Physiotherapy Associates

I am writing to warn others about doing business with Physiotherapy Associates. I found the quality of the treatments I received from them to be adequate.

However, if you use them, be aware of their evasive and unethical billing practices. To quickly summarize my story: • I received five treatments at their Englewood, CO location. During these visits, I made payments totaling $285 ($57 per visit). I have documentation for all of these payments.

• Prior to starting the treatments, I was told that the $57 dollar payments would completely cover my share of your charges. Had I been informed otherwise, I would most likely not have used them for my treatments. • I was shocked to receive a bill from them for $402.50 which, based on their representations, I expected to be zero. It was also obvious that they had applied none of the $285 I paid them to the bill.

• I sent a series of emails to explain my situation and rectify the misunderstanding. I was told that (because of their privacy policy) the only way we could resolve this issue was over the phone. I have had numerous communications with other companies involving similar privacy considerations and have never had a problem utilizing emails. I even provided them with some of my research that concludes that email correspondence is acceptable.

• One of the reasons for requesting email correspondence was to establish a trail of communication so that representations by both parties are documented. Also, due to my age and hearing loss, it has become difficult for me to conduct business conversations over the phone. The one time I broke down and spoke with one of your representatives, I was given misleading information. In hindsight, I suspect that a primary reason that they insist on phone communication only is to not be “pinned down” with written documentation.

They finally sent me a bill for $172.50 which I paid because I was so frustrated with dealing with them.

This amount reflected a reduction for some (but not all) of the $285 I had previously paid them. If you use Physiotherapy Associates, be very wary.

Beware if you are using insurance to cover Physiotherapy sessions. They will schedule you for service making you believe they are working within insurance parameters, however, you then find out insurance will not cover many of the sessions due to their performed services exceeding insurance guidelines, without your prior knowledge.

You are left with being billed for their full uninsured rates. Questions or requested clarification to the Physiotherapy office regarding insurance matters results in no response.

This is the most unprofessional medical facility staff I have ever dealt with. I would not recommend this facility due to their poor customer communication and lack of any kind of customer service.

They keep billing and billing and never apply any payments. Call and the automated system states your account doesnt exist.

One clerk told me my payment was 60.00 which i paid and now it is back up to 260. I had to exercize by myself and they charge 281.00. Just one of the many fees per visit. This was all last year.

A series of 13 sessions cost over 5,000 which i basically did myself. Horrible service, horrible billing, never work with this company.....scam....no wonder health care premiums cost so much!

It takes an act of congress to receive an itemized bill. They expect payments without clarifying charges.

My spouse and I have 3 insurances combined. I attended 5 sessions with 3 VERY GOOD government contracted insurances, our out of pocket expense was $350!! This company is truly overrated. The small room had 1 PT and 2 "so called" students on cell phones supposively assisting the PT.

I still ended up having surgery.

Basically I was given a sheet of exercises and left alone for 45 minutes......VERY TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. After 6 months I still have not received an itemized statement.

They absolutely suck!!!! A worst nightmare dealing with them...

Pl pl do not go to them... They are horrible!!

Well, I have joined the ranks of having to deal with these idiots.

The had falsely billed and I have been fighting them on it for over year,

I sent letters, nothing changed

I made sure our conversations were being recorded when I denied owing them money when the harassed me constantly, nothing changed,

Every time they called it was someone different and they claimed they had no record of me disputing their invoice.

And now,, get this, they have sent me to a collection agency.

DO NOT deal with anyone who uses these idiots for medical billing or you will be in for one of the worst rides of your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a former employee with Physio. They have a practice of allowing those in management to be degrading and threatening to employees.

One particular manager (a blonde female), tried many sexual advances towards me. When I rebuffed her advances, she threatened my job, spread rumors about me, and pretty much made my life a living ***. She also made physical threats if I were to report her. There were MANY other stories about this particular employee that involved other workers under her.

I know in some cases, complaints were made about her, yet the company did nothing to address the concerns of the employees.

The manager was NOT a therapist working in the clinics.

I have no reason to believe there is anything wrong with the actual therapists that are employed by this company, however, I would not recommend this company to anyone based on the business practices of management. I was ashamed to be associated with these people.

