SimonMed Imaging - Carlsbad — Local services in Carlsbad

Disrespectful, Unprofessional, Careless, Lazy, and overall unacceptable! Firstly, their [above 1-2 star] reviews are very likely before the multi-billion dollar private equity firm changed the once great service and replaced it with remote call centers who treat you like a number! Needing an MRI my doctor referred their preferred vendor – SimonMed Imaging (“SMI”) – and although I prefer to use another vendor I opted to go with their recommendation; however what a nightmare! Although I had out-of-town plans during their first available appointment the following week I opted to change my family’s plans so I can accommodate getting this done; however SMI called me just one hour before I’m heading out the door for the aforementioned scheduled appointment to say they need to reschedule because “insurance hasn’t approved the authorization yet.” And although this is RIDICULOUS since they could, and should, have called me well before I’m just getting ready to head out the door for an appointment that was scheduled last week, my insurance (Blue Shield) has never hesitated to approve what I need done; however there has been times vendors have been remiss (AKA “LAZY!”) in following up on getting said approval! To make things much worse, I called SMI in hopes to get someone on the phone to discuss this and all I got what their remote call center that, after I asked to speak with their supervisor or anyone at SMI other than their “call center” I was placed on hold TWENTY FOUR MINUTES before this highly inconsiderate person got back on the phone to insult my intelligence and say, “I’ve been trying this entire time to get a supervisor on the line but no one is available.” I again asked to speak with one of the two people and he just transferred me back to the queue so I could start all over again (and that was after being on the phone for a half hour thus far!). In the end SMI I SO SCREWED UP that I ended up just showing up for the MRI and everything went fine! This, however, was only after I called my doctor’s office who called someone in MRI’s back office (Brook?) who confirmed I’m still on the schedule (which is why I opted to just show up!). Sadly, my doctor’s office said this is not the first time this happened. Note: After my MRI I asked the receptionist at SMI if I may please have their location’s number and she said they have used a call service for the past two months and there’s no way to reach someone. For whatever it’s worth, the imaging company I have used for years is “Carlsbad Imaging” and THEY ROCK! Additionally, when you call the nice people there are ready, willing, and able to both answer their phone (unlike MRI where there’s a recording!) … and you’re not treated...

Update 11/19/2023 After spending over 10 hrs on the phone, I sent a legal demand via email They charged me when I canceled, they billed me after they overcharged me, they lied several times and I still don't have a refund. I also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Look at the companies ranting on Better Business Bureau. I would highly recommend NEVER using this company. Very unethical company.

Update 11/12/2023 I spend at least an hour on the phone with them with no help. They now charged me again when they told me they would not. They as well send me a paper bill saying I owe money when they already over charged me. They now tired to collect over $500. This company is so unethical. This company should be ashamed. I would LOVE a supervisor to call me as when I called the person refused.

]Update 10/17/2023: Yep, I had to call the credit card comany to dispute the charge and block payment from the company. They supoosal wanted to wait over a month for a refund and could not figure out why they charged me. Probally the most unethical and shade medical companies I have every used. Update 10/12/2023: Even after spending hours on the phone and the insurance supevisor calling them, there still over billing me. There charge my credit card the wrong amount. When you don't feel well, this is something you don't want be dealing with. I call them but I am guess I will be dispute the charge with my credit card company and have to get a new credit card. This company now has lied to me twice. This place is so unethical.

Edit: around Sept. I edited my post after the feedback. This company blatantly lied to me. They tried to charge me over 1K for imaging per insurance. I informed them that was incorrect. They then said the billing department called the insurance to to confirm twice. After spending an hour on the phone and after the imaging, a supervisor called me from my insurance company. She told me I was correct. The amount a little more than $300. Nowhere near over $1,000 dollars. I have the claim now that shows that is correct too. My insurance company supervisor also looked at my records to find out that SimonMed NEVER called my insurance to verify. They lied about calling my insurance twice. The insurance supervisor told me all calls are documented. She even was able to tell me the companies that called before on my account which were correct which was an outpatient surgery center. This place is dishonest. I won't recommend them at all. I will also tell the doctor who referred me about this experience. The 1 star is not for the wrong copay. The 1 star is from the place lying about calling the insurance...

I had high hopes for SimonMed as it's a much needed service. Unfortunately my experience was not good. My initial thought was that the facility was clean and the staff seemed friendly, but the quality and accuracy of the service is very poor. I went in for a scan that is used to create a ratio when compared to others of the same gender and age. The ratio is very different for men than it is for women. My file clearly says female, as does my drivers license and quite frankly my chest, whom the tech connected electrodes to. Nonetheless, he or someone else checked male on the test. This resulted in the radiologist's report data and comparison stating an incorrect ratio. 42 days later and countless hours on hold to get to customer services representatives whose English is hard to understand, being transferred to medical records that did nothing, to finally getting to the actual facility. The facility clearly knows they are in error and said they'd fix it. All they did was add a line in the report that says they wrote the wrong gender, but did not change the actual data. I was told they couldn't do anything further. I was transferred to Audrey in compliance. She stated that they would not correct the report data. That I had to interact with my doctor to have them send a new request stating the info was incorrect. Why is the onus on me to correct their mistake? Why should I incur any further time or financial loss? Is a correct report for a service I paid for really too much to ask? One other side note. I witnessed blatant lack of HIPAA compliance. An elderly woman was in that was confused. They came out to the patient waiting area and asked her many HIPAA sensitive questions that should have been asked in private. If you are considering SimonMed beware that if even one detail is wrong, you will spend many hours only to find out they will not correct their...