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I purchased an 8 wk old puppy from a local breeder and unfortunately, a month later my puppy died in a freak accident with a neighbor's kid. When I first got the puppy, I put her on Banfield's wellness plan for puppies. I understood that it was essentially a payment plan, NOT insurance. However, with only 1 set of shots given and a little dewormer, how could Banfield possibly expect me to continue paying them $21.95 a month for a puppy that only used their services twice and is NO LONGER ALIVE?!? Banfield insists that the contract states "no cancellations", however, this is just ridiculous! To pay 12 months for a puppy that only lived 1 month?!? That is absolutely ludicrous and definitely a SCAM!
First, I want to say that I am sorry that you were not happy with your experience. Our goal is always to provide excellent client service, and your feedback is truly valued. I do want to make sure we acknowledge your concerns, to discuss this further please give our Client Advocate Team a call at [protected]. We hope your pit-bull is doing well.
Same thing happened to me on the wellness plan. I did finally get them to reduce the amount by 50%, but still a giant rip-off. Burnt once your fault, burnt twice my fault. Never again.
I have two dogs on Wellness Plans, and am very pleased with the services I've received. I was originally skeptical of signing up, but the convenience of stopping in while at Petsmart lurred me into signing up my first dog. I price checked services, vaccinations, and office visit prices at other local vets, and determined that Banfield is just as competitive, if not cheaper, pricewise than the local competition.
The big advantage of a Wellness Plan is that you get unlimited FREE office visits, so there's no hesitation to get your pet checked out when you suspect something is wrong. Unlike some others who have commented here, I have logged office visits where my balance was zero. There were no "extra" services pushed on me when I've been to Banfield with my dogs.
Additionally, I've never experienced long wait times with my dogs. In fact, I rarely even have to schedule an appointment. Most times I go to Banfiled, I just "walk in" with my dogs in addition to buying pet supplies at Petsmart.
Finally, let me address the "cant' cancel" complaints. The idea of the Wellness Plan is to prepay a discounted fixed annual amount for a specific set of vet services. This discounted prepayment can be payed in monthly installments for added convenience.
At my first vistit, the checkup, blood testing, vaccinations, etc. would have cost more than the entire total of the discounted annual plan over the course of 12 months. Therefore, if I attempt to cancel prior to renewal, then I would be responsible for paying the remainder of the discounted annual amount. Even if this was to occur, I already received the fair market value of services well in excess of the discounted price I would still be on the hook for. Why some people don't seem to understand this, is beyond me.
Have the same people who complain about cancelling their plans ever tried to cancel their annual cell phone contract? Try paying Verizon Wireless a $250 or higher cancellation fee if you want to break your contract early with them. With cell phone companies, the cancellation fee doesn't even cover services perviously performed. It's essentially a fine.
In contrast with Banfield, if you want to cancel, either pay the balance of the fair market value of previous services rendered, i.e, your "Account Balance" or payoff the remaining annual discounted cost of the plan. Either way, you are paying for services received. I don't understand why the complainers don't see that this is totally reasonable.
The problem is I'm paying for services I did NOT receive. Kitty passed away 3 months before plan auto-renews. I have to pay jacked up prices for services already rendered or finish paying monthly "installments" for services we'll NEVER get. You KNOW they're making money on this scam. If I cancelled, just because, it'd make sense. But my kitty died.
It appears that Banfield only holds you to the contract as long as there is a "balance" on your account. This balance is for the cost of services performed reflecting what they would have been sans you having the OWP. There are two ways to cancel your plan without a cancellation fee.
1. Wait until your monthly payments cover what you would have paid without the plan.
2. Wait until your current contract is up, call and request to cancel.
I just got off the phone with their customer service department who, because i have no "balance", allowed me to cancel with no termination fee. Since my contract auto renewed in October and I haven't used any services they even said they would refund the 4 previous payments!
This sounds pretty fair to me!
Be sure though, to cover your butt, that you get all promises in writing!
