ComplaintsforDan Med TMS Neuro Institute

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was guaranteed that my doctor was in-network with our insurance but still charged out of network rates. Dr. *************************** was forceful and manipulative to push TMS non traditional treatment on me, even explaining that it is often good for prescription medication not to work for patients so their untraditional method gets approved. *** Neuro TMS Institute take easily manipulated patients and push unnecessary services on them. Leaving them with a bill that was not agreed upon! The whole experience was vile and I truly believe these people should not have medical licenses.I was charged the same price for a 2nd medication check appointment Dr. *************************** spent 5 minutes of her time on the call. Both charges appointments left me with a $490 bill when they guaranteed me that my insurance covered the charges! I will not pay for out of network costs from a criminally manipulative doctor!

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  In response to complaint #********, we would like to ensure the BBB that we have taken all steps to resolve this issue. Until 10/3/23, we were never able to get ahold of the patient. The patient's fianc had contacted the office, but never the patient herself. When the fianc contacted our office, he was very aggressive and threatening to go to the general attorney's office. We did not have a release of information to speak to the fianc, so we were unable to confirm, deny, or disclose any information about this patient. I have attached "Patient Note 9.27.23" that includes the documentation from that conversation, which has led us to believe the patient is not the one who submitted this complaint, but the fianc. On 10/3/23, after multiple attempts, our billing office was able to connect with the patient for the first time (see attached "Patient Note 10.3.23"). There was a system error where the patient's payer ID was not saved, which caused the claim to be out of network. Once this was brought to our attention, we updated the payer ID and rebilled the claim. We are not holding the patient responsible for the out of network claim and will only hold the patient responsible for the in-network portion that is related to their deductible. As for the statement, "I was charged the same price for a 2nd medication check appointment Dr. *************************** spent 5 minutes of her time on the call." See attached "Audit History" for the check-in and check-out time for their second appointment on 9/27/23. This was a virtual session; our system automatically tracks the time the patient joined the session and when the session ends. Based on our audit log the appointment started at 11:07am and ended at 11:34am, resulting in a 27-minute appointment. As for the statement they "take easily manipulated patients and push unnecessary services on them;" we want to ensure you that we have the best interest of our patients in mind. We offer a multitude of services outside of medication management. Our providers are trained on each service and are trained to discuss a service that could improve the wellbeing of the patient. TMS is an *** approved treatment that has criteria in order to get approved. When a patient meets these criteria, the providers discuss this treatment option. This is never done in a manipulative way; it is presented as an option for those who meet the criteria. This patient met the criteria for TMS treatment through their diagnosis, number of medication trials, PHQ-9 scores, and attempt with evidence-based psychotherapy. Our provider was doing their job by offering this treatment, not forcing the patient to enroll in TMS. Above all, Dr. **************************** ARNP  is anything but manipulative and forceful. Her co-workers and supervisor described her as "soft-spoken, kind, and compassionate." Dr. **************************** **** was doing her job and providing this patient access to care and treatments she deemed appropriate, without any force or manipulation. We have done our part in correcting the claims and rebilling them to reflect in-network benefits, while communicating all of this to the patient. We want to ensure you that we are practicing with the patient's best interest in mind and have done everything in our power to correct the unintentional billing error. 

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  In response to Complaint #********, we would like to formally address the concerns raised and provide clarification on the actions taken to resolve this matter.
  

  Until October 3, 2023, we encountered challenges in establishing communication with the patient in question. Our only communications prior to October 3rd were from the patient's fianc. The fianc reached out to our office, albeit in a manner that was perceived as confrontational and accompanied by threats to go to the general attorney's office. Regrettably, we were constrained by the absence of a valid release of information to engage in discussions with the patient's fianc, and as a result, we could neither confirm nor deny any details regarding the patient (documentation of this communication has been provided to the BBB).
  

  On October 3, 2023, our billing office finally managed to establish contact with the patient (documentation of this communication has been provided to the BBB). During our investigation, we identified a system error wherein the patient's payer ID had not been correctly recorded, causing the claim to be processed as out of network. Promptly upon identifying this issue, we rectified the payer ID and resubmitted the claim accordingly. It is important to emphasize that we do not intend to hold the patient accountable for the out-of-network portion; rather, we will only request payment for the in-network amount pertaining to their deductible.
  

  Regarding the assertion that the patient was billed at the same rate for a second medication appointment, but it only lasted 5 minutes, we would like to refer you to the attached "Audit History" for the appointment that occurred on September 27, 2023. This session was conducted virtually, and our system automatically tracks the precise start and end times. Our audit log indicates that the appointment commenced at 11:07 AM and concluded at 11:34 AM, resulting in a total duration of 27 minutes.
  

  With regard to the accusation that we target vulnerable patients and pressure them into unnecessary services, we wish to assure you that our primary objective is the well-being of our patients. Our comprehensive range of services extends beyond medication management, and our providers are thoroughly trained to discuss and recommend services based on established evidence-based criteria. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an ****approved treatment option that adheres to stringent eligibility criteria. When a patient meets these criteria, our providers present TMS as an available treatment option. It is essential to clarify that this is not done in a coercive manner; rather, it is offered as an alternative for those who meet the eligibility criteria. In this particular case, the patient met the criteria for TMS treatment based on their diagnosis, medication trials, PHQ-9 scores, and engagement in evidence-based psychotherapy. Our provider's intention was to offer the patient access to suitable care and treatments without exerting any undue influence or manipulation.
  

  It is worth noting that ***************************, ARNP, is characterized by her colleagues and supervisor as being "soft-spoken, kind, and compassionate." Her actions were in line with her professional duty to provide the patient with access to appropriate care and treatment options without resorting to coercion or manipulation.
  We have taken the necessary steps to rectify the claims and resubmit them to accurately reflect in-network benefits while diligently communicating these actions to the patient. We want to reaffirm our commitment to acting in the best interests of our patients, ensuring they receive quality care and consideration at all times.

  Customer response

  10/14/2023

  This issue has not been resolved.

  I have left a voicemail to confirm with the practice that the bill has been fixed, as we just received a exact duplicate of the previous bill without any adjustments what so ever.

  I am not sure where Dr. Kalyan Dandala learned to run a business, ************* it looks like? But this is by far the worst customer service a doctor has ever given us. 

  Obviously this matter could have been solved with a simple phone call from Dr. Kalyan Dandala after our complaints to confirm his carelessness in billing and services had been rectified. It's rather concerning that he would feel the need to defend himself via a giant essay on the BBB rather than take responsibility directly with us.

  My finance was not confrontational, he was clearly stating our feelings about how Dr. Kalyan Dandala runs his sad business that clearly takes advantage of people. The attorney generals office is here to protect customers from exactly his kind of behavior, and he should only feel threatened by that if he has done something wrong. Perhaps he should not be practicing mental health services at all. All of his responses are lies. Please just make sure you fix our bill and leave us alone. We don't want anymore more of this preposterous behavior.

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