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CB Rehabilitation Centers Review of Townsend Recovery
Townsend Recovery

Townsend Recovery review: Charges and Billing 12

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9:41 pm EST
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When I entered this Rehab center, I signed a contract that in so many words said that the total amount of cost of treatment was $6500.00 and my part would be app $1000.00 with my insurance covering the remaining amount. I asked before I left the first day if there were any hidden cost, and I was told no. I also asked about drug testing and I was told everything was covered in the $6500.00. About two months into the program I started receiving bills from a company called Ameritox, for drug test. I confronted Townsend management and I was told not to worry it was all covered. Well I finished up the program and I started receiving Explanation of Benefits from my insurance company. I got online and looked up my claims and I saw where this company Ameritox billed my insurance company app $10, 000 on top of the $8500.00 Townsend billed me. There is something extremely fishy going on here and people need to be informed if they are wanting to seek treatment from Townsend Recovery.

Update by Townsendsucks
Jan 25, 2011 4:46 am EST

since you are so knowledgable about the fine print why dont you tell me what it said?

12 comments
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I second that
Lafayette, US
Apr 17, 2015 9:31 pm EDT

i agree with the summary completely!

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Gas-Passer
New Orleans, US
Mar 11, 2015 8:16 pm EDT

My mother is an alcoholic. Recently, she decided that she needed to take control of her life. She went to Townsend without telling anyone about it. She decided because of a radio commercial and liked the idea of outpatient treatment, etc. When she met with the people at Townsend they were very supportive an encouraged her to join the clinic ASAP. She did not want to sign any contracts since she had not told my father nor anyone in the family. She agreed to come back a couple of days later to sign them.
The day she was to sign, I happened to go by the house and I was informed of the plans to attend the clinic. I quickly did a search on the computer and what I found, was not very encouraging. I am a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, an advanced practice nurse with post graduate degree . I decided to accompany her to get some answers to questions I had.
The manager and counselor at Townsend were very friendly and warm until I started asking questions. At this point they started getting more defensive and it got worse when they found out what I did for a living. I looked over the bill which Townsend claimed that they had previously gotten the "OK" from the insurance company. When I checked later, it was not entirely correct. The out of pocket deductible was correct, everything else that Townsend said was covered was not. Moreover, they wanted her to submit to 15 urine tests for Buprenorphine (Suboxone). Why would she need Suboxone if she is NOT abusing opiates? " Well, a lot of abusers are on a variety of substances", they said. They were planning on starting her on a substance that is addicting, and didn't need. BTW, I did a medical line search of literature and could not find any studies that delineates the use of Buprenorphine to ween alcohlics off booze. And, they were billing for a test, before she had actually met with a doctor. As it turned out, the insurance was going to pay ZERO, as their lab is not an authorized lab by the insurance company. I asked about taking her to an authorized lab and having them do the test. Absolutely not. They would be breaking their own protocol. I researched the lab, Sagenex, they do all Townsend drug urinalysis, and here my friends is when it gets really suspicious. It turns out that the CEO of Sagenex, Dr. Kevin Jordan, was the previous COO of Townsend, in other words, this could be a conflict of interest as chances are that this is a self referral. No wonder they don't want anyone doing the tests. Also, since most insurance companies will not pay, or partially pay for the lab work, that means that they can charge whatever they want for the tests and guess who is going to be responsible for paying the lab fee. Remember you signed a contract for X number to urinalysis? These folks have attorneys on staff, which I presume are the collection muscle. This is where they make their big money.
Honestly, I was not impressed. They may provide a service, but that service is geared to extract as much money as possible from emotionally vulnerable patients. There are admission fees, continuing care charges, fees for doctor visits every week, charges for missing meetings, exorbitant lab fees, pharmaceutical charges (buying the Suboxone). When all is said and done you will probably end up owing 2 to 3 times what they quoted you in the first place. What do you get in return? Group sessions, teaching, lab work, lightning visits with a doctor who may or may NOT be a psychiatrist with an addiction medicine specialty. Yes, they do employee them, I checked. And you may trade one addiction for another. Suboxone IS addicting.
Like someone stated elsewhere, you can go to AA/NA anywhere, 7 days a week and just about any time of the day for FREE, and you can go to a psychiatrist with a specialty who would actually spend time with you and manage your addiction. I think doing this would actually save you a lot of money and heartache or, you could put your trust in Townsend Recovery. A couple of negative reviews are understandable, but folks, there seems to be a pattern here.

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mbb11183
, US
Aug 25, 2013 3:07 am EDT

Im a patient at Townsend currently. I would love to hear more about this. I actually was thinking of leaving myself.

