Ascension Health
Reviews and Complaints

Waited over a month to get and appointment with ENT specialist. Set appt for 10:20 AM because of work schedule. Reminded by phone of my 12:40 PM appointment upcoming. Called to have correction made. Told that there was no 10:20 appointment and would have to reschedule several weeks later. Called supervisor for help. Was called back with appointment the next day with an assistant - not an ENT specialist. When I went nuts over an assistant and not a doctor, they got mad at me and hung up on me. Incompetent and. very unprofessional. Stay away from these people.

Their billing/ customer service department is terrible! First, they need to get with the times and have a website for patients to view their accounts, payment history and a place to make payments and/or arrangements! They have poor business manners as well. There is no reason the service reps should not speak kindly to patients, whereas there are several warnings that the call is being recorded for "training purposes". When individuals call to make a payment, the representatives should not request to speak to a spouse for authorization. I have never experienced this with any other company or business in my life. Like I said, get a real working website that accepts payments! This would protect the organization and the patient. From now on bills will paid through my banking account. I refuse to be treated as if I have done something wrong.

If I could give n$egative stars I would, I originally called because I was told by 1) my referring physician Ashraf Abbas at Ascension Medical Group, (*2) the schedulers at Ascension Medical Group, and 3) the schedulers at St. Elizabeth Hospital that a procedure would cost under $50. I didn't believe it when I first heard this which is why I took the extra steps of calling to verify with additional people prior to having the procedure done. Sure enough, a month later I get a bill for OVER 4 TIMES the AMOUNT told to me by at least 3 different people! I contacted Ascension Medical Group later to inquire if the schedulers had different information, and the lady was very polite and when I asked to speak with her manager to review the process she took my name and number and stated someone would call me back. I then called St.Elizabeth schedulers, with the same information and Kristi-Senior Scheduler took a whole different approach requesting my full name, dob, address and refused to have a manager call me back. She placed me on hold while she spoke with her manager and relayed back that her manager would need full details in order to "look me up in the system" before getting back with me. After being placed on hold for over 1/2 hour, I was transferred to what I was told was going to be customer service but was a voicemail...we'll see if I get a call back or not. Ascension includes in their mission ...We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words... this was not reflected in their practices, policies, or everyday interactions at St. Elizabeth's...shame to include religious speech when their actions are so opposite.

