I have been going to this eye doctor for YEARS and have continued coming to this location even after moving to Aubrey. It is about a 45 minute drive for me, but I wanted to keep the familiarity and have my records with a practice I trusted.
I made an appointment the day before and was fortunate enough to get in quickly. Unfortunately, that was about where the positive experience ended.
When I arrived, I provided my insurance card to the front desk. Nydia told me my cost would be $70. I checked my insurance website while I was there, and based on the coverage listed, the $70 amount seemed accurate, with a $10 copay and contacts covered up to $60.
After my appointment, I went to check out and was told my total was $129. When I questioned the amount, another front desk employee told me that their system showed I did not have insurance. I explained that I had provided my insurance information when I arrived and that Nydia had quoted me $70.
At that point, Nydia spoke up and said, “We are out of network with your insurance.”
My biggest issue is this: Why was I not told that before my appointment? If the office was out of network with my insurance, that is information I should have been given when I provided my insurance card and certainly before I agreed to have the appointment. Instead, I was given a specific price of $70, only to be told after the appointment that I owed $129, then changed to $89 when they determined my insurance was out of network. I mean honestly $19 is nothing but what made the situation even more frustrating was the lack of communication and accountability. There was no apology or acknowledgment that I had been given incorrect information or that the situation could have been avoided if I had simply been told beforehand that they were out of network.
I have been a loyal patient for years and have gone out of my way to continue coming to this location even though I no longer live nearby. Unfortunately, this experience has made me realize that familiarity and years of history are not enough. Customers deserve clear communication, transparency, and basic customer service.
After all these years, I will be finding an eye doctor closer to home who provides the level of communication and customer service I expect.