Oh my, in all my years i have never seen such incompetent billing. Never. First they billed my treatments as workmen's comp-related and that was incorrect. Then they asked me for $7 copays but in fact, I owed much more than that. I have NEVER been able to get a full bill from these people or talk to a supervisor as anyone in charge is never available.

The PT treatments were fine but the financial treatment was deliberately deceptive I felt. I stopped treatment before I could get an accurate read from my insurance as to my obligation. It was hugely unfortunate to find out I owed 3-4 times as much as I was originally told as I'd recently lost my job.

Six months after treatment ended, I still cannot get a complete bill. I am unable to tell whether my initial copays were even applied to this account. And they have repeatedly called me with automated dialers that are almost unintelligible. The calls began BEFORE I had even received an initial bill!! Amazingly poor. Cannot recommend this company for anything.

Billed and treated me before getting prior authorized which I was lead to believe it was authorized. I have a 1500 bill now.

The day I found out I was NOT authorized, I declined treatment, but they said they would not bill me since I was already there. Unfortunately, yes - I was billed for this date also. Insurance company tells me "DO NOT PAY" and are in dispute with them. It is illegal for them to make me pay when I did not have authorization, but was told I did.

I did agree I was responsible for 1 day, which I gladly paid. I was PROMISED it would be applied to the date I was responsible for. No such luck - they applied it to one of the dates I was NOT responsible for. Also they deleted copays that they collected and added it back to my bill.

Billing is done overseas.

Insurance company says if they try to put me through to collections, they are going to put a block on it. I will never use them again.

I had 7 sessions of physical therapy for a dislocated shoulder at their Novi, Mi clinic (now closed). The clinic is about 1000 sq. ft and is managed by 1 therapist and 1 receptionist. The facility had 1 or 2 treadmills, hand bike, balance balls, plastic bands and 4 beds. My treatment involved 10 mins. of light shoulder massage followed by shoulder exercise, 15 minute use of hand bike (4 days) and use of the elastic band (3 days). Each day the therapist provided some instructions, watched my exercise for a few minutes and then went on to attend other patients.

The company's total billing to BCBS, my insurance co. was $2,759 and the deductible on my High Deductible plan was $945.74. Yes, for 7(seven) days of therapy described above they have the nerve to bill $2,759 and pester me to pay $916.69 (after adjustment for non billable services). In short, they billed to CBS @ $395.14/hour session and billed me @$131/hour session after adjustment. 'Loot while you can' is the only way I can describe this experience. During the days of low deductible these guys may have got paid at this rate and hope to find someone to keep paying them at this rate for services and facilities described above. Is something wrong with health care in this country? Does the system need to be fixed? Does it need to be exposed? Many have gone to jail and many more should be heading down that path.

I offered to pay $65/session = $455 which they initially proposed if I chose to pay in cash (without insurance claims). I figured that insurance negotiated rate should be lower and so decided to let insurance process my claim. Alas, its $395/session as billed and $131/session after adjustment. I have 10 full-time years of university education, but still can't figure this out. My total cost for x-ray, ultrasound, CT scan and 3 appointments with an ortho surgeon at Henry Ford hospital was only about $1,000. And this 2 man operation wants nearly the same amount for watching me move my arm. They claim to be a national firm. They have a collections office (surprise) who reminds me that the cost was $2,759 and my discounted cost is ‘only’ $917. “Do you have insurance? Call them, they are the ones who want us to bill this way” is what they told me. Wow? I think I have this modus operandi all figured out but I have trouble believing what I see and hope to get this to the attention of the media, policy makers, attorneys or whoever because fleecing gullible patients is not what I expect of the the medical profession.

Physiotherapy Associates. 2120 Airway Ave, Kingman, AZ 86409 (9**) **7-1211

Mr. Brisco has an strong work ethic, uncompromising integrity, and maintains a positive, "can do" attitude. ... Assess and diagnose patients! His expertise and dedication combined ensure

successful results.

Mr. Brisco did an exemplary job with assessment, evaluating, diagnosing, and treatment plan for me as a patient, he determined the best, comprehensive course of action which included musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary treatments.

You can anticipate - Experience, Expertise, Integrity & Clarity -

OUSTANDING Service! PROFESSIONAL, Courteous Staff. - Thank you -

Wishing you happy holidays and a wonderful New Year 2013!

Posed by: Elsie Ganzon. Kingman AZ

11-13-2012