In my 72 years I have never had was a worse six weeks in my life .I spent a year in Vietnam and saw my share of combat. St. Elizabeth Hospital treated my wife as some piece of trash. My wife was admitted to the hospital on Nov 24th because she fell down at home and could not get up. She had broken her back 6 years ago and I thought it might have something to do with that because she was always in pain. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and I was not allowed to visit. I was told she had a brain tumor and needed surgery. I got a call from Sue a case manager at the hospital and was told she was examined by a doctor and judged incompetent [DAH] she has a brain tumor. Sue said she was going to be put in the court system and I needed a lawyer. She has a brain tumor. We have been married for over 49 years. I think I know her better than anybody. Now I have to pay a lawyer besides my own lawyer to ask my wife who they have declared incompetent if I can be her guardian. Does that make any sense? I was finally allowed to see her and while I am talking to my wife the day before surgery the case manager wanted my signature for surgery WHY? She then proceeded to tell me in front of my wife that I would not be allowed to see her anymore. She then started asking my wife simple questions trying to prove her point that my wife was incompetent. Well she she was just trying to demean her just before surgery. Can you imagine her mental state she was putting my wife through just before surgery. Just aa very cruel person with no compassion. She went through surgery and because they operated on the left side she had problems with her right side. She could not use her right hand and she could not even stand up and she needs at least 2 more surgeries. I was allowed to see her on Dec 24th Christmas eve just before they moved her to Rennes a rehab center. I was never told they had covit at Rennes. I asked the manager at Rennes after my wife was back at the hospital and he said they had informed the hospital about covit but they never informed me .Another bad thing from Sue the hospital case manager. While I was at the hospital on Dec 24th a nurse came in and put my wife on a portable commode. She told him she had to poop more but he decided to put her back in bed. Well she [censored] all over the floor and the bed. You talk about demeaning a very clean person. More mental stress it is bad enough she is going to be alone again and on Christmas. Well she caught covit Thank you Sue. She called me on Jan 2nd and on the eve of Jan 3rd . She said she was very sick. As you know I can not see her. On the morning of Jan 4th I called Rennes and wanted to know if they were taking her to the clinic in Neenah to see her doctor of surgery to set up her next surgery. They said yes. I was at the clinic when they bought her in in a wheel chair Her nose was bleeding there was blood on her blanket and her head was bent down to her chest. They took her in the office and her temperature was 101.7 degrees . The doctor took one look at her and said get her to the hospital. I told the nurse I did not want her going back to St Elizabeth . They took her there anyway. She tested positive for covid. Now she has a brain tumor she can not walk she has a fever she has covit she is judged incompetent and they let her try to drink a coke at 5 AM in the morning She asperated on the coke put the coke in her lungs. You talk about incompetent. Who is incompetent? Now she has 2 more problems She continued to get worse. The doctor told me she was suffering on the bypass and if he took her off she would not last an hour what a lie. He told me to let her die and we could all come up and see her another lie. He called me back and said only one person was allowed. My daughter had not seen her mother sense Nov so she went. I stayed home and was allowed to watch on zoom. I watched her for 14 hours try to breath before she died not a pretty site. Then to add insult to injury while my wife was dying they threw away all her personal belongings in the trash. Her cell phone a radio a teddy bear which I gave her when she got up there and she slept with and all her other personnel belongings. St Elizabeth Hospital has absolutely no compassion. They throw away personnel belongings like they mean nothing They got to throw it in the trash. Just SICK SICK SICK Then to top it all off I get a call 3 days after my wife died from a social person that they need to talk to me about her protective custody . Where was the protection when she was in that HELL HOLE of a hospital.

Account number: 1027278A8446207 ST. VINCENT MULTISPECIALTY GROUP
I received a check (see attached copy) and I never cashed the check. I contacted the provider and spoke to various "employees" and none of them were able to assist me.
I finally got a hold of a gentlemen who stated his name was "Shawn"I explained as I had done with the others before him. And, I received instructions from "Shawn" as to what to do with the "Check".
He gave me the address were to return it. Which I did around 10/26/2024 via USPS. Is been over a month and I have not received a new check.
Can you, please help?
Thanks,
Cordially,
Felix Serrano

MR [protected]

I just came home from Dec 25 to Dec 30 in the hospital from severe flu. This was one of the worst experiences I have ever had at ANY hospital. They knocked me out, changed my trach to something I was not familiar with, put me on a ventilator for 1 day, changed all my medicine around to different times, and even neglected to give me some that I have on a printed list I gave them and every doctor I see! THEY NEVER ONCE cleaned my trach or even looked at it! And you have the gall to charge people THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS with inferior health care. Now I'm at home and so weak and my breathing is not good. The first thing I did when I came home is change that damn trach they put in. It's getting better very slowly. The 1 MAJOR thing that makes me so mad is, THEY DO NOT TALK TO THE PATIENT ABOUT ANYTHING! THEY DO WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT. MY BLOOD JUST BOILS. I know more than how I was treated at this hospital!

Hello:

Patient name: Alisha Coulson, M.D. (DOB 04/05/1976).

Account number: 22303906A20807.

I was seen by ENT physician, Dr. Aaron Thiessen on 2/3/23. I had a new patient visit. I was also charged for a diagnostic laryngoscopy. I never had a laryngoscopy. I called Ascension billing on 4/14/23, and she created request to ask the doctor office about the service. She said within 30-45 business days, it should be resolved. She said if I got a bill, to disregard, because it would be written off.

