Essence Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine LLC — Local services in Seattle

We had a really frustrating experience with this clinic. Before our first visit, we clearly confirmed pricing with Dr. Zhang via text, including our Aetna insurance card info. She told us that my boyfriend (the primary subscriber) had met his deductible and would only need to pay $15 per visit, while I (a dependent) would pay $130 since my deductible hadn’t been met. We agreed and proceeded based on that information.

What’s incredibly frustrating is that we followed this exact payment structure for four sessions already — paying every time using our HSA, just as she instructed. Then, after the fourth visit, we suddenly received a surprise invoice charging my boyfriend over $200, claiming that his deductible wasn’t actually met and insurance didn’t cover anything. Mine was “self-pay” and the payment went though.

How is it possible that the provider “realized” this only after four appointments, when she was the one who confirmed the pricing and checked our insurance from the start? If something had changed, why weren’t we told after the first visit — or even the second or third?

To make matters worse, I was charged the original quoted price each time, but the invoice she sent my boyfriend after 2 months was retroactively raised, with additional codes — none of which were disclosed beforehand.

This feels like misleading communication and poor billing practices. If you’re using insurance here, I strongly recommend confirming everything in writing and watching your invoices closely. We never would have continued treatment if we knew the costs...

I had a very disappointing experience at this clinic. When I visited with my girlfriend, we were both told our Aetna insurance was accepted. The staff verified my benefits and told me I only needed to pay a $15 copay, while my girlfriend—on the exact same family insurance plan—was told she needed to pay in full because she hadn’t met her deductible. This seemed strange because me and my girlfriend are sharing family deductible for the Aetna insurance plan we have, but I trusted their verification and paid what they asked.

Then, more than two months later, I received an unexpected invoice claiming that my insurance didn’t cover the visit and I owed a much larger amount. This completely contradicted what I was told at the time of treatment, and the inconsistent billing between two people on the same plan raises serious concerns.

Right now, Dr. Zhang suggests me that I should check my insurance before visit. And she just offered a courtesy to check my insurance information. However, what kind of courtesy this is when she is providing totally opposite information? I can't understand why she can have opposite judgement on whether the visit is gonna be paid by insurance when we are visiting at the same time and has the same family deductible.

If anyone is interested in the communication, I will post the communication here. Dr. Zhang is trying to avoid why she made totally different judgement in the...

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I’ve been seeing Dr. Zhang for almost 6 months, and our weekly appointment is now my favorite part of my weekend routine. I have to sit in front of a desk for long hours for my job and often feel tension in my neck and shoulders and suffer from sleep problems. I always feel rejuvenated after our appointment, which consists of acupuncture and cupping, and I literally feel like the knots in my strained muscles are untied. Additionally, I sleep EXCEPTIONALLY WELL afterwards. Dr. Zhang is attentive, skillful, and genuine. She was kind enough to let me know reschedule when an emergency arose right before our appointment when she could have charged me a last-minute cancellation fee, and I appreciated her understanding greatly. She provides clear communication and availability on weekends which is so essential for 9-to-5 workers like me. As someone who is constantly preoccupied, I love that I get to let my mind go blank during the appointment. My physical and mental health have both benefited from acupuncture and I recommend Dr. Zhang to anyone interested in incorporating more wellness...