I was looking through a local rag, usually very legit magazine when it comes to their reporting, but not their classifieds, when I ran across a work-at-home data entry position. It was for Medical Coders and it didn't give any info besides who to call. When I talked to the rep, all sounded legit, but then I was asked for a Visa or AmEx card to register and receive my training modules for the State Exam to become a biller for Medicare. I looked for the company here, found nothing, but then looked them up on teh BBB Online.
BBB Serving 64 Counties in Central & Eastern Kentucky
# Newtown Pike
Lexington, KY 40511
BBB Reliability Report
Medical Billers Network
POBox #
Nicholasville, KY 40340
General Information
Principal: Mr. Wilson Calceres, Owner
Number of Employees: 1
Phone Number: (800) 382-#
Type-of-Business Classification: Business Opportunity Medical Billing Services
Nature of Business
This firm offers a work-at-home medical billing training program for a one-time fee of $299. According to the firm's promotional materials, members are given software and are trained to process and transmit insurance claims electronically to the firm's clearing house. This clearinghouse then submits the claim to the insurance companies and retains a percentage of the fees paid to its members for the claims they generate. The firm's materials do not disclose the returns on participants' investments.
This firm's business address, # Fifth Avenue in New York City, is an office facility service center which offers phone lines and mailboxes for rent. The Kentucky mail box is for the company's test center and customer services. The Colton BBB reports an address of # Vineland Avenue #247, North Hollywood, CA 91601. The firm has indicated this is the sales office.
Customer Experience
Complaints have been processed by the Bureau within its three year reporting period. The company has resolved most complaints presented by the Bureau, however a complaint remains unresolved because the customer was not satisfied with the company's response.
Complaints concern advertising practices, selling practices, refund issues, and service issues.
Licensing Information
Business opportunity offers made in Kentucky may be required to register with the Attorney General's office and post a surety bond. Those which have registered must display their registration number in Kentucky advertising. To verify if a business opportunity has undergone review for compliance with registration requirements, call the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-502-696-#. All states have similar requirements.
Additional Information
Additional Doing-Business-As Names: MBN
Additional Addresses: # Fifth Avenue #F279, New York, NY 10001
# Vineland Avenue #247, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Additional Phone Numbers: 818-382-#
818-904-#
888-503-#
Company Management
Additional company management personnel include:
Mr Chris Taylor - CEO
Mr. David Arnold - Customer Service Manager
On October 16, David Arnold, Customer Service Manager, advised the Lexington BBB that after company renegotiations, Wilson Calceres, based in California, is the owner with Chirs Taylor, based in New York City, is Chief Executive Officer.
According to BetterWhoIs, the website, medicalbillersnetwork, is registered to Chris Taylor, # Graham Avenue #1, Brooklyn, NY #. Phone: 718-302-#. The Administrative Contact for the website is shown as Medical Billers Network, # Fifth Avenue #F-279, New York, NY 10001-7604. Phone: 888-503-#.
According to the firm, the Brooklyn address is Chris Taylor's personal address; the Brooklyn phone is his personal phone; and, the 888 phone number listed for the Administrative Contact is no longer in service. However, this information is still reflected on the firm's website registration.
Educational/General Comments
Work at Home: Medical Billing
Medical billing work-at-home offers are typically advertised through infomercials, in employment sections of newspapers and magazines and even through invitations to trade shows or seminars. They often promise large earnings for little work and claim that numerous health care professionals are in dire need of your services.
You may be:
... Urged to buy software programs and even computers at exorbitant prices;
... Told your work will be coordinated with insurance companies by a central computer;
... Required to pay for expensive training sessions at a 'current special rate' which would be much higher later; or,
... Pressured into making an immediate decision.
Most likely the software programs offered at hundreds or thousands of dollars would sell for less than $100 at a local software store. Expensive training sessions are often superficial and the market for your services is actually very small.in one case, for example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that the market was exactly the reverse of what was promised.instead of 80%, only 20% of health care professionals in a given area did not already have their own computerized billing systems.
Promoters may delay processing of your work, citing heavy usage or mistakes in your work. There may be no central computer to process your work. You may be left with no way to deliver what you promised your customers, if you found any, and no way to earn any money.
Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:
1. Ask for and study a written description of the offer and the contract to learn the rights and responsibilities of the promoter and the buyer; the background and history of the company and its principal officers; and its financial statement. These documents are yours by right of federal and local law.
2. Check into the actual market demand for such services locally. State and Local medical boards may be of assistance in this area.
3. If earnings claims are made, ask for a list of investors who earned back more than their initial investment and the percentage of all investors that list represents.By law, companies must provide this information upon request. Talk to other investors regarding: their length of time in the business; their satisfaction with the company, its product and its services; satisfaction with the company's support and training; and if their earnings met the companies earnings claims and the length of time it took to obtain a return on their investment.
4. Business opportunity offers made in Kentucky may be required to register with the Attorney General's office and post a surety bond. Those which have registered must display their registration number in Kentucky advertising. To verify if a business opportunity has undergone review for compliance with registration requirements, call the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at (502) 696-#. Many states have similar registration requirements. A business opportunity offer is obligated to meet the requirements in each state in which it extends its offer.
BBB experience with medical billing business opportunity offers indicates the level of income promised during the sale is seldom earned. While this may be attributed to the programs themselves, investors must consider, among other things, the numerous accounting professions with which they would be competing for a doctor's business.
Report as of 11/25
Copyright 2003 Better Business Bureau, Inc. Of 64 Counties in Central & Eastern Kentucky
As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment.information contained herein is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.
The Better Business Bureau reports on members and non-members. Membership in the BBB is by Invitation only, and members must meet and maintain BBB standards. If a company is a member of this BBB, it is stated in this report.
Keep away from these guys, the rep didn't sound like a con, and I have heard a TON of BS from work at home business that were. He TOTALLY had me fooled.
DJ Peterson
Donald
Jacksonville, Florida
U.S.A.
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