Dr. Elton S Powell, DC

We do not live in the area and are here as I’m completing an internship for my Ph.D. My daughter woke up in pain. Her back hurt, especially when she took a breath in. I couldn’t find a chiropractor who took our insurance and had an available appointment that same day. This office told me they didn’t take my insurance but could see her that day. We drove the hour and a half to the office (closest town with an available appointment) and completed the new patient paperwork. While waiting, I decided to double check that the office was not in network. I completed a search through my insurance company’s website. The site said the office was in network. I let the staff know and they spoke with the doctor. He told them that the office was not in network. A few minutes later, they asked me to sign a document, agreeing to the various out of pocket prices. I explained that I didn’t want to sign since the office was in network. I proceeded to call my insurance, the representative said the office… was in network and said she could speak with the office. The staff said they wouldn’t speak with her and they would need to call their provider line to verify coverage but that the line would be closed already for the day. The staff proceeded to say I could pay full price and we’d work it out on Monday. I let them know that we would not pay full price and that it was disheartening that they cared more about money than helping my daughter who was in pain. We immediately left. I should have known something was odd when I didn’t include my daughter’s social security number on the paperwork and they proceeded to verbally ask me for it. They don’t need a social security number to file a claim. In addition, it was frustrating that the office would not give us the new patient forms we completed. They said she had already been placed in their computer, so it couldn’t be deleted. I was able to get help for my daughter at a orthopedic walk-in clinic.