1/5 James S. 2 years ago on Google
This
company
is
price
gouging.
I
went
to
the
doctor
through
Duke
urgent
care.
They
recommended
I
get
a
wrist
brace.
They
offered
a
quality
product
apparently
sold
by
SME.
Little
did
I
know
i
was
going
to
be
charged
$183
for
a
simple
wrist
brace.
Similar
quality
braces
can
be
found
online
for
$25
-$50.
I
figured
I
would
have
to
pay
extra
at
the
doctor.
Maybe
$80,
but
nothing
over
$100.
The
doctor
and
staff
conveniently
feigned
ignorance
when
I
asked
how
much
the
product
would
cost.
I
would
have
laughed
out
loud
and
immediately
left
if
I'd
been
informed
of
the
actual
cost.
One
would
hope
my
insurance,
Blue
Cross
Blue
Shield,
would
push
back
on
this
type
of
predatory
medical
equipment
peddling.
Unfortunately
they
did
nothing.
My
issues
were
exacerbated
when
I
received
the
bill
from
SME.
I
hadn't
done
business
with
this
company
so
I
throw
the
paper
away
thinking
it
was
a
scam.
Yesterday
I
was
called
by
collections
saying
I
owed
money
for
a
product
I
received
at
the
Duke
clinic.
I
was
confused
because
I'd
already
paid
my
Duke
bills.
It
turns
out
Duke
prefers
to
offload
their
price
gouging
products
to
SME.
I
called
Duke
to
resolve
the
issue.
They
told
me
to
call
SME.
I
called
SME
but
they
blamed
my
insurance
for
accepting
the
overinflated
prices
they
set
for
their
product.
At
this
point
everyone
is
trying
to
offload
responsibility
for
a
system
which
seems
to
be
taking
advantage
of
patients
in
need.
Some
positive
things.
1.
The
SME
woman
I
spoke
with
was
kind.
Her
name
is
Shannon.
She
was
informative
but
claimed
she
couldn't
do
anything
to
change
the
cost
of
the
product.
2.
The
lady
at
Duke
billing
was
very
kind.
3.
The
wrist
brace
is
good
quality
and
made
in
America.
4.
The
medical
staff
at
the
urgent
care
was
kind
and
competent.
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