UPMC

I sought care from an orthopedic doctor for severe pain in my hip and buttocks. He ordered an x-ray and diagnosed spondylolisthesis as the cause of the pain. I was given a prescription for physical therapy and sent on my way.

After contacting half a dozen UPMC physical therapy facilities, I was unable to find one that could see me within 3 1/2 weeks at the soonest. Most never answered the phone or returned my calls. I self-paid for private PT for several weeks, but my pain only worsened. At this point, I was unable to walk around my block without having to crouch down to the ground several times to temporarily relieve the pain. I wound up going to the ER at St. Margaret's because the pain had become unbearable. Based on the diagnosis of the orthopedic doctor I had originally seen, I was given a prescription for oral methylprednisolone.

After finishing the course of steroids my pain was unrelieved, so I contacted the orthopedist's office and received an order for an MRI. I called to schedule it and was told they were scheduling 2 months out. When I explained I was in extreme pain, the very kind scheduler found a cancellation and I was able to get an MRI 10 days later.

The MRI showed I had a herniated lumbar disc that was compressing a nerve root. The spondylolisthesis I was originally diagnosed with was mild and not the cause of my pain. I wasn't able to be seen by a spinal specialist for another 2 weeks after the MRI.

The spinal doctor spent about 5 minutes with me and explained nothing about my condition. He said he would order a spinal corticosteroid injection and that I would receive a call from the hospital to schedule the procedure. I asked him if he knew approximately how long it would take to get an appointment for this and he told me everything takes time these days and that he couldn't even get a reservation at a restaurant when he wanted it. This led me to assume he wasn't overly concerned about my pain.

The hospital failed to contact me about scheduling the procedure for several days (still in pain), so I called UPMC scheduling and was told the hospital hadn't received the order from my doctor. The woman I spoke to very kindly offered to contact the doctor's office to get the order and call me back to schedule the procedure. This was a Friday and when I didn't get called back I assumed I'd hear from the hospital on Monday. That didn't happen, so I called scheduling again. I was told the order had been received, but a hold had been placed on all CT-guided injections and they could no longer schedule the procedure. She added that they were already booked 3 months in advance. When I asked what other options I had to receive treatment from UPMC, she said she didn't know.

Out of desperation, I made an appointment with a chiropractor and an acupuncturist. I'll have to pay for both myself. I pay almost $9,000 per year for health insurance and with copayments to specialists and the portion of my care that isn't covered, I've spent hundreds of dollars and received nothing but incompetence, delays, and indifference from UPMC.

Fitting I suppose, since as far as I'm concerned, they've taken both the health and the care out of healthcare.

I went to the ER at Presby for vomiting and severe stomach pains. I informed them of my diverticulitis and a recent flare-up.

I was ignored and given a pill to put under my tongue to aid with vomiting. The nurse stated that if I couldn't hold down crackers and water, then I would have to be admitted. Strangely, another nurse came and discharged me in the middle of my vomiting episode, stating, 'You'll be okay'. She sent me on my way even before I had left the hospital.

At that point, I was weak and vomiting, and had to be taken back into the ER. There, I was given another pill for vomiting and sent on my way again. Their disregard for their patients was evident, as it seemed more important for the nurse to laugh and joke with his fellow coworkers instead of paying attention to the patient. Once I got to the door after being released again, I asked the security guards how to file a complaint.

She responded, 'They just saw you, so what is your problem?' I was vomiting all over myself and could barely walk. Here I am, still in pain and not knowing what to do.

AS A RETIRED PHYSICIAN WHO WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF A SURGICAL DEPARTMENT AND A US ARMY PHYSICIAN, I HAVE MAJOR DIFFICULTY RECOMMENDING ANY UPMC HOSPITALS AND SERVICES. THE RED TAPE, DELAYS, AND RUDE WORKERS ARE PREVALENT AT ALL UPMC SITES.

