I'll start by saying that if I could give zero stars, I would.
I work for the public in emergency situations, under high stress, and I will say that even under those circumstances, when patients are involved, bedside manner and patient care are paramount. You would think that in a non emergent situation in an air conditioned office, it would be possible to pause and treat your patient with respect. if you are looking for this kind of rapport, do NOT go to Eliza Notaro.
After she recommended a biopsy of a mole i've had for the last 20 years (a mole that no other physician has seen fit to biopsy), she wasted no time telling me that I needed to make my mind up quickly whether or not to allow the biopsy because she "had other patients waiting." This was after less than 7 minutes of her being in the room. I told her I was pausing because I form keyloids (painful, itching, rising scar tissue around scoop or shaved biopsy sites), and I wanted to make sure she was going to do what she could to avoid this. She nevertheless rushed me. I also mentioned that the location of the mole in question was in a place that would adversely affect my comfort in my emergency equipment if it were to keyloid. I ultimately deferred to her recommendation and had the mole biopsied.
Not only did the mole keyloid, but she billed me for an "extended office visit," an additional several hundred dollars. I'm assuming she did this because she thought I took too long to make up my mind. Maybe she did it because she felt like she added a procedure to my original appointment. However, if this is the case, I should have been told in advance that not only would I be billed for the procedure but I'd also be billed for a longer visit (though I dispute the overall length of my visit). I called several times to speak with the office manager about this to have it rectified. I never received a call back. Representatives from my insurance agency also contacted their office and were never granted any time to discuss this charge. Notaro's office has now threatened to send the amount to collections. Not only is this absolutely unjustified, it feels criminal. You can't arbitrarily charge an amount, not field phone calls regarding disputes and then send that amount to collections. They probably assumed my insurance would pay whatever they billed and be done with it. I have an HSA, however, so this is MY money. If something that i didn't order showed up on my bill at a restaurant, and I wasn't able to dispute the charge, have it removed, and then settle the bill, but, rather, the waitstaff disappeared and sent the tab to collections, I'd be indignant.
Avoid this office altogether, and definitely avoid it if you have an HSA.
UPDATE:
The office manage did indeed send the disputed amount to collections, and after 8 months of this office avoiding my calls and refusing to alter the amount owed, I was forced to pay in full in order to protect my credit. IN SUM: IF YOU WANT TO BE USHERED THROUGH AN OFFICE LIKE A HEAD OF CATTLE AND TREATED PURELY LIKE INCOME FROM AN UNSKILLED DERMATOLOGIST, THIS IS YOUR PLACE. OTHERWISE, AVOID ALTOGETHER!!!
She’s great. Yes, she moves quickly because she is only allowed 15 minutes per patient. It’s not her is Optum which pushes this. I find her eager, engaged and curious. She is exactly what I seek in a provider.