As a physician myself, I can empathize with mistakes, we're only human. However, I've tried to work with the process, and now, 10 mo. later, the issue is still not resolved, and today I received a letter from a collections agency. I've never been in collections before, and have a near perfect credit rating.

This is fraudulent billing. I'm having trouble getting on the patient portal, so I could not check if he dictated a note for the laryngoscopy, which would be even further fraud.

My husband had laboratory work done at Greenfield Lab/AMG at St Frances at West Oklahoma in March of 2023. I received the first billing in July of 2023 and started trying to get answers as to why this never went to my husbands United Healthcare Medicare? Finally in September I was told that it was sent September 5, 2023 and it could take 60 days. As of 11/27/2023, my husband's insurance have still not received this bill. I keep being told that this will not be sent to collections. I just received another billing stating that this is getting ready to go to collections. I have tried to talk to a supervisor but always told they were not available. Guarantor number is 185603.

I had a doctor's appointment in July 2023 with Dr. Thakrar in the cancer center at Amita Health Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center. I was billed twice for this appointment. I paid the usual $50 physician fee, but I was also billed $474 on top of this as a "clinic visit." That is double dipping for one appointment. All I did was see the doctor for a brief visit, no labs, no services other than meeting with the doctor. I called the billing department at Amita twice and have not been able to get resolution on this. This does not seem ethical or appropriate to me. I am a cancer patient and I receive most of my care through the Northshore University Health System. When I see my oncologists at Evanston Hospital, I pay the $50 copay. They do not charge any additional "clinic visit" fee on top of that. I do not understand why Amita thinks this is reasonable.

For the 2nd time, my payments have been mis-posted. Having to go through the process of resolving these issues with CSU Physician Billing is time-consuming and frustrating. Having to do it repeatedly is unacceptable, and a poor reflection on Ascencion Medical Group Via Christi. Doubt if I am the only Ascension patient experiencing this issue.

Incident #1

I received a past due notice for an invoice that has already been paid. The check has been negotiated. It obviously was mis-posted to someone else’s account, or something like that. It was not credited to my account – obviously. Attached are screenshots of the check (both sides). Check #9233 was written 10/4/22. Check was debited from my account 10/28/22. Please resolve. I do not want to receive any more ‘past due’ statements for something I already paid. If I have done something wrong, please advise.

Incident #2

I received a past due notice for an invoice that has already been paid. The check has been negotiated. It must have been mis-posted to someone else’s account, or something like that. It was not credited to my account – obviously. Attached are screenshots of the check (both sides). Check #9258 was written 6/22/23. Check was debited from my account 6/2/23. Please resolve. I do not want to receive any more ‘past due’ statements for something I already paid. If I have done something wrong, please advise.

We were told to play a particular amount at the hospital’s billing dept (Nashville, TN) and that it completely settled the bill for stay for birth if our son in May, 2018. 19 months later, we received a letter from a collections agency advising we’d been turned over to them for delinquent balance of $248.00. I called Ascension billing dept. and was told they’d sent us a bill for the amount five times and we never paid. In reality, they misfiled with my insurance five times, never sent me a bill and simply turned the amount over to a collections agency. I paid Ascension the amount via a credit card on the phone that day and they claimed collections agency would be notified. I was called by the collections agency several times over the course of the next three months, threatening statements were made, etc. I told them each time I’d already paid the balance and Ascension supposedly notified them of the payment. I finally received a statement from Ascension showing all payment history, submitted it to collections agency and the calls finally stopped. None of this should have ever happened, I shouldn’t have had responsibility to clear the matter with Ascension’s collections provider if ascension had correctly billed insurance to begin with. AND, if I’d been contacted and not just turned over to a collections agency a year and a half later, I’d gladly have paid them upon request. I’ll never seek treatment from another Ascensiom facility, if I can help it.

I was seen on 4/10. I have been double billed for an EKG. 1 bill by the provider and one for the facility, instead of being billed for the reading of the EKG which would not result in my having to pay for the second charge. I have gone back & forth w/billing & the doctor both referring me back to each other.

