the fact that they have an "under-the-counter deal" with the financing company, you know?

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like a crappy deal. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this...I've said this on a previous post...us IFers can handle a lot - if people are honest with us. Keep us posted if you decide to pursue anything further.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Insurance companies are theives! They get away with murder all the time. I had a law professor in school that made it his personal mission to try to expose them. I'm sorry you had to deal with this!

    By the way -love the music on your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry you are so worked up over this, but I have a different perspective I guess. Your clinic and cap one have a business arrangement that allows couple to be able to finance their treatments. It needs to be advantageous to all parties involved for it to work. especially in today's economy cap one takes a risk and by you paying early, you lessen that risk for them. i know you feel like it should go towards treatment and your bottom line, not theirs, but business is business. It didn't cost you anything extra and you benefit from the relationship... I know it sucks when you feel like you were taken advantage of, but I don't think you were in this case. Just my opinion though! GL with whatever you decide!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm an accountant and I have heard of discounts being given for quick and prompt payment but 5% is HIGH. Usually it's a small amount like 1/2% to 2% at most. 5% sounds more like a kickback than a discount for early payment, especially given the amount of money we're talking about here. Either way, it still sucks for you. I'm so sorry...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah, that doesn't sit very well. I think a letter to the RE is a good idea. I hate dealing with people that just don't give a darn either..."what do you mean?" ERRR. Sorry you have to deal with this.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think all this would have been so much easier to process had they been upfront and honest with you. I hate to have to find these things out in retrospect, when we can't make an decision for ourselves!

    Good luck with what you decide!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This just doesn't sit well with me. I would be more okay with it if they had told you up front. I get that these kinds of things are necessary to keep the business flowing, but you should have been informed that this is how your money was being spent......

    Sorry, hun.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is not a good business practice. I think you should write that letter. Boo on them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is truly disgusting...I think your clinic should hear from you one way or the other. It would be different if you knew what that your agreement included specifically in the way of "service fees". I'm sorry you are dealing with this - it's just wrong.

    ReplyDelete