Westchester Medical Center

Reviews 3

MA

Mark Dietrich

‪Saying that this hospital is unscrupulous in its billing practices is a massive understatement. Honestly, I dont know how the ownership of the hospital can live with themselves, knowing that when able, they will take advantage of people at their greatest time of need. ‪Last November, after moving to a new job, I was in between insurance. I hadnt even yet received the COBRA paperwork from my previous employer and my infant son timed it perfectly, and suddenly came down with a scary cough, which I now know was croup. Cognizant of our situation, we opted to take our son to an urgent care. In the middle of his second nebulizer dose, the doctor decided it was wise to call the ambulance for Ivan without our knowledge or consent. We ended up at the Westchester Medical Center. At the hospital, My son received another nebulizer dose and an Advil. They then admitted him for observation for the night before he was finally released the subsequent morning. He basically received no care while in "observation", he was just hooked up to the vitals monitor, and checked on every couple of hours. ‬ ‪3 weeks later we received a bill for $18k +, for the very limited services the hospital rendered. We saw a total of maybe 1 hour of total doctor time in my generous approximation. At this point we had obviously enrolled in the COBRA insurance from my previous employer, but still seeing this bill for this amount with a due date of less than 2 weeks left me in a state of shock. I couldnt believe the dishonest billing, I equate it to straight theft. After settling down, I called my insurance company to put in the claim. They told us not to pay the bill until the bill was negotiated with the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital was Out of Network, which means the insurance company does not have an agreement in place of set rates with the Hospital, which really means that WMC could charge whatever the hell they damn pleased! There then came about $3k in additional billings by the individual doctors who apparently cared for my son. So, I guess since we were charged individually by the Health Care Professionals, we were ultimately billed over $18k for the 3 walls and curtain which we spent the night between.‬ ‪A few weeks later, my insurance company sent a payment of $2200 to the hospital with the expectation that the hospital would conform to their assessment of a normal and reasonable charge. We also received a letter from the consumer advocates company that our insurance uses, justifying the amount of the payment. Well, this was never verbally discussed with the hospital and obviously, they saw it different way and proceeded to bill me for the balance. Since the stay was emergency related it is still covered by insurance, so we sent the invoices back to our insurance provider. ‬ ‪After 4 months of back and forth, This disgrace of an organization won and received almost all of what they demanded, $12k from the insurance company and $1300 from me. When I payed the copay balance I informed the agent that the hospital was stealing. Not only are they stealing from me, but also any individuals and companies who have to pay the sky high insurance premiums as a necessity of life. I cant even comprehend how one arrives at rates these people billed, we must have paid the entire operating expenses of the floor that night.‬ ‪Im sure this isnt the only hospital that makes its quick millions taking advantage of peoples unfortunate situations. I now am convinced if we want to fix health care in this country, establishing governed reasonable rates in an industry where competition is not possible (due to the nature of the business during an emergency) is the only way to do it. I always hear from my employers that they want to be a good corporate citizen, and that there is no profit that can justify an unethical act. Well, with this company at least, ethics need not apply!‬

ME

MegaAdoreme

The worse experience ever!!! My daughter was transferred from Nyack hospital via ambulance due to severe sun burn over 85% of her body on 7/28 around 11:30 pm to WMC The emergency room had pics send over by the attending physician on duty in the urgent care ward because Nyack wanted a more expert opinion on treating the condition. After lying in the emergency room for over 8 1/2 hours in WMC my daughter was transferred to a trauma floor instead of the burn unit because the burn team that came down to evaluate the condition around 4am on 7/28 wasnt sure if it was chemical burn or sun burn but evidence showed it was a BURN. she laid in bed on the 4 floor from 8am Saturday morning till 7pm that night crying and screaming she need some type of solution put on affected area because the entire body where the burns were because extremely black and stiff. these burns were from her neck down to her knees & enter thighs and under arms was the worse, swollen red and pinkest, on the back from the top of her back down to her bullock area was equally as severe. Now with this lack of mobility she could not lie, sit or walk without UN-explainable pain. they demonstrated annoyances by ignoring her because she kept screaming for pain medicine which they refuse to give because her veins collapse & an IV could not be insert in either arm so 4 supposedly processional staff doctors, assistants and phlebotomist tried 7 times while she had no family member present to stopped them they abused her; they even tried in her feet all attempts were failures. After all attempts failed they left her there crying scared and frighten and still no relief for antagonizing pain not even oral medication. I came back from home after hours previously spent in the hospital got her dress was walking out and a doctor was called he begged us to stay and order oral medication and a 2 oz tube of Eucerin to apply to the affected area 85% of her body...I jump in my car went to Elmsford CVS and purchase the 16oz jar for 19.99. for the next 16 hrs my daughter begged for medication & the attending nurses & staffs refuse to give her oral medication unless a 4 hrs period had passed in between doses i dressed her put her in a wheel chair on Sunday 7/30 & took her home. Now this sounds so farfetched that its un believable but God is my witness this hospital lack the basic ingredient for offering advance health services which is empathy & compassion. Because of them if her burn wounds were taken care of properly we would not be seeking psychiatric counseling ad a plastic surgeon at this time. By the way when she arrived on 7/28 a list of her meds were given it was apparent she suffer from depression & anxiety to say the least.

AL

Alexa Torres

If I could rate this hospital less than one star, I would. First and foremost, Id like to say that after the accident that led me here, I am more than ever thankful for my life today. This review is solely based on the staff, nurses and doctors who took care of ME and my friend. Whether they have saved other lives or not, I am basing this on my experience. If I was conscious enough to decide where to have gone for this accident, it would have never been here. I was in a tragic car accident on April 8th with a friend. We were flown to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla because the accident took place in Warwarsing County, NY. I had pretty serious injuries. Pneumothorax, liver lac, brain bleed, and all though that is entirely important, there were lacerations on my face that had me covered in blood from head to toe. After being treated in the ER, they brought what they call a "plastic surgeon" in to repair my face. I am a 21 year old girl. I have an entire life ahead of me if God allows, and Id rather not walk around with giant scars on my face. But thats what I have had to deal with since this accident. Every plastic surgeon Ive seen to repair these scars have said that this could have all been avoided if they took ONE HOUR in the OR to clean the asphalt and dirt out of my lacerations. But they stitched me up, WORSE THAN I COULD HAVE DONE, and called it a day. I was left with blood all over my face while my stay in the ICU. They didnt bother cleaning anything off my face, which led to infections later on after my discharge. I was told by many certified, amazing surgeons that all the scars I will now have to live with forever on my face could have been avoided if they just took that extra hour to clean me up and stitch me PROPERLY. As for my friend, he was induced in a coma for two months because of severe pulmonary contusions. Was it neccesary? We will never know. They chose to keep his family out of the loop. They made decisions that only his family should have. They didnt clean him properly as well, so for two months laying there, he had to stay the way he was since the accident. He had many complications arise as expected under that much sedation, but thankfully woke up and is still in the process of recovering mentally. We think the sedation was given to him in access and he was never weened off properly. Its taking him longer than the usual to gain his motor skills back. This hospital was a nightmare, from the attitude of the nurses everyday, to the most important thing, our care.