2. The doctor wrote me a prescription for a medication that needed a prior authorization. Instead of doing the PA. She refused stating I need to see neurology for a medication I have been on for years. I am in the process of having to switch all of my health care providers to Ascension, and haven’t yet established w/neuro, but she still just refuses to do it and wants me to go without medication causing me great pain, which causes me to go into depression & other pain for being in bed too long with migraines. Highly unethical and against the Ascension mission!

I had a baby 6 months ago. I quickly paid off what I received I owed from mail. I was meant to have paid it all off by this month at most. My OBGYN I had to pay over *** within 4 months. And the rest I was done paying this month through ascension. I checked my insurance and its all been processed. And a month ago I received I owed more than $4k because it didnt show adjustments of my insurance or where the amount is owed comes from, seems like a mistake. And now Im thinking some expenses Ive more than paid twice for. My insurance has not changed. Theres not statement where the amount exists from. The reason I made a payment plan for 4K was of a bad experience of medical expenses going to claims. I would like for this to be corrected and any amount I paid duplicate of extra for be reimbursed. I have trouble contacting insurance because on their end its correct. Ive sent all files of what I have received. Minus other mail items I have paid for as well.

Requested Ascension to bill my secondary insurance which was provided on day of service, 3/6/22, but didn't happen. Services provided at ***. Began calling their customer service number the following dates, always being assured they would file the claim. 7/1/22, 7/15/22,8/18/22, 9/6/22, 9/12/22. I learned today that they sent my account to collections which I was promised by a representative named "***" on 8/18/22 they would not so. I stated I am capable of paying the balance but ask that my Tricare is billed as it is our secondary insurance. I have provided all of the billing information to them 4 times yet they still sent me to collections. After calling again today and threatening legal action, they stated they recalled my account from collections and stated a supervisor would call me within 24-48 hours. I have spent 41 years working in healthcare and feel their billing practices and use of off shore call centers is extremely damaging to the consumer.

The Ascension RX Pharmacy #*** filled and withdrew $100 from my account. I received a text from the pharmacy stating drug # *** has shipped and your account has been charged $100. I knew nothing about this medication. So I called them right away. I had not been seen by any physician to be receiving a medication. And I certainly did not authorize a payment. She said she would try to cancel if it had not been sent yet. I checked the tracking number given to me, it reed that it had not been labeled yet to be sent. So I called my bank to explain the charge was not approved by me. She told me there is a pending charge of 100 dollars, but it has not been posted yet. The next day at 2:57 PM Ascension texted me again saying my medication has been shopped. So then I looked up their website where I could see that Dr. *** prescribed the medication. Strange though. Dr. *** has not been my primary doctor for more than a year now. He left that office. Billing adjustment and never take it upon themselves to just charge me.

In September 2022 I went to Is the hospital due to covid. I got a outrageous bill with many errors. My bill totals $3,140. I immediately filed a dispute with customer care billing. I was told many times that someone would contact me would contact me regarding my bill and no one did. I called them for months and all my calls went unreturned my dispute went unresolved. Despite the many calls to get my bill corrected Because they added on services that I did not have not have they sent my bill to collections. I called collections many times and and filed a dispute with them and they would tell me they have not heard from the hospital and the hospital has not responded to my dispute to them. I am very upset because I have contacted not only the hospital that issued the bill but also the collection agency and requested for my and requested for my bill to be pulled from the collection agency and to be corrected so I can pay my bill. I told them I would be happy to pay in full when it's corrected. To day noone has ever called me back to resolve this. I am disputing appx. $2469 in fraudulent charges.

