Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/29/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 24, 2024, I visited the ** at Ascension Saint Thomas due to concerns that someone had drugged my beverage. I was checked in, had my weight and blood pressure taken, then returned to the waiting room and later moved to a second waiting area. I was eventually informed by a staff member that they could not perform a blood test due to the time elapsed since the incident. I was never seen by a physician and left without receiving any medical care.Despite providing my license and insurance information at check-in, I never received a billonly a collection notice in October 2024. It was later discovered that billing had been sent to the wrong address and that my insurance information had not been recorded properly. I provided my insurance details again and asked for resolution. My insurance paid $491.29, then I was still billed the balance $122.82 for services I never received. In March 2025, I contacted Middle Tennessee Physicians and explained that I had not seen a physician. However, they had billed my insurance $1,101.00. After multiple calls, I was told the charge was written off on May 30, 2025. I also have a bill from Ascension Saint Thomas for $1,126.00 with a balance of $360.32. On April 7, 2025, I was told this would be written off within 3045 days, and on May 30, 2025, I was again assured it was being handled by their escalation ********, my credit is being negatively impacted by a collection reported by ********************* related to Middle Tennessee Physicians. I am requesting the following:1. Written confirmation that the charges and collections have been resolved & written off.2. Immediate removal of any negative entries from my credit reports.3. A formal apology from both Middle Tennessee *********************************** Saint Thomas.I believe these charges are fraudulent, as I was never seen or treated by a physician. I made repeated efforts to resolve this matter with both entities on 3/27, 04/7, and 5/30/25.Middle Tenn Phy # ************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/10/2025

  This complaint is still being investigated and the consumer has been contacted- 

  6.30 I emailed the patient to let her know I am looking into this.
  
  6.30 I emailed to ******* ****** to review for a write off. Patient left without being seen, and too old to bill.
  
  Our account, *********, is a balance of $360.32. This is not in collections.
  We have mailed 2 statements, 3/24/25 and 4/23/25 (DOS 4.24.24)
  
  4/7/25 Patient called customer service, said she did not see a ********* while in the *** The agent advised we can bill insurance, and updated insurance. The patient threatened filing with the BBB, agent transferred to Tier 1 team. Tier 1 supervisor took the call, updated patient address as it was incorrect. The patient is asking for a write off of both acute and ED ********* billing because she did not receive services from the *** The supervisor entered a Quality of Care request . Quality of Care request was marked completed on 4/8/25.
  
  5/30/25 Patient called customer service for write off status. Said if she receives another bill she is filing a lawsuit. (I do not see any action taken as a result of this call.)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/31/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello. I received your notification that you could not consider my complaint because I did not complete an Authorization Form. I filled out everything that I was prompted to when I made the complaint, so could you please send me the form I need to fill out? Thank you.via email about all of this with St. Thomas' "Consumer Experience" Manager, but it is clear they do not care about the patient's experience at all, as every email was like an "automated response" (and several contained inaccurate information). I can provide those emails if needed. I informed them I was going to contact you regarding this matter, and I shared with them how disappointing this whole situation is because prior to these 2 experiences, I would have chosen St. Thomas over Vanderbilt every time! I would like to have all charges for both visits written off/cancelled, and I feel St. Thomas needs to be more transparent when people arrive about whether or not they can treat them. It's not right to not inform them before they check in sand then charge them for doing the bare minimum, and then recommending they see another provider!

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2025

  I am following up regarding the aforementioned complaint received by US Health and ********************** (****) on 01/29/25. Ascension ***************** provides individual ACA Marketplace coverage, underwritten by **** in ****, ********* **** is providing a response as a courtesy only. Please note ******* ****** is not a member of US Health and ********************** and she is not found in the database. If the member is requesting the balance to be written off, she must contact the provider directly.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/30/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your rejection of the business's response. 
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of why I am rejecting this response appear below:
  
  Attached is the authorization form you requested, as well as copies of the statements in dispute. There may be one more bill to include that I have not yet received if they are billing for the ambulance ride separately.  Please add these documents to my dispute, and le tme know if there is anything else you need.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2025

  Please note this member is not an *** or **** member and this patient is not found in the database. Our office only processes claims for an ABS or **** member and Mrs. ****** is not a member. This complaint must be sent directly to the provider who rendered the services.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/04/2025

  ***** ******
  ******************************************************************************
  
  BBB Complaint #********
  
  February 3, 2025
  
  Dear *******,
  
  I hope this letter finds you well. Thank you again for taking the time to connect and share your recent experience on 11.04.24. I would like to follow up on your concerns with what we have learned and actions taken as a result of our review.
  
