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Report: #1344818

Complaint Review: Neurology Health Center San Rafael - san rafael California

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  • Reported By: Brian — San Rafael California USA
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  • Neurology Health Center San Rafael 1099 D Street Suite 208 san rafael, California USA

Neurology Health Center - Dr. Julie A Griffith - Over charged and used misdiagnosis to prescribe further useless and costly lab tests - San Rafael California

*General Comment: If money wasn't an issue would this complaint not have occurred?

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I went to see Dr. Griffith for a 2nd opinion and treatment options for a Demyelinating brain and spinal cord acute problem I am currently having.  We started the session by confirming that I only wanted 1 hour for this first meeting knowing the extreme fees of $500 per hour were going to be charged.  The session proceeded with Dr. Griffith reviewing my previous blood work labs and asking questions about my medical history all of which I had provided on the forms in advance.  Not sure why I need to be paying for this review if all was submitted in advance.

 
A few areas came up in the conversation around my symptoms of fatigue and very occasional double vision.  As she reviewed my blood lab work, she was coming up with her own lab work request for me to perform ... most of which centered on Lyme disease as the culprit, but I had shown her the recently negative results of the CDC approved Lyme test prescribed to me by my attending Neurologist at UCSF.  She dismissed those results as not checking the right IGG and IGM bands.
 
It became very hard to follow her thought process as it seemed the whole session was about her asking me what I already am experiencing and what I already knew and when it came to reviewing my MRI images she had a lot to say all of which I could not understand.  
 
A few times during the session the conversation moved to what she knew, her stories and experiences, and which other Dr.'s and Researchers were important in these areas of Medicine and why more lab work around Lyme was needed.  This conversation extended the session over the approved 1 hour limit I had started with to control the fees.   Total time in this session went to 100 mins of which I received a bill for $833.33.
 
As I now look at the bill it shows a Diagnosis on it... interesting that Dr. Griffith has a Diagnosis for me where in 6 months of working with multiple Dr's, Neurologists, an infectious disease Dr, and 3 visits to the ER, nobody else has diagnosed me with anything more specific than an Acute Demyelinating Event.  
 
Now for the kicker on the value of this session and over billing ... for $833.33 Dr. Griffith has now:
1) Diagnosed me with:  1) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2) EBV, and 3) Diplopia.   Hmm, CFS seems to be a catch all as I mentioned I feel Fatigued, 
EBV? I had EBV when I was a teenager and she saw my blood work labs from July that was IGG positive for EBV, but IGM negative .. so how could I have EBV active now if IGM is negative?  And how would EBV relate to the Demyelinating event I am currently experiencing?  
And Diplopia is double vision which I mentioned was a sometime symptom I have experienced, and now I a diagnosis of double vision?
 
2)  I left the office with the large brown/white bag filled with new tests to take and some to send out of state. The kicker was one of these tests was $2800 and not covered by insurance.  And the other tests require a Credit Card to perform. I wonder if Dr. Griffith gets kick backs from all these extra tests which was eluded to in other Rip Off reports I read on Dr. Griffith.
 
3)  This was an initial meeting to just get the billing meter started.  We scheduled for a follow up phone discussion to review the extra lab results.  When she performed this phone session, it started off with the office asking me for my credit card first prior to talking... a red flag...  then we confirmed to keep it to a 30 min maximum timeframe.    When the session started, it appeared Dr. Griffith had not reviewed the lab results and spent time to review and move through the reports.  A few times while on the phone she was directing her office staff on their next steps and at one point the call dropped and it took a few minutes to reconnect the call.  All of this was while the billing meter was still on.   Also as this session progressed, Dr. Griffith spent more time on issues such as Celiac and why I should not eat gluten to why I should drink distilled water vs bottled.  I am not sure of the relation on how the blood work she ordered and the results relate to my symptoms of the Demyelinating process.  She also suggested I come back into to see her... on the billing meter... to hold some herbs and determine which ones my body likes.  This herbal process might be supportive for me is what she said.
 
This phone session then went over by 30 mins to a total time of 1 hour.
 
Next I received another take home bag with more lab work and more out of state testing to be performed and provide a credit card as well.
 
Lastly, I then received a call from the office stating how much I now owed which was not even a correct amount given the overages that Dr. Griffith knowingly accepted after I had confirmed the time limit for each meeting.
 
I guess all I can say is know what your stepping into when asking for Medical help (avoid quackery) and maybe that's why insurance companies have In-Network providers who do not bill higher than lawyers.  Another red flag I should had heeded when it was clear this practice does not work with any insurance and hence why she requires billing via credit card up front.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 12/21/2016 11:20 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/neurology-health-center-san-rafael/san-rafael-california-94901/neurology-health-center-dr-julie-a-griffith-over-charged-and-used-misdiagnosis-to-p-1344818. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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#1 General Comment

If money wasn't an issue would this complaint not have occurred?

AUTHOR: Lynn - (United States)

POSTED: Thursday, January 25, 2018

 I read your report and understand fully as an Igenex confirmed AND yes negative Western Blot Lyme Disease test given by conventional practitioners without knowledge of the health implications of furthering infection plumes. You must have known going into your appointment her status of a Lyme Disease treating doctor and medical insurance does not usually cover...thus your $500 limit. You do have to pay for testing in many cases for the same reason. Become familiar with the symptoms and unfortunately the political controversy that surrounds this conglomerate of infections +++ for your own sake. Unfortunately many doctors are underground so finding one takes diligence. Neuroborrelosis. Bartonella effects vision and causes rage also. An Epstein Barr profile (implemented in M.S., plus many other opportunistic infections (CMV, example)is a good idea. I just wonder if your anger is over $, verses medical services? Go to doctor about your bill and bypass the office staff for future reference. One more thing, many Lyme Disease practitioners charge for time reading your records, telephone calls...just like attorneys do. Opinion-Specialists do not treat lyme disease and do not understand the body holisticly, medicine needs to restructure...And smarten up. This is coming from a RN, no relationship to this doctor.

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