Merriderm Dermatology

Dr. Zhou took care of my illness very carefully. She patiently listened to my questions & gave me advice with kindness. I will go back to her for check ups in the future.

I visited here many times and, while the medical care provided was satisfactory, I felt it was important to share my experience regarding the front desk staff. Although the doctor is professioal and attentive, the front desk service left a bit to be desired. She seemed to be rude and tend to be impatient if you have any questions and concerns. I understand that front desk positions can be demanding, but a warm smile and a friendly demeanor can go a long way in creating a positive impression for patients. It would be wonderful to see the receptionists exhibit a more approachable and personable attitude towards patients, as it can greatly contribute to a positive overall experience

There’s a previous comment on here regarding paying a fee up front and I think everyone should go read it, especially if your insurance has a high deductible. Also, the office’s comment is highly inaccurate, and I would definitely raise a red flag over an office that provides a lengthy response and basically gaslights a former patient. I went during 2021 and had a good experience during those visits. However, today was completely different, and I will not be returning. I was scheduled in for an appointment and when I arrived, I was told that because my insurance had a high deductible, I had to leave a $100 fee. I called several times weeks before I was due to show up in person just to confirm that they took my insurance and while they did confirm that they took Cigna, they never told me about the up front fee that would be due during my visit. When I told front desk that I was never told over the phone and I was only told to show up with my ID and insurance, she just kept apologizing for it, but did not offer another alternative other than to pay or not be seen. I asked them to please bill my insurance or send the claim after my visit and I would pay for any due balance on the app and her and the manager both refused. This is highly distressing as it caused a major inconvenience for me. I live an hour away from this location and I only came here before because I trust the dermatologist. However, after these disgusting practices, I find it difficult to speak well of this office. Ultimately, I was denied being seen because I refused to pay the fee up front. I have never been to a medical visit where a fee was due up front just because my insurance has a high deductible. On the contrary, the office is supposed to bill the insurance and then advise the patient of any balance that’s due. Not once was my insurance card run and they never called my insurance to confirm whether or not their services were covered. On the several occasions I called prior to my appointment, I was never asked about my insurance number of member ID number so they could run the information on their system and see if I would owe a fee. The receptionist even had the audacity to tell me that my old insurance covered all dermatology services. How can she be so unprofessional as to make the assumption that my new insurance would provide full coverage without verifying although I asked over the phone to verify during all of our conversations? It seems like they only want to take insurance that covers everything up front. If this is the case, then they should make all patients aware of their policies prior to them taking off to their appointments. I wasted two hours total just on public transportation only to not be seen because of an insane and greedy business practice. The real joke here is that there’s a poster that a visit is $120. Why use your insurance with them if most likely you will have to pay a fee of almost the same amount? I really wish I had been told this information over the phone so I wouldn’t have wasted my time. While Dr. Zhou may be kind and a pure professional, the rest of the staff is what throws this office’s reputation out the window. I will also be contacting my insurance to report them regarding this incident, as there was a lack of transparency and they tried to charge me before even calling my insurance company.

They asked you in without telling you if they accept your insurance card before hand. Then they will tell you that your insurance is out of network and ask you to pay with cash and they said they will reimburse you if they get payment from insurance company. Actually they know the insurance will not cover and you will not get your payment back. When ask them how do they get the payment if they are not in the network, they will tell you they cannot get it. So you will be out of $120 and even you have insurance. They use this tactic to lurk patients in and waste patients time. This is immoral. This reflects the moral standard of the doctor as well. Avoid them.

Dr. Zhou is very knowledgeable, patient, kind and responsive. I would recommend her to family and friends. I feel very comfortable talking to Dr.Zhou especially when I am so worry about my skin diseases ,she had always give me the right treatment and answers. Also,Great staff!!All the front desk are patient and Caring.Appreciate it！