PWP at the eye doctor?

[Lionore]

I’ve been going to the same ophthalmology practice for many years, since before dx. The practice was recently bought out by a private equity company and recently the reviews have been negative. Because of dyskinesia the technician had trouble getting me to be still while my eyes were dilated and the told me that they would try another procedure to see the back of my eyes. Lo and behold I got a bill which has never happened before. I have always had a small copay. The procedure is called optomap and it isn’t covered by any insurance. I’m appealing the charge since I wasn’t given a choice and not told that it wasn’t covered. Anyone else have problems with eye exams?

[pdpatient]

Did you sign any paperwork that says that the practice can order any tests that they feel is necessary and you agree to it implicitly? It might be in the intake paperwork.

Why don't you challenge the bill and ask for proof of consent for the Test?

[Lionore in reply to pdpatient]

Pd patient good point. I have appealed the charge and I’m awaiting the outcome. Yes I signed something online but don’t have a copy. I have a great doctor but this incident feels sleazy and I’m reluctant to go back. Having PD with involuntary movements; now add eye exams to the list of ordinary events that have become more difficult. Still I’m so grateful to be mostly independent ten years post dx .

[qazwsx11 in reply to Lionore]

I am sorry to hear that you were not informed properly and the charge came as a surprise. As practices (same goes for dental and medical) change hands and new generation of dental cries step in, they are trained and use the latest technology. Generally this leads to better more efficient care.

I hope this observation helps you understand why they did what they did.

[qazwsx11]

optomap is a digital image of your retina and it produces a high definition image that can be stored for monitoring progression of the state of the eye. You can also transfer it to another practice or if you need surgery to your surgeon.

Not sure how much you had to pay. I found the slight increase in price decent value.

Especially if it means making it safer for you considering the diskinesia. Also no need to get dialate the eyes.

[Lionore]

Thanks! They did dilate my eyes and apparently had trouble getting a good picture. It’s a $60 charge; of course I’ll pay it but only after appeals are exhausted. Going forward I’ll spend more time reading the fine print and being more careful now that PE has taken over health care.

[MarionP]

This is standard, STANDARD, operating procedure for private equity takeovers, it's the same as green mail and corporate raiders of different generations, aka leveraged buyouts followed by extreme assets stripping and other degradation and extraction, i.e. bleeding, of company services to all forms of customers, to maximize shareholder value, eventuating in final, strategic bankruptcy but well after shareholder value has been maximized. Except in this case it was not a hostile takeover, it was a planned sale. Your feedback change from the reviews was about the only warning shot you're going to get, and normally a good private equity firm takes serious action to keep that kind of information from getting out.. i. e., finding ways to keep the reviews good or stop them from going out in the first place .

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Eventually all practitioners (and actually all the other employees, from now on entirely to be simply considered as expenses to minimize, not assets to cultivate and improve, which would be a wasted investment and inconsistent with maximizing shareholder value, those who cannot be simply fired or overloaded and hounded out) will have their case loads doubled and they're working conditions and supports decimated, another part of the value extractions. This is not personal, it's all part of the business model.

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You're lucky they didn't attempt to put a lien on your private property until you pay the new bill, and you probably had a customer service agreement that in fine print obligated you to assume all risk and to participate in company purchased (i.e., dependent on the conglomerate for much if not all of its business, carrying an extremely heavy incentive to minimize payouts) arbitration in lieu of all other remedies including civil court remedies, whether your bill was for $60 or $60,000 or $600, 000, regardless of whether you are given appropriate notice or other issues of policy compliance or not, since the first thing they do when they take over the company is fire the compliance officers...not giving notice is one of the common intentional tactics, accompanied by foot dragging, resistance, passive refusals, and other standard tactics.

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Extremely common. Ever see what happens when a valuable vehicle is stolen and sent to a chop shop? Same thing, except this was a sale by the practice owners, but not to people who planned also to continue as providers and employers of fair services to valued customers... There is only one class of beneficiaries now and they are strategic and tactical and ruthless dedicated specialists, and their plan is to reduce what is provided to customers to the least valuable commodity at the highest possible price, as fast as possible. Like selling your fat finished cow to a meatpacker.

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I would say that, if you plan to continue as a patient, the greatest value you can derive from this recent experience is to consider this as tuition, as you consider how long to be a customer of the new company, i e consider how long the things that make it valuable to you AS A PATIENT will continue, since the goals and objectives of the company have definitely changed to suit the new owners' reason for buying it... It's not the same company anymore... You are now the cash cow of a large conglomerate that couldn't care less about anything except the maximized free cash flow bottom line, because THAT is what they are selling to their own investors, and that's the value you represent to them, period..

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Not just writing this for you of course, but for everybody who might be reading this as a consumer or patient. Personally, if I valued my eyesight, I might just seek another provider. This is because another part of the dedicated corporate strategy is to damage you first, and then instead of fixing what the damage to, fight you in court to the last tooth and nail. That's where they invest in quality services themselves, in aggressive legal tactics... They spare no expense in paying for the best most aggressive legal representation they can. That is one place where they actually do purchase for higher quality, it's where they see the highest return on investment. Just another part of the business model.

[Lionore in reply to MarionP]

Marion, thank you for your thorough and thoughtful reply. I will be careful to document every contact and to whom I spoke. Somehow my old brain remembers every time that I got fleeced, even for a bottle of water . I’ve been too complacent, relying on my traditional Medicare plus an excellent supplement for practically no copays., but future retirees may not have this option.