IT APPEARS MONEY, NOT PATIENT HEALTH, IS THE NUMBER ONE OBJECTIVE OF THIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DICTATORIAL METHODS USED ON PATIENTS CAUSE MANY PROBLEMS. WHY ANY PHYSICIAN WOULD BE A SLAVE TO THIS HUGE, MONEY-COMES-FIRST COMPANY IS BEYOND ME. DOES UPMC PAY TAXES AS A COMPANY, OR DO THEY HAVE A TAX-FREE CATASTROPHIC FUND THAT IS TAX-FREE?

HAVING DEALT WITH UPMC OUTPATIENT SERVICES, I RESENTED THE DUPLICATION AND BEING TREATED AS AN IDIOT.

PLEASE, FOR YOUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AVOID THIS BEHEMOTH INSURANCE COMPANY. WORKERSVI DEALT WITH HATE WORKING AND TREATING PATIENTS LIKE DOLLARS NOT SICK PEOPLE.

May 3, 2024, I spoke to Shelly from UPMC billing. She was supposed to send me an itemized statement of my bill on February 22, 2024.

I inquired about it, and she could not explain it on May 13. I called again and spoke to a lady named Remiah. I asked her the same questions; she could not pull up and explain it. She could see the charges, but they did not make sense to her, so she could not explain them to me.

She tried to tell me that maybe they grouped some charges together. I asked about my itemized statement from the third. It should take 5 to 7 days; I did not receive it. That's why I called back.

Her system will generate my itemized statement and mail it out to me, but if I want them to email it to me, I have to call back the next day, wait 24 hours for the system to generate, then call them back for them to email it to me. I tried to pay my co-pay at the doctor's office on February 22, $75 total of three co-pays. Shelley tells me that the office does not do that; they do not take care of the co-pays from other states. I asked her while she was looking at my billing where my $75 went to; she had no idea.

Then she tells me that this bill wasn't even processed yet. I don't understand how because I already got my EOB from my insurance. So, if the people that work for UPMC cannot explain my bill, how am I supposed to figure it out? This is why insurance companies rip people off; they make the bills so hard to understand that nobody can figure them out, especially elderly people.

Something needs to be done about this. UPMC has taken over central Pennsylvania, and they need to be held accountable for what they do.

These bills should not be that hard to understand, or at least train your personnel to be able to explain them to the consumer. I'm still waiting for an answer, so if anyone knows the corporate office's head person to complain to, I would love to have the number.

Took my son to the Children's with a dislocated finger and fracture. That same night, after we went to bed, I woke up to a voice mail she left at midnight from their doctor wanting us back in to put a different brace on him.

We went in, and the other doctor was rude and said no one asked us back in. Thankfully, I replayed the message about us getting a different brace on. Fast forward and I got a bill in the mail for almost $1000. I looked at our insurance and saw the claims, and some were denied, saying they were duplicates.

They requested medical records, and they still haven't sent them. Got a new bill today, same amount, called UPMC to ask if they sent the records and she ran around the bush. Then she said it got bumped up to over $2000, blaming my insurance. Called the insurance company and they never sent anything to them.

It's been almost 3 weeks and they don't have any record of retracting payment.

My warning is to be diligent and look through your billing with a fine-tooth comb and keep calling. Hoping to get this resolved soon.

I had a UPMC provider that unfortunately did not have privileges at a UPMC hospital. He was the only provider within 100 miles and I would have to travel two hours to go see him which I was willing to do to have this procedure done.

They told me it was very simple to request a benefit elevation, I found out after trying to request it. That medical management will talk to me.

The healthcare concierge wont talk to the office or medical management and getting someone at the office who is available to talk to anyone at Medical management on their timeline was next to impossible something thats going to cost me with a reasonable benefit elevation about $700 out-of-pocket will easily cost me now close to $5000. I have no choice I need to have it done , there is no other provider that does this procedure and UPMC will not honor a reasonable request or even make it to complete this request

Upmc is having their physicians lie and not prescribe pain medication after surgical procedures. Do they realize suicide rate is up 150% due to patients not being able to control pain!

If you are going to force your doctors to drink the kool-aid then they need to post on their doors no control substance. When people have surgery and you are telling them to take 3000 MG of Tylenol it's absolutely absurd.

Pain medication is needed for cancer patient, c sections, knee replacement and anything else that requires your body to be opened. Please stop spreading lies and treat women and men like humans and not robots