Gastro Health

After being on numerous medications over the years since childhood with ongoing intestinal surgery it was decided by Dr. Ellis of Gastro Health that my plan of treatment should be changed over to Johnson & Johnsons Stelara medication.

Prior to beginning my monthly Stelara Injections on January 21st 2022 to prevent flareups in addition to hopefully avoiding additional intestinal surgery I was contacted by Gastro Health to schedule my initial appointment for my Stelara treatment .

I inquired at that time if I had any financial responsibility and was informed by Gastro Health that I only had a $40.00 dollar co-pay. I reiterated again are you sure and they stated it is only forty dollars

Eight months later after starting my treatments at Gastro Health I received a billing statement from them for $2,691,50. Upon calling Gastro Healths billing department they told me it was my responsibility. This is the reason that I asked prior to receiving my first Stelara injection from Gastro Health to make sure with my health insurance company, Humana Choice Medicare that I did not occur any out-of-pocket expenses.

In addition to asking Gastro Health to double check with Humana Choice Medicare, apparently they did not were as Gastro Health should have known or knew to do this since it is standard medical business procedure and done upon arrival at doctors / medical appointments. Dr. Elliss office, part of Gastro Health does this at all of my appointments prior to seeing the doctor .

Around 10 months later after starting treatments I received another billing statement from Gastro Health for all of my previous Stelara injections on May 16th, 2022 for $8,120.00 dollars.

On March 19th, 2022 I sent a certified return receipt letter disputing my bill to Mr. Joseph Garcia CEO at Gastro Healths corporate offices in Miami, Florida .

To date almost 4-months later still no response

After I informed Gastro Health that I would have to stop my injections because I could not financially afford them. Gastro Health at that time informed me that a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Stelara medication had financial aid available providing I met their financial criteria low / poverty income level that I did Gastro Health could have told me this from the start when I asked about my financial responsibilities and informed me none before beginning the injections, as well in addition to them calling Humana Choice Medicare to check prior that I had no out of pocket expenses the same way they had called to find out about my $40.00 dollar initial copayment . Gastro Health should have known or knew to do this after all of the years in business I am now on a financial assistance program from Johnson & Johnsons subsidiary company that pays 100% for my injections and medication. Gastro Health knew about this from the beginning as mentioned in the aforementioned .

Johnson & Johnsons paper work for their subsidiary company for financial assistance had to be done only by Gastro Health, not me. Gastro Health submitted the form, after I told them that I could not afford to continue with them financially.

I feel that Gastro Health was unfair and deceptive to me because I am a female senior citizen on social security they tried to capitalize on me and Humana Insurance to make more money.

Gastro Health I believe billed Humana Choice Insurance, that Gastro Health cannot bill anymore Humana Medicare Insurance $79,984/00 as well as me for any out-of-pocket monies because of the financial aid from Johnson & Johnsons subsidiary, company is paying 100%.

Aa

In summary If Gastro Health had submitted my forms to Johnson & Johnsons subsidiary company Gastro Health would probably have received nothing of roughly the $79,984.00. In addition, Gastro Health would not have been able to bill me a surprise amount $8,120.00 ten months after starting that they are attempting to collect for a combined total $88,120.44.