  At Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital, we are committed to always listening to those we are privileged to serve and to delivering compassionate, personalized care. Our leadership team takes your feedback seriously and we have thoroughly reviewed your concern. 
  
  We would like to extend our sincerest apologies the experience you have had to this point with Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital has not met your expectations. Upon receiving your initial complaint, a review was performed to find the care extended to you fell under the standard of care provided by anyone with the medical knowledge, skill, and caution that a reasonably prudent healthcare professional would exercise in any similar situation. The care provided was evidence based and accepted by medical practices according to the level of professional expertise by anyone with appropriate training and skill set to do so. As previously explained, your break required a higher level of skill and expertise by a hand specialist mostly found in a trauma center setting. Unfortunately, Ascension Saint Thomas West, does not have that level of expertise, or skill, on staff in the emergency room due to the fact Ascension Saint Thomas West hospital not meeting the requirements of a trauma center status. This is the reason for the transfer to another facility to complete the treatment process. In this case, ************************* was chosen so you could receive the appropriate level of care your condition demanded. In any emergency situation, it is always appropriate to ensure the safest and fastest mode of transportation to ensure optimum results can be obtained for emergent injuries. This is the reason for the ambulance transport vs private motor vehicle.
  

  I did have Risk/Quality to perform a second review of your request for waiving the charges, and it is determined the services provided were in fact measures to keep your wrist splinted and
  comfortable while you were transferred to ************************ for further care. By law, we are required to do that. At Ascension Saint Thomas, we would not send you away without treating you to get you comfortable. Unfortunately, these measures do require billing for those services rendered to any patient. We would never provide these types of services just to charge a fee.
  Please understand, Ascension Saint Thomas is not billing you in vengeance, or out of spite. You are only being billed for services rendered. I have made multiple requests to have your charges waived, but the requests are denied. For that, I am sorry. I completely understand this is not what you want to hear.
  
  On behalf of our team, I would like to offer our sincere apology that your experience did not meet expectations. Thank you for giving our team at Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital the important opportunity to review our process and resolve your concern. 
  
  Please contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns. I can be reached at ********************************************************** We hope that you will give our team another opportunity to care for you in the future.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Thomas ******,
  Office of Consumer and Patient Experience
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/05/2025

   
  Complaint: 22819008
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/11/2025

  The reason for the rejection of St. Thomas's response is obvious: There is STILL no LOGICAL explanation regarding why I was not informed WHEN I ARRIVED for EITHER ONE of my ER visits that they do not treat the issues I was there for: 1) eczema flare up and 2) wrist fracture. Their response was merely a reiteration of the "auto-responses" I received from Mr. ****** in the emails I forwarded when I made this complaint (which also makes it highly inappropriate that he was the one who responded to this complaint). FYI, I am also adding  ANOTHER bill to this complaint that I just received for the ambulance fee ($2765), which again, I would have NEVER HAD TO take if they had been up front when I arrived and let me know they don't treat wrist fractures, since my husband would have taken me down the street to ********** where they DO treat such traumas. Additionally, to say in their response that they provided the "standard of care" begs the question: whose "standards" are you going by? If you don't have the "level of skill" to handle the reasons I came, why would you not turn me away so I could go somewhere for which they DO have that level of skill??? It is a very nonsensical excuse for not providing quality patient care, so why even have a "consumer experience" department if you are only going to blow off any complaints that come your way? Also, to say that they made "multiple requests to have my charges waived but the requests were denied" shows very clearly that St. Thomas is ONLY financially motivated because they knew on both occasions that they didn't treat the issues I was there for, yet not only did they not inform me of this until AFTER I had already received a very small amount of service but they still billed me and will not consider reversing these charges. Not difficult at all to figure out the mindset of this establishment. As I've stated previously, I work at a TOP eye surgery institution, and we would ABSOLUTELY reverse charges if a patient was not pleased with our standard of care, ESPECIALLY if we were not up front that we did not treat the issues for which they came to see us! That would CLEARLY be an error on our part, so we would definitley make the common sense resolution to waive all associated charges! St. Thomas simply chooses to be stubborn and not do what's appropriate to show patients they care. Very unfortunate. As I mentioned above, I am forwarding not only the 2 invoices I submitted previously, but also the ambulance bill.  I stand firm in my belief that St. Thomas should take care of all of these bills due to their negligence and complete lack of communication with me when I arrived on both ER visit occasions. With that said, I will NOT be paying any of these bills, so St. Thomas will have to absorb these fees. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/18/2025

  ******* ******
  ******************************************************************************
  

  BBB Complaint #: 22819008
  

  February 17, 2025
  

  Dear *******,
  Please allow this letter to serve as our response to the concerns raised on your behalf regarding the care that you received at Ascension Saint Thomas West on 11/4/2024 and 12/28/2024. We take our patients feedback to heart and your feedback allows our leadership team to fully examine your visit.