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Rouge82
Baton Rouge, US
Mar 08, 2013 12:23 pm EST
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Gosh. I have never felt like a bigger idiot in my entire life. I started Townsend about two weeks ago. I was extremely hesitant about this program, but a person going through drug withdrawals is a desperate person and I signed my life away to them. It felt like a police interrogation and after hours of being badgered I gave in and signed. Something just felt not right from the first day I went into group. They say they care, and I'm sure some of them do but I just got the feeling I was being sold. It just all seemed so money oriented. I told myself that I needed it and that I needed to get better so I gave in. I dont know how these people sleep at night knowing they are taking advantage of desperate, ill people like that. You go to group 5 times a week, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays the second half of group is an AA meeting. You're also expected to attend meetings outside of Townsend. AA meetings are free all over the country, yet I just agreed to pay thousands to attend them. The kicker in that is that after all the money you shell out to Townsend, the guy leading the AA meeting STILL passes out a collection basket at the end. I specifically said befire signing up that I really wasnt interested in any AA or NA type meetings, they were just too secular for me and was trying to find something different, hence coming to Townsend. I was assured that the outside meetings I would need to attend could be any of my choosing, including online meetings, but still, I'm going to AA. I've been put on suboxone and I'm absolutely frightened to read they have kept people on this medication for years because that is certainly not what I want. Trading one addiction for another will not help me or anyone else. I feel like I have been defrauded and taken advantage of at what is quite probably the lowest point of my life. I've been reading reviews of Townsend all morning and althought I'm somewhat surprised at the things I've read, its not all that shocking to me that these people are less than reputable. After leaving the Townsend AA meeting I cried all the way home and came to the conclusion that this was not for me. I'm canceling the debit card they have on file for me today and I'm going to call them and explain myself. Hopefully there is some way to get out of the large amounts of money they're going to bill me for and attach to my credit report but I'm thinking that there's probably not much else I can do to avoid that. Whenever they signed me up they gave me contact information for some institution that I could report them to and I'm going to do just that. Being free of drugs and alcohol should not be a financial burden. I'm going to attempt to wean myself off of the suboxone. I've successfully weaned myself before and hopefully since I've only been on it a short time it wont be too painful. I'm also going to find a good counselor that I can see multiple times a week and start going to NA meetings, the prayer I hate, but the conversation I do enjoy a lot. I dont want to put myself in more financial trouble than I had from my addiction. These people are not here to help me, they're here to make money off of me and I'm not going to be another example of someone who gets duped by Townsend.

Emmy - I'd really like to speak with you more about your experiences with them. I'm going to try to send you a message, but I dont know if you will ever be on this board again. If for whatever reason you do, please contact me here. I'm really interested in hearing more of what you have to say.

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Emmy loop
New Orleans, US
Jan 19, 2013 9:47 pm EST
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I was approved for a loan by a company called Duvera to pay for my treatment at Townsend. The day I entered the program, Townsend's John Antonucci told me my doctors visits would be covered during my outpatient treatment. When I completed outpatient, I agreed to pay for each doctor's visit after outpatient ($100.00 for a 15 minute medication check-up; if I went over 15 minutes, I was charged $50 more--just FYI). I paid for every visit every time without a grumble, that was our agreement. Now, after nearly 2 years, a broken agreement, gross detox mismanagement, and tremendous personal suffering, I can only describe Townsend as Evil. They are claiming I owe them for the doctor's visits during my outpatient treatment...in excess of $3900.00 (more than I owe the loan company). Using this clinic was one of those "big mistakes" I'll make in my life. You may read my brief synopsis below.
About 6 months after I graduated Townsend, my doctor, who had previously managed my recovery so flawlessly, seemed to practically abandon my case. I was kept on Suboxone, but taken off my antidepressant and antianxiety medications. Now, that would have set any recovering addict up for disaster, ultimately, because the first thing any 12-step program will tell you is the Big Lie that ANY narcotic dependency will tell you. Narcotic dependence makes a person think that it is all he or she will ever need to live, and that one day (even as they watch their lives destruct around them) everything will just magically get better.
About 3 months ago, I decided to detox from my Suboxone prescriptions, by divine intervention was the decision made. I had been given a handwritten detox schedule and a script for wellbutrin, doctor's quote "to take it if I needed it". That was it. To make a long story short, after the 3 days of sheer hell f***, which happened to be over a weekend just my luck, I went to my doctor on Monday for medication for my symptoms. During the visit, she informed me, when she "hospitalizes patients for Suboxone detox, it usually takes 10-12 days for symptom stabilization."
I cannot imagine a grosser mismanagement of detox treatment. The amount and degree to which I suffered when I didn't have to--when I paid thousands and busted my ### to get sober--is unthinkable! I can only compare it to an extremely traumatic event, like a bad car accident or getting attacked and beaten or a home invasion. My mind literally will not let me remember approximately 50% of it.
FOR THE ADDICT***Your pain is my pain. Your struggle is my struggle. Please consider this--if I had it to do over, I would never have gotten on Suboxone in gotten first place. Each day you choose to stay on ANY addictive substance, you prolong your suffering, your prison. It IS a choice. You are owned. You are a possession. You are a slave. There is freedom. THERE ARE CLINICS THAT TREAT DETOX WITHOUT NARCOTICS--and all the depression and anxiety that follows. There ARE clinics that treat pain without narcotics and they're getting more popular! My brother, my sister, you DO NOT need methodone or suboxone to get sober. Will you accept this challenge? It may be the hardest thing you have done or will ever have to do? Will you embrace the courage within you?***

