In January I took my 2 and 1/2 year old cat for shots and physical exam at Banfield. They did a thorough exam and told me my cat was healty, but needed a dental cleaning and recommended that I purchase their Basic Plus Care Optimum Wellness Plan Pet insurance which would cover the cost of a dental cleaning.
I purchased the wellness plan and then tried to make an appointment for my cat to get a dental cleaning. Banfield told me their system was not yet equipped to scheduled dental cleaning appointments and that I should try at another time.
About four weeks later I again attempted to schedule my cat for a dental cleaning. I was told, that their schedule was book up and to try again another time.
I informed Banfield that if they did not allow me to schedule my cat for a dental cleaning that they would be in breach of contract because they sold me a dental cleaning plan that they are not allowing me to use.
The supervisor then gave me a dental cleaning appointment for 7 days later.
I brought my cat in for the dental cleaning. They gave me authorization forms to fill out which indicated that everything would be covered (routine blood work etc) under the wellness plan except for tooth extractions if they become necessary, and pain medicine, which would cost about $30.
I informed the clerk that I was not authorizing any tooth extractions or anything that incurred an additional fee. I proceeded to modify all of the authorizations to indicate that I was authorizing dental cleaning only and that if anything else were necessary, I should be called first.
Well I got a call. The doctor called and said they had done routine blood work on my cat and it looked like my cat had a dysfunctional liver associated with the menufood recall. The doctor asked me to let her know what food my cat had ate so she could check the recall list. I informed her that my cat had not eaten any food from the recall list. My cat has eaten Purina Kitten and Cat Chow, Proplan and Purina Friskies all his life and these foods are not on the recall list.
I came to pick up my cat and was given a bill for $149 allegedly to cover the cost of bloodwork, which that morning they had printed a form for me telling me it was covered under the plan.
I was told that since the doctor did not do the cleaning due to the bloodwork indicating that my cats CREA was 2.6 instead of 2.4, that the bloodwork would not be covered. I informed Banfield that they were not authorized to perform any work not covered under the dental plan as this was my explicit instruction when I modified all of the authorization forms.
At no time before the billing did Banfield disclose that the bloodwork would be covered on a conditional basis (i.E. If my cat's CREA were 2.4 the blood work would be covered and if my cat's CREA were 2.6 the blood work would not be covered.)
I think this practice is fraudulent and deceptive and violates consumer protection laws.
Banfield has threatened collections.
Meanwhile Banfield is still deducting $21 per month from my checking account to cover the cost of a dental wellness plan that i can not used and that they suggested I purchase after throughly examining my cat just 3 months before.
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