I filed two claims for 1675.90 and 1542.90 after visiting Ascension Via on 5/28/22. Ascension billed my insurance $1542.90 and then charged $1675.90 for the same service on the same day. Instead of adjusting the original claim, they sought an additional 1675.90. Unaware of the overcharge, I was told I owed 133 and agreed to pay $25 monthly, making payments on 6/24/22 and 7/5/22. My debit card was replaced, causing a failed payment in August. I discovered Anthem had paid the bill in full. Ascension promised a $50 refund by 9/27/22. After a call with my insurer and Ascension, I was assured I owed nothing and they would adjust the claim. Despite this, Ascension is still pursuing the additional 1675.90 plus the initial 1542.90 from my insurance.

Account # ***. I have had the absolute worst experience with Ascension, from the ER all the way to billing. I had a balance with them after 3 ER visits in April. I worked with them to apply for Financial Assistance, which they denied, and during that process they sent one of my visits to a collection agency. I had to open more than 20 tickets through the portal, and speak to so many people and wait months for them to pull that back from collections and set me up on a payment plan. That was finally done earlier this year. They told me that I owed less than $800 for my 3 visits. The statement I received on 4/25 shows I have an account balance of $718.88 and that I had a payment due for $75 by 5/9. I made my payment of $75 on 5/4. Today I received a statement for 5/25 showing that my balance is $2,486.28 and it says a $75 payment is past due and they are threatening to send it to collections within 30 days. They are now saying my account is past due and that I owe 3x the amount of what they stated I owed the previous month. I also have an itemized billing of my account, which shows a balance owed of $784.23, which was before I made a payment of $65.35.

I applied for the Ascension Providence *** Advantage Program along with the suplemental coverage by application through one of their brokers on August 26, to take effect starting September 1st, turning 65 years old on August 28th. While checking out after having a routine eye exam on September 22, I discovered the suplemental portion of my application had not been activated due to a processing error by Ascension. After over six hours on the phone with Ascension, the problem was corrected, and I was provided a reimbursement form for the eye exam payment. Then, on October 7, I again was informed after an Oct 5 dental apppointment, that I again didn't have the suplemental coverage. After another 3 hours on the phone, Ascension wasn't able to locate all of the previous notes, wasn't able to again resolve what had previously been resolved, and so I'm left with no choice but to file this complaint in hopes it will attract the attention of someone able to again correct the issue so I have the expected coverage starting on September 1st, and won't have to spend additional hours on the phone. The suplemental coverage costs an additional $23/month, and apparently this was taken, based on my application, but the services were not provided. My membership number is C40628087-01.

On June 15, 2022, I discussed with a representative the merging of two accounts into one payment arrangement. The agreement was for a total of $3,924.82, with 24 monthly payments of $163. Despite my consistent payments, I receive monthly collection letters from Ascension alleging non-payment. I have repeatedly contacted customer service to resolve this, receiving assurances each time, yet the letters persist. I have documented all representatives' names I've interacted with. Requests to speak with a supervisor have been ignored, and I was informed there is no complaint department available. This near-harassment by Ascension is concerning, as I have diligently adhered to the payment plan. The ongoing issue and threatening notices need to cease. After nearly six months, it is imperative that this matter be addressed promptly to prevent undue stress on a patient fulfilling their payment obligations.

On 6/21/2022, I visited a local medical facility for a blood draw. Unfortunately, their lab made errors with my blood tests, leading to a nurse urgently contacting me on 6/23/2022 about high potassium levels. They insisted on an immediate hospital visit, dismissing my request for a retest at a standard lab like Quest due to the severity they claimed. At the hospital, they conducted a blood test and an EKG, which, unsurprisingly, showed normal potassium levels. This unnecessary visit resulted in a $1500 bill post-insurance. I've attempted to explain to the billing department that their lab error prompted this costly and needless visit, but they remain inflexible. It's unfair to bear the financial burden for their mistake, especially when a $40 retest would have sufficed. Despite the excellent care from my regular medical team, I'm frustrated that a simple CT scan was significantly cheaper than this brief hospital encounter. The facility should acknowledge their error by settling for the insurance payment, refunding my outlay, and not charging me for their oversight.