Finally a post that makes sense. If you have been paying your monthly bill and then take your animal in and charges are applied, basically what do you think is paying for those services? I have no problem with that. As long as they can give me a date that I have paid off my charges I will be fine with that. No one gets anything for free. The plan is set up to go on "forever" unless you cancel it while still owing them money. Makes sense to me. It's basically a form of insurance. Thank you Jason for bringing sanity back to this blog.
This was my main question and reason for reading. My 8yo GDane was diag with diabetes in March 2018. I purchased the banfield wellness plan because the testing fees were outrageous. I signed up and incurred a $600 debt at $47 a month. not so long story short, elderly Sky was completely blind by June and there were other complications ...and we made the difficult choice first week of July. My question also is, I have spoken to banfield and understand the payment plan but what assurance do I have and where is my account information? I am expecting to have this paid off by spring 2019 and I would like to see my progress. Thanks for the community..
Judy,
Please give our Wellness Plan Relations team a call at [protected]. They'll help you cancel your plan and explain the structure of the plan. For additional issues, we also encourage you to call our Client Advocacy team at [protected].
I failed to mention that the vet we ask for to spade our son's dog wasn't even working the day we were given the appointment.
We have two dogs under the wellness plan for 9 years and were relatively happy with it until July. We called to get an appointment to get our son's dog spade and specifically ask for the vet we have been dealing with for 12 years. We took the dog in at 8am and were told she should be ready around 4pm. Received a call later that they were busy and she wouldn't be ready until around 6pm. Then we got a call at 5pm saying they would be unable to do the operation that day and it would have to be rescheduled. Dog had been there all day and had not had food since the day before. I told them to cancel the insurance on our two dogs because that level of service was not acceptable and I did not want our dogs exposed to that type of treatment. Then after protesting the monthly credit card billing I learned that the insurance is not cancelable and the credit card company is obligated to collect the charge. Apparently they can treat dogs in any manner that they want to and a person is expected to pay their monthly insurance bill. Banfields bills are ridiculously over priced to make a person think they are getting a good deal. Comparing the bills to insurance payments would make a person wonder how they stay in business. I think there is evidence for a class action law suite which I plan to ask a lawyer friend to investigate. We also filed a complaint with the state veterinary department and have not yet received a reply and will look into filing a complaint with the state insurance commissioner.
I had a plan with Banfield for about 4 years, and unfortunately we lost our dog this year about halfway through the year right after I had just gotten all of her vaccinations. She began having problems so I actually upgraded her plan so it would cover some of the blood tests they wanted to run to see what was going on, unfortunately she kept getting worse so we chose to euthanize her. It took me a couple of months to contact Banfield [protected] to cancel. They were actually very nice and took off half of the cost of the remainder of her contract and automatically set up to cancel the contract so I wouldn't have to call back. I think this was fair since I was using their services. I don't understand why people think they should be able to just stop whenever they feel like it, unless they are not using the service to begin with.
I miss my dog, but if I ever get a new one I would not hesitate to use Banfield again.
We have had our GSP hunting dog in the Top Wellness Plan for years.
Last year these Hacks, butchered our dog. Removed a cell mass, and only put in a few stiches.
Leaving their office the dog bleeding would not stop.
Next day they needed to put in staples, as they should have to begin with.
The bleeding still continued, I called they said he can't move or it will still bleed.
Next day the staples began coming out. During these days of recouperation, I had to hold the dog not to move at all just to stop the bleeding.
After the staples came out, the wound would get bigger and bigger every day.
I called daily asking what I needed to do next?
After 5 daily trips to their office, they said now we can only treat it as an open wound.
Now it is 3" by 4" square of open wound. Treat it as an open wound was their only cource of action?
After a week of this, I took him to the Specialist and had a real Vet. DR. redo the operation.
Another $1, 500. to correct their hack job.
Staples were again used to close the wound. This time put in correctly, and they held and healing began. Bleeding was never an issue.
Thinking this was only one bad operation, we stayed in the Wellness Plan.
