I went for my Annual Physical as I…
I went for my Annual Physical as I always do. My insurance like many, 100% covers annual physicals as it is a preventative health measure. I was charged an office visit, and I was charged for the lab work. I took my daughter to their sister office a week later and they did the same to her. I was told I was charged for the office visit and my labs because I have preexisting conditions. What they are referring to is I have a thyroid condition that I have had for almost 2 decades. Funny how I was in their office the year before and didn't get charged for preexisting conditions then. I have never been charged for a physical by any other doctor or under any other insurance companies in the 50 years I have been getting annual physicals. They also told me I was being charged for the office visit because I was seeing a new doctor. The issue I have with that is. The doctor I have the previous year left, so his patients were transferred to the doctor I saw. So why is that my problem and why should I be charged for them shifting patients around to other doctors. My daughter also has a thyroid issue and I was charged for the same reasons. She had never been charged for a preexisting condition before either. I was told I was getting charged because my insurance changed. So I called BlueCross and they said that I should have never been charged, they do not discriminate for preexisting conditions on a physical. I got another bill for my daughter's visit and there is another charge on there for Annual Depression Screening, which I have never heard of. All the doctor did was ask my daughter how she felt emotionally, if she felt depressed. At NO TIME, were we told by answering those questions that we would be charged for that. The office I went to was UT Primary Care in Halls on 8/15/2023. My daughter went to Valley View Family Physicians in East Knoxville on 8/23/2023. They are both ran by the same office manager and are affiliated. I strongly recommend to avoid these offices as they are crooks and are highly unethical. I was told by the office manager that because I discussed my previous medical history with a new doctor, that it changed my physical into a regular appointment. At no time was I told that by me talking to the doctor to fill him in on my history, or concerns, that I would be charged for that. The same goes with my daughter's visit. To me, this is just a scam, highly unethical!! My visit last year was also a cluster of a mess because the quack I saw that year wouldn't renew my prescription for my thyroid pills. He wanted me to take cholesterol pills which I have never taken or needed. My cholesterol was up a little, nothing a diet couldn't fix but it took me almost 2 weeks to get them to renew my pills. So long in fact, I had to get Walmart to give me a 4 day emergency supply to carry me through. It took a call to the office manager raising cain to get it fixed. I am now having to file a grievance with my insurance company against these unprofessional people over something that should have been a walk in and out and be done. If you suffer from stress, never go to either of these offices. I just lost my job and have these bills I can't pay now!! Again, DO NOT ever go to UT Primary Care in Halls or Valley View Family Physicians. These people are unethical, crooks and are very difficult to deal with. I will never go back even if I am dying!!!
By Rodney P.