Today I went for my endocrinologist appointment with Dr. Choi. I had a question regarding my bill. As I was checking in I started to ask about my bill. Before I could ask anything, both secretaries interrupted me and told me that the medical office and billing is separate and that I need to contact their billing office. I told them that I did but my question was regarding a charge on the bill which has to do with the doctor's office. I was curious as to why I had an office visit charge ($275) and a Continuous Glucose Monitoring Analysis I&R charge ($75). It was the latter that had me concern. At this point the doctor was there and after several attempts at asking what this charge was for, I was finally told that it was her analyzing my glucose numbers. This was confusing to me since it was a separate charge from the office visit. Here is a typical office visit: The doctor or secretary prints out my glucose numbers and the doctor takes about 1 minute to look over patterns. She is specifically looking for highs and lows. Then we will spend a couple of minutes discussing these patterns. Then the next few minutes are spent going over my medication and possibly adjusting it. That's it! The total visit takes about 10 minutes if that. So my question to the doctor was if the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Analysis was not in the office visit charge, then what did the office visit charge consist of. Again after several attempts to get an answer she finally stated that it is taking a patients vitals. This is interesting to me considering my vitals were only taken in the first couple of visits and that consisted of standing on a scale and my blood pressure taken by one of the secretaries. A procedure that took less then 3 minutes. I wish I made $275 for 3 min of work. I really felt that charging separately for an office visit and a glucose analysis was incredibly unethical considering the whole office visit was the analysis.
Once my time with the doctor concluded, I was ushered back out to the front desk to pay for my co-pay. Before I left one of the secretaries told me that the next time I show up for an appointment that I needed to have a better attitude! My mouth dropped open in disbelief as to the rudeness of this person. I told her how rude that was and she agreed. I told her that it was not her place to be telling me that I need to have a better attitude and she continued to berate me. I called for Dr. Choi and the secretary lied to me telling me that she was with a patient. I said she is not, I can see her in her office. Dr. Choi finally came out and I told her what her secretary said and she just stood there. Her secretary continued to berate me and I looked at the doctor and said, "I am shocked that you are standing there saying nothing." I was fed up and left. I have never been treated this way EVER by a doctor's office. I have every right to ask about charges that are on my account, especially if I believe that they are unethical ones. I will never step foot in Dr. Choi's office again and now I have to find another endocrinologist.
In summary my concerns:
1. Dr. Choi is creating charges that are unethical.
2. I feel my right to ask questions regarding my charges were violated.
3. Dr. Choi did nothing when her secretary treated me with such disrespect.

Submitted July 9, 2023