Swedish Primary Care - Queen Anne

My son is in a patient at Swedish in Magnolia since he was in second grade and was always been a wonderful and supportive practice. It’s easy to get an appointment and they really take their time to get to know your child.

Be advised: you’re going to get unexpected charges. I was explicitly advised by their customer service liaison, Kim, that if I want to avoid unexpected billing in the future, I should route prescription refills through the pharmacy and essentially avoid interacting with my provider. This was especially troubling given that I was not prescribed refills sufficient to last until my next visit and I was trying to establish a relationship with a PCP. This advice came only after I received an unexpected bill following a preventive/wellness visit. During the appointment, I briefly mentioned ongoing conditions as part of my medical history and provided names of prescriptions I already take for filling with my pharmacy. At no point was I told that reviewing my medical history would convert my preventive visit into a separately billable office visit. I was ultimately charged for both a preventive new-patient visit and an additional established-patient visit for the same appointment. When I contacted billing, I was repeatedly told the coding was “accurate,” and that it did not matter that I was never informed or given the opportunity to consent to a separate visit. I was also told that preventive visits are essentially “cookie-cutter,” and that discussing things like labs or existing conditions is not covered. I was never informed during the visit that mentioning my health needs would result in extra charges, nor was I given the option to schedule a separate appointment. This practice shows little regard for informed consent or transparency in billing. Patients should not have to guess what will trigger unexpected costs or be told to limit communication with their provider regarding routine health maintenance to avoid being billed. Transparency matters in healthcare, and I hope this practice significantly improves how it communicates billing expectations so patients can make informed decisions.