I've been a patient here for several years, and what happened today was the final example in a long pattern of front staff failures that I can no longer overlook. It started with a contact lens order a couple of years ago. I was oversold on a quantity I clearly didn't need, and by the time I realized the order had been doubled, it was already processed and paid for. I still have a box and a half sitting unused. Nobody asked about my actual usage or whether that volume made sense for me — they just made the order. More recently, my husband came in for an eye exam and needed a copy of his prescription to purchase glasses online. We have young children who regularly break and lose glasses, so buying affordable frames online is a practical reality for our family — not something we should have to justify. The staff made him feel unwelcome and judged for making that request, despite the fact that a patient is legally entitled to their own prescription. I kept my appointments anyway, because the doctor is fine and I only need to be seen once a year. But today was the last straw. I arrived five minutes early. At check-in I was asked whether I wanted to self pay or use insurance. I said I assumed they had my insurance on file — we've had the same VSP coverage for five years, with no changes and no notifications from our provider or employer. The staff member told me she had tried to verify my benefits the day prior and nothing came up, suggesting my coverage may have lapsed. At no point did she pull up my file, call VSP directly, or make any effort to resolve this. She simply stopped and waited. So I stepped aside and spent 20 minutes on hold with my insurance company myself — while the front desk staff socialized loudly with each other. The insurance rep on the phone with me confirmed my coverage was fully active, exactly as it has always been. As I wrapped up my call, I was called over and told curtly that I was now 20 minutes past my appointment time and could either be seen immediately or reschedule. The tone was admonishing and unprofessional. When I pointed out that the practice should have verified my insurance before my appointment — or at the very least before I was left to handle it myself in the waiting room — she claimed she had called me and left a message. That is not true. The only call I received was a routine appointment confirmation two days prior, during which insurance was never mentioned. I said I would not be returning. She smiled and said "okay, have a nice day." The through line in all of these experiences is the same: front staff that cuts corners, deflects responsibility onto patients, is curt, and responds to legitimate concerns with dismissiveness or outright dishonesty. The doctor may be good, but getting to that appointment requires running a gauntlet that isn't worth it anymore.
