Avera Medical Group Endocrinology & Diabetes Sioux Falls 1315 South Cliff Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105

"1st time here. Everyone has been helpful, understanding, and wonderful so far."

"I have had a wonderful experience with my Dr there!! She is very knowledgeable and very kindhearted."

"First of all, I really liked my doctor and my doctor’s nurse and had a good experience at my appointment. After I met with my doctor, he sent me to another floor to get my blood drawn in order to have my thyroid levels checked. This is something I have done many times in the past since I have a thyroid disorder and something my doctor wants me to continue doing every few weeks so he can adjust my medication accordingly. The cost for bloodwork at various facilities around the country has always been well under $100. However, when I received my bill from Avera, I saw that they charge $1,500 for bloodwork. I called their billing department and was told this is simply the cost of getting bloodwork done at a hospital vs. a clinic. When asked why I was not given a heads up by my doctor, his nurse, or anyone else during my visit that this would be the case, they said that no one at the hospital knows the price of getting bloodwork done or that it’s significantly cheaper if done outside of their facility. I don’t know if I buy this, but if it is true that everyone working at Avera is clueless about how much they charge, I would argue they SHOULD know so their patients are not stuck with a huge bill and unable to continue receiving needed care because of the outrageous prices. Furthermore, there is absolutely no reason why I should be able to pay $30 for bloodwork one month (at a hospital, by the way) and the next month be charged $1,500 for the same service at Avera. Getting my blood drawn is something I am supposed to get done every few weeks…I’m sure some people can afford that, but I certainly can’t. Whether someone can pay these prices is not really the point though, because charging such a ridiculous amount for routine bloodwork at an in-network facility is absolutely shameful regardless of a patient’s financial situation. The hospital does have a financial assistance form that I requested, but I was told that it takes 3 weeks to receive and at least 3 weeks for them to process it. When I asked if they extend payment deadlines or pause accounts with pending applications, they said no, that it could still go to collections during this time. What?! I have filled out financial assistance applications at other locations in the past, and I have always been assured that the bill will not be sent to collections while the application is being processed. Everything about billing at this hospital is super shady and I will be searching elsewhere for an endocrinologist as a result."

"They've got great docs and nurses here!!"