Northwestern Sleep Disorders Center

***Attention At Home Sleep Apnea Test Patients*** I’ve never felt more defrauded in my life in a healthcare setting. They are 100% taking advantage of people. If you are referred here for an at home sleep apnea test, the device they will give you is called a WatchPat ONE. You can buy this yourself from reputable places for $300 or less. Before I knew this, when I went to pick my test up, I was presented with the device and a bill for: $1200 - Hospital Fee $500 - Physician Fee $500 Physician fee? Ok...where was the physician? Would I be able to speak to them before the test? NO. Would I be able to speak to them after the test? NO. This fee was just to interpret and relay the results to my primary care physician. $1200 Hospital fee? Why is the hospital charging me a fee to PICK UP an AT HOME test? None of the three people working at the office would, or could, answer that. What does this test do? How does it work? None of the three people working at the office would, or could, answer that. Did I really need this test? Did my symptoms warrant it? None of the three people working at the office would, or could, answer that. In fact, the only questions that anyone would answer was how to wear the device and how to pay. I was repeatedly told that any other question I had was “NOT MY JOB”. It seems the only job being performed there that day was to facilitate overcharging naïve patients 10x for an AT HOME test. Since the test is an "at home" test, whoever sells it to you will include an analysis of the results. I left their office without taking the device and ended up getting the test elsewhere for $170 without going through insurance. This included a 40 minute video call to review the results. You’ll get results emailed to you and presumably you can just share these with your provider if more treatment is needed or something serious is diagnosed.

I was referred for a sleep study, but I had to see one of their providers first for an initial evaluation. Granted I had to schedule the appointment 4 months out, because they didn't have availability - I had a great experience with James Lane, PA, however, I recently received a surprise bill for $820 after insurance as my financial responsibility for the sleep study service. If you are going to bill patients for that much money, you should be educating patients on that financial responsibility BEFORE services are rendered. My health insurance company said the copay was $100 + whatever the provider charged. So for a disposable pulse oximeter and monitors that cost $132 full price if I bought them on my own (vs. $800+ patient responsibility)? That is taking advantage of patients. That is on top of what northwestern made for my office visit + other insurance payments. I filed a dispute with northwestern over this, and my request was denied. Very disappointed in this facility and northwestern in general. Healthcare in this country is so messed up, and this place is part of the problem.