Scripps Coastal Medical Center Hillcrest

"This review is not about my primary care provider, who is one of the most excellent doctors I ever have, but with Scripps as a medical organization that puts profit before patients, fosters organizational incompetence over efficiency, customer care, and feedback. Scripps's employees in scheduling department, insurance submission, and billing departments were atrocious and lacks customer care. Scripps lacks a feedback process or survey after patient interaction so they can address issues and/or provide training. I changed insurance in June this year. Every time I call to schedule to see a doctor or have lab work completed, I always make it a point to bring up that I have changed insurance, to make sure any approval or billing is sent to my current insurance. Apparently, at Scripps, it can take months for their employees to figure that out even after a patient brings it up over and over, multiple times. Even worse, Scripps will request approval of procedure with my old insurance, schedule me for it, and when I ask who approved it -- it wasn't my new insurance company! I had to cancel vacation for a procedure only to reschedule/cancel last minute because Scripps did not ask my new insurance company's approval. For a medical care facility, this is not acceptable. Until September this year, my billing details on Scripps website show that Scripps was submitting bills to both previous and current insurance provider. Why? Another thing that I found out, if I stay with my new insurance provider's network of imaging and labs, I will not have to pay excessive amount on what Scripps has been billing me and my insurance. This means, Scripps's lab work is padded excessively with high costs than most Imaging centers or labs. When I asked Scripps Billing Department why I have to pay more with Scripps lab than other labs, she simply said you have to go where your insurance recommends. To me, that is a true sign that Scripps put profits before patient care, without an organizational intent of lowering costs to benefit patients and make them competitive in healthcare market. I asked a friend, a registered nurse who reviews and process billings of medical facilities, hospitals and clinics if this is a common practice -- that Scripps bills higher than other facilities -- and he empathically said yes. Hence, he refers patients to go to other centers, imaging, or lab. Ever wonder why healthcare is expensive? Three words: Profits before patients."

"Randomly stopped accepting my insurance. There are no good options with Scripps doctors accepting my insurance in my area so I am going to switch. This forces me to start the long process of getting referrals to specialists. It's probably best I leave Scripps anyway. I've had nothing but bad experiences with them lately."

"The authorizations/referral department is incredibly slow here, impossible to reach, and unwilling to help patients. I am still waiting on a referral to get submitted after I requested it 3 weeks ago. I've tried messaging, calling etc and they will not fix the issue, leaving me without critical care. This has happened in the past as well, I am looking into a new primary care physician as I will not be returning here."

"Scripps was the best doctors office experience I’ve ever had. I was a long time Kaiser client and have bounced around looking for the right care. The office was accessible, very well run, and had the nicest staff I’ve encountered. The app/online portal are among my favorite parts too. Extremely easy to use and helpful for every aspect of the appointment. So stoked to have found great care in the area! (I promise I was not paid to write this. Just happy!)"

"Stay away from this place I have Tricare and all my sons appointments are covered. For his 12 month shots I got a bill for the admin fee and I called the billing and told them that’s I should not be billed anything after speaking with my insurance if you all accept Tricare. After going back and forth with them I still have no results. The lady on the phone lied and said we don’t not call the insurance to go over charges which is false because I spoke with Tricare they informed me that they do not call out and they told me that when the office called for billing my visit they told them that fee needs to be removed and that they have to direct and billing to Tricare not the member. If this is not resolved in a timely manner I will have to switch PCM for my son this is Highly unethically. I do not have this issues at the office in Chula Vista but due to his PCM being unavailable I had to come here and I am highly disappointed on how they are trying to scam service members. Stay away from this office ."