Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates

Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates
Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates 500 Heritage Drive Pottstown, PA 19464
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Consumer Feedback

(10 Reviews)
Service
4 star average for Service
Environment
4 star average for Environment
Expertise
5 star average for Expertise
Staff
5 star average for Staff
Recommended
4.5 star average for Recommended
Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. SHOULD OWN ITS GREED
After a few months with a mild toothache I went to see my dentist. He took x rays and told me that the tooth required immediate extraction because of infection rapidly approaching the nerve. He instructed me to find an oral surgeon before the end of the week. My insurance carrier identified Paul G Smith (a doctor within Plan) at Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. in Pottstown PA (1 hour drive from where I lived). I called and explained the urgency of my condition and I was given an appointment for tooth extraction the following day. In the morning after a painful and restless night I called to make sure there were no loose ends given the urgency and the travel distance. This time the receptionist explained there would be no extraction because my insurance required authorization. This "new information" was never disclosed to me when I made the appointment or when I called my insurance. I was told that I would require new x rays and a letter written by the doctor to be sent to my insurance in order to get authorization. I asked how long it would take the answer 7 to 10 days. I panic I told her that I could not possibly wait that long with the pain I had and asked what I could do. She said I could keep the appointment and get the extraction if I agreed to pay "out of pocket". She would not provide an exact price but said it would not be less than $775. I I could not afford to pay at the same time delay was jeopardizing my health as the infection spread. Shocked and demoralized I told her I would call my insurance to see if they could speed the process given the pain and -more importantly- health implications. I called my insurance somewhat upset. I asked why (given the seriousness of my condition) the approval process was not made transparent to me. Insurance stated that there was no Pre-approval requirement for doctors within Plan. The receptionist at Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. had scapegoated the insurance carrier as a cover up. Insurance was not pleased and suggested I call back Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. office to let them that the insurance carrier would be happy to clarify the situation. Relieved I called back Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. The same receptionist I had talked to earlier answered the phone. I explained with excitement that no Pre-authorization was required with my Plan as such the surgeon could perform the extraction immediately. The receptionist answer was: "It is the practice's policy to first have an appointment with a patient before scheduling a procedure". Presumably Paul G. Smith at Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. could take X-rays and proceed immediately based upon findings. For purely profit motives, however, it decided to create two independent insurance billing events. In short, generating more money while putting a patient's health at risk. Is this in keeping with the Hippocratic Oath? All this notwithstanding Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. knowingly booked an appointment on a false premise that I would have my tooth extracted more disturbingly when confronted with this deceit, Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. attempted to cover up its misrepresentation by shifting blame to my insurance carrier. Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. actions were immoral, unethical and unconscionable. I cancelled my appointment and vowed to share my experience. Before you consider Pottstown Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, Inc. understand its primary motive is PROFIT. DECEIT, MISREPRESENTATION and LYING are its tactics. Think about it. Unbeknownst to me they would knowingly have me drive for more than 2 hours only to have me wait another week in pain all the while putting my health at risk solely for profit. UNCONSCIONABLE!
by Alex xxx.xxx.208.94
July 22, 2018
This is only regarding the front desk woman working there:

I have been there before for dental work and my fiance was seen by a doctor there for sutures at the Pottstown ER. Every time I have gone in for follow-ups, the woman at the front desk was not pleasant at all. You can tell by looking at her face and how she looked at and handled patients checking in that she could care less about you or what you had to say. I called to ask a question regarding a bill and she cut me off mid-sentence saying to "hold" and put me on hold for 20 minutes without coming back. I hung up. I work in the medical field and have worked front desk for many years and this woman should clearly not be in that position!
by Unhappy Patient xxx.xxx.130.141
November 08, 2013
Does this provider treat their staff well?
Yes, they treat their staff with respect
by Anonymous xxx.xxx.139.68
March 05, 2013
Did this provider answer all of your questions?
Every question I had was answered thoroughly
Was this provider's staff friendly?
Yes, they went above and beyond
Did you leave the office feeling satisfied with your visit?
Completely!
Was this provider's office easy to locate?
Absolutely! It couldn't have been easier!
Are you going to visit this provider again?
Without a doubt!
by Kathy Karpeuk xxx.xxx.179.106
April 09, 2012
Did you have to wait long after you arrived for your appointment?
No, I didn't have to wait very long
Did this provider seem well-trained and experienced?
Absolutely, they were an expert!
Did this provider seem up-to-date with the current advancements in their field?
Yes, they were informing me of new advancements that were extremely recent
by Anonymous
January 09, 2012
Is this business in a safe neighborhood?
Absolutely, It is the safest neighborhood around
Was this provider's office clean?
Yes everything was neat and sterile
Did you spend a lot of time in the waiting room at this provider's office?
The wait wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the best
Would you refer this provider to a family or friend?
Yes
by Anonymous
January 05, 2012
Did you feel like this provider's office was understaffed?
No, they were fully staffed
by Anonymous
July 08, 2011
Were the restrooms clean at this provider's office?
Yes, I could tell they were cleaned regularly
Were you able to relax during your appointment?
Yes
Did this provider ever dismiss your concerns as unimportant?
Never, they go out of their way to address every concern of mine immediately
by Anonymous
April 30, 2011
Did this provider have an entertaining selection of waiting room magazines?
Somewhat, but they need a bigger selection
Does this provider remember you and your circumstances at every appointment?
Yes
Are you going to visit this provider again?
Sure
Has this provider ever cancelled your appointment on you last minute?
No, they didn't cancel on me last minute
Is this business handicap-accessible?
No, I didn't see any ramps or wheelchair accessibility
by Anonymous
March 06, 2011
I was bitten by a dog (facial - split lip) and went to the Emergency Room at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. The ER doctor told me he called in a plastic surgeon to stitch up my lip since it was split and he didn't want to attempt to put it back together and have it crooked, which I appreciated. However, I was not given a choice of plastic surgeons and while Dr. Lignelli did a fantastic job and 6 months later you can barely see the scar (by the way, I have no complaints whatsoever with Dr. Lignelli - he is terrific and couldn't have been nicer), it turns out this office does not accept the major insurance carriers (Aetna specifically). I would think if you had a contract with PMMC as an on-call doctor, your office would accept the same insurance as the hospital, but, not so. I received a bill 2 months later from this office for close to $2,000 and was told this was the amount my insurance DID NOT pay and that they were not Aetna providers. Why wasn't I told this when I went to their office a week after the accident to have the stitches removed? They took my insurance card, but never said a word. My insurance paid what they would pay an in-network provider. My sister had a similar issue 6 years ago when her son was bitten in the face by a dog. She threatened to go to the local newspapers and they wrote off the excess charges. JUST BE AWARE THAT THIS OFFICE DOES NOT ACCEPT ALL THE MAJOR INSURANCE CARRIERS AND YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO PAY THE BALANCE. I asked my insurance company to review the claim and they agreed to pay an additional $1000.
by ScubaGirl
May 22, 2009
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