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dowhatmatters
, US
Apr 02, 2012 2:25 pm EDT

genetic testing? I don't need a test to tell me if my grandfather, mother, or uncle was an alcoholic! I ALREADY KNOW THAT! Besides, this "genetic testing" is not based on any real research... where are the facts? Is this what my money pays for?

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ssmsgk
Metair, US
Mar 09, 2012 8:21 pm EST

stephenmyers- Yes they have helped so many-but to what cost? HIDEN COSTs..!

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stephenmyers
Lafayette, US
Jan 23, 2012 7:34 pm EST

Don't take any one case as law. This company has helped so many and they are the only company using complete genetic testing, not just positive or negative drug screens. I highly recommend them.

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Chadiguess
New Iberia, US
Jan 22, 2012 8:25 pm EST

I went to the lafayette office HIGHLY ADDICTED to opiates. 6 ocy 80's r 70 loratab 10's daily. Of course their answer was suboxone and a lot of it 20 mg daily. That was n early 09 now in jan of 2012 and trying to quit subox and the withfrawals r increditably horrible! I was told tapering was so easy BULLS..T! I was down to less than an 1/8 strip a day r every day and half. Well i am totally miserable and am here to say DO NOT GET ON SUBOXONE R SUBUTEX AND DONT BELIEVE THE ### THEY TELL U. I WORK OUTTA STATE AND WAS UP FRONT WITH THAT SINCE DAY ONE THEY SAID SURE THATS NOTHING WE CAN HELP U. WELL 3 YEARS LATER I WALK N TO OFFICE THEY SAID I HAD A $700 BALANCE. I HAVE NOT BEEN THERE R TAKEN UA SO WTH THAT COME FROM? And best part they tried putting me on meds for physco ppl. Y the hell i need that?
My name is Chad Iguess and going on record saying starting today they have ###ED UP MY LIFE! NOW I FACE MIN OF MONTH OF WD WITH NOTHING R NO ONE CUZ I REFUSE TO CALL THEM AGAIN!

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princess101
Iota, US
Jun 28, 2011 7:58 pm EDT

I was a patient at Townsend, I also am going through the same! I am still sober since early last year till now.I didnt feel comfortable being there and I sensed something was about money money money.I was told once I paid the total for treatment I was done I paid 2, 300 outta pocket and insurance paid 4, 700 and I have rec'd bills from Townsend and Ametrex or what ever their name is .I just dropped out and went to NA/AA meetings and found a great aftercare Dr. and Im doing great! I got the sense after awhile if you dont show for IOP Meeting I was gonna get charge this and that ..My grandmother dying I called told Townsend counselor to let her know I couldnt attend response I got was Your credit card will still be build..I knew then it was all a money scam..Only professional I found there was Dr.Wetsmen and his receptionist Miranda...The lafayette office help me get on track and I am thankful to them for that .Signing contracts when your in the highest point of withdrawls of course an addict will sign desperation at this point.I may have missed something during the signing of contracts upon admission which I under stand going over cost but that should not be done in a fragile state of mind..But yep I got scammed also

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Justin Addison
Hutchinson, US
Apr 04, 2011 1:30 pm EDT
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This sounds like the work of convicted con man Michael Handley, who along with another embezzler turned
this former addiction treatment center into his own private bank account. A computer tech friend of mine
found a laptop he had mistakenly left behind at the last company he bankrupted, and it's pretty clear he's still up
to the same old tricks that got him in trouble with the feds a few years ago.

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scmommyje
gaffney, US
Jan 02, 2011 11:47 pm EST

You probably didn't read the fine print...sorry!