Dr. Nancy Barton Brown, MD

I have 3 kids all of whom (were) patients of Dr. Brown. I recently brought my oldest for an annual checkup at age 5. I arrived a few minutes early and filled out paperwork as I do each year. What was NOT explained to me in detail was that I was filling out a behavioral questionnaire that had an additional 'up-charge' above and beyond the annual visit we were scheduled for. Thinking it was routine paperwork I filled it out. Of course there is some notation at the top covered somewhat by that clip on the clipboard about the service in language that was vague and not explained to me - all while I am trying to wrangle a 5 year old who is excited and running around and distracting. I assumed the statement about the cost of insurance coverage to be general as in there may be charges not covered for his annual visit, which under our Anthem plan is always covered. A little while after the visit I received a bill for the behavioral assessment in the mail. When I called to find out what it was for they explained it was for the behavioral assessment survey. My son goes to a very enriching daycare program that stresses behavioral and cognitive development and this is routinely measured and assessed. So not only did I not receive any detail about the results of the survey, it was something I didn't need and would have gladly provided Dr. Brown with the results of any testing already done at my son's daycare program that I was not being charged for. When I spoke to the office manager, Nancy, she explained she talked to the partner physicians who determined this was a necessary survey being given to all parents. Really it sounded like a way to charge an extra $32 per annual visit. I said I wasn't disputing the necessity of the survey for behavioral information, only that it wasn't properly explained and wasn't needed for our kids based on the more extensive testing done at their daycare as part of their tuition. When I asked to speak to Dr. Brown, the office manager stated that the partner physician don't get involved with billing -which makes no sense since she just stated they were ones upholding the charges. I am shocked that a miscommunication on their end over a $32 charge would be worth losing an entire family of 3 over with no apology.