We will send invoices to the cell phone you have on file to help ensure efficient receipt of balances that may be due for copays or deductibles.  It will be from Square and is a secure link to go through to provide payment via your credit card or bank.  You may call our office to provide this information but please be assured we use the same secure system.

Please note that we had an issue from January 21, 2021 through November 22, 2021 in which payments you may have thought occurred were not processed.  You should have received a link from Square with this explanation and the amount you are still responsible for from 2021 services.  Please call our office with questions or read the note in the invoice link sent.  We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

April 22, 2022

Re: Payments due

Dear Patients:

I wanted to inform you of the reason that you may find an invoice sent to you for an amount due from 2021.

In May 2021, my credit card machine stopped working (this is what we thought). We were under the belief that the credit card charges could be called in and your payment was being charged. It was not discovered until months later that no charges had in fact occurred. I learned today after the credit card company went over my charges that no charges have been completed after January 20, 2021.

I am a 2 person office and I take on many responsibilities and this issue escaped my attention. Once I discovered this we began telling patients that our machine was broken but that we would charge their card (those that left that information) at a later time when we had a new credit card machine. On researching credit card machines, I found that newer options were available over the old credit card terminal I had purchased and my credit card terminal was going to cost too much to repair. I searched around to try to determine the easiest and most cost effective ways to still use credit cards because patients were reluctant to use Zelle which is the best mode of payment for our office. I finally decided to use Square and we began to take credit card payments once receiving the card swiper device on November 24, 2022.

With Square, I am able to search charges by name and by last 4 digits of the credit card (if used previously or if on file). I assure you that I check both ways for charges in the 2021 year and 2022 year. I then match the charges with your corresponding visit date. Occasionally when multiple patients are seen and using the same card it can take me some time to unravel what might be owed. We know that no payments were charged for the months of February 2021 through October 2021 as well as a portion of dates in January 2021. Initially in November, we charged those cards on file for copays/deductibles due from October through November but the task became overwhelming for Danielle and now we check prior to appointments if possible. I will slowly continue to go through appointments and check all accounts since January 20, 2021.

I promise you that I am an honest person and a dying breed of solo physicians. I strive to give you the best care I can and to try to keep your costs at a minimum. The biggest mistake I made was applying copays or deductibles to bills that I had yet to receive payment. None of this is Danielle's fault or responsibity and I would appreciate that you continue to treat her with the respect that she deserves and to not scream at her over the phone or call to her names as this cannot be tolerated. I will keep my records from the credit card processing company available for you to see that I received no payments during the dates I have provided. I can show you the search of charges from Square which indicates payments received (or those not found). I welcome you to bring proof from January to June of payments made to my office on your bank or credit card statement but I assure you there will be none since we had no method in which to collect payments except via Zelle, Paypal or Venmo during that time. Though you are being asked to pay multiple charges at a later date than your appointment, please remember it your contractual agreement with your insurance company to pay your copays and deductibles. Luckily, we live in an era that allows an easy search of credit card and bank statements online to help you find the verification you need.

Please accept my apologies for this error. I look forward to continuing our doctor-patient relationship. I have learned thoroughly from this and in the future we will be more active in collecting your deductibles and copays at the time of your visit. We will also be sending all further amounts due through Square invoice. It will be easiest for you to pay through Square, but if you desire, you may call in your information to Danielle or come into the office to make payment.

Thank you,

Tamara Stout, M.D.

Family Physician