  Upon receipt of your concern, a review of your medical record was conducted. In your concern, you state that you wish someone had told you that we do not treat the issues you were there for in the emergency department. We are required by law to provide medical screening to anyone who requests and stabilizing treatment to anyone with an emergency medical condition.
  

  In your emergency department visit on 11/4/2024, you sought care for an eczema flare up. During this visit, you received a medical screening from a provider and received a steroid injection. This review of your visit determined that the medical care provided was reasonable and appropriate. Therefore, the request for billing adjustments for the services for this emergency department visit rendered cannot be granted at this time.
  

  In your emergency department visit on 12/28/2024, you sought care for a wrist injury. During this visit, you received a medical examination from a provider, diagnostic imaging, your wrist was splinted, and you received medication to help manage your pain. The care provided was determined to be appropriate and reasonable. During your medical examination, it was determined your wrist injury required a higher level of care by a hand specialist in a trauma center setting. Unfortunately, Ascension Saint Thomas West is not a designated trauma center and does not have the hand specialist available specific to your injury. ************************* was identified as the trauma center so you could receive the specialty care for your injury. In any emergency situation, it is always appropriate to ensure the safest and fastest mode of transportation to ensure optimum results can be obtained for emergent injuries. This review of your visit determined that the medical care provided was reasonable and appropriate. The elevation of your care to a trauma center was appropriate given your condition and the services provided by Saint Thomas to splint your wrist and manage pain were taken to provide comfort during transportation for further care. Therefore, the request for billing adjustments for the services for this emergency department visit rendered cannot be granted at this time.
  

  We would like to provide additional information about the bill provided in your concern. As a gesture of goodwill and service recovery, leadership has agreed to reduce your ambulance bill from $866.80 to $294.95 for your ambulance transportation. We have confirmed that your account balance is being adjusted. The process to mailing the revised ambulance bill can take between 2-3 weeks to be completed. The bill from Middle Tennessee Emergency Physicians included in the concern is the physician fee for emergency services. If you have any additional questions or would like to request financial assistance for any billing services through Middle Tennessee Emergency Physicians, please contact them directly with the information provided on the bill.
  

  We are sorry that your experience at Ascension Saint Thomas did not meet your expectations and appreciate you sharing your experience with us. I hope the information provided addressed your concerns. If you would like to request financial assistance, please contact the ***************** Services Department at ************.
  

  Thank you once again for taking the time to bring your concerns to our attention. We value you and thank you for choosing us for your healthcare needs.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****

  Director, Consumer Experience

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/20/2025

   
  Complaint: 22819008
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It is unbelievable that all of St. Thomas's responses contain the same information, yet NONE of them address the main reason for the complaint: NO ONE TOLD ME WHEN I WAS CHECKING IN THAT THEY DO NOT TREAT THESE ISSUES!!! In the eczema flare-up situation, I WAS THE ONE who requested a steroid shot after they told me they don't treat skin conditions. I figured that since I was there, I might as well at least make that request so that my flare up would reduce until I could get to a more competent provider. They would not have offered this treatment to me if I hadn't made the request.   On my second visit for my wrist, I told them IMMEDIATELY (and they could clearly see) that my wrist was literally snapped in two and "flopping around", so they could have EASILY told me to head straight to ********** if they didn't treat "that level of trauma". I find it hard to believe that they are required by law to take in a patient who has an injury or illness that they don't treat, AND they are NOT REQUIRED to inform the patient up front of this so the patient can go to a provider who does treat it instead?? Really? That makes absolutely no sense, and I think St. Thomas knows that but refuses to budge. As I said previously, I expect them not to reduce my bills, but to completely write them off, and I mean ALL OF THEM, including the emergency services! By the way, I have already paid my Vanderbilt bills, since they were all justified, so this is NOT a complaint due to a financial difficulty. I am simply calling St. Thomas to be more transparent and provide better care, INCLUDING telling patients at check in what they do and don't treat!

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******