Yesterday he went in for his update, shots, X-rays the whole deal.
I dropped him off at 7:30 am. Expecting to pick him up after 2:00 pm. as directed.
12:30 they call me, "we can't mussel your dog, can you come in and help?".
I drove right over to find my dog running aound their kennel area.
I asked, What 's the problem? They said he just growels at us, and we can't mussel him.
I put his lead on and took him outside, where he took a pee as soon as he got out the door.
Two more steps and he began pooping. I thought he had all his business taken care of before I dropped him off at 7:30 am. But I guess 4 HOURS in the kennel waiting for treatment was too much time. He has never in 10 years of life ever done his business inside and never in his kennel.
No there was not any emergency treatments going on, they just knew they had all day to their job.
THESE TECHS CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOG THAT NEEDS TO GO OUT, AND AN AGRESSIVE DOG? Where do they get these people?
Our GSP is a lover of all. And has never snapped at anyone.
I went back in to talk to the Vet., and discussed What took so long? And why hadn't treatment started. He said, "I don't know? They said they couldn't put a mussel on him?"
I said, "Why don't you have any system in place to put a mussel on? If that's want you need"
He had nothing to say.
Now I need a new Vet. We only began at Banfield because our family Vet of 15 years with other dogs retired.
Needless to say, NO WELLNESS PROGRAM ever again.
I wish I had read more about these Hacks before we ever began any program.
The fine print clearly says you are liable for the full year subscription even if your pet dies or is disposed of... It clearly says to provide a written notice of cancellation no less than 30 days prior to the renewal date which you have to assume is one year from the subscription date. (the dates of renewal and the cancellation procedure are very unclear)
If you do this then they will not have a leg to stand on but you have to provide the letter to the banfield office you subscribed at since that is the only office or address mentioned in the agreement. I suggest you send this letter certified and keep copies of everything. You might want to deliver a letter there personally just for good measure and make sure it is being received and tended to and not just set aside.
You cannot buy clavamox in the store. It is an antibiotic and quite expensive - depending on the size of your puppy.
It's about 30 bucks for Clavamox Drops from PetMeds.
First off, the shots aren't anymore than $250 for all 7 vaccines. there is no way it went even higher than $300, if you want to count a fecal exam and/or deworming, which just for the two of those, it's $50.
For diarrhea, we recommend a bland diet of chicken and rice. Our medications for diarrhea wouldn't cost you more than $300, and also they wouldn't request to do x-rays unless there was something really wrong and the pet was on the verge of death, and you may have slipt in there somewhere during the office visit that he may have ate something he shouldn't, and therefore would be your fault, not theres.
banfield is a business, like any other. without money, they wouldn't be in business. an office visit is $45, while others charge $75-$125 to walk in the door. the privately owned vet clinics are more about money than banfield is. they are way overpriced. you surely haven't been to any other vet clinics beside banfield. you need to look into it and do your research before you complain.
I am looking at both of our brochures and I don't see anywhere where it talks about cancellation. Not sure where ChristopherW is seeing it.
I think you are a sucker. It plainly says on the brochure which I just read, "Plan memberships are annual agreements..." and "You may cancel anytime before the expiration date by paying the retail value of plan services or the remainder of your plans value, whichever is less." ...and this wasn't in small print either.
I have had to fight the same fight over the phone today and have been completely surprised. If you are someone thinking about getting the wellness plan DO NOT GET IT! I have just lost my baby Gilbert on Friday, June 19th. I have called Benfield Wellness Plan to cancel my plan. They of course will NOT DO it. Even tho, my pet is no longer alive and obviously no further services will needed Benfield wants to CONTINUE to charge me 22.00 dollars a month for the next six months. For what? What reason you may ask? Why would you pay for no services? That is this Wellness plan for you: THEY CHARGE YOU FOR NOTHING, IT'S A ROBBERY. In very small print on the agreement they said they would keep charging regardless of cancellation.
A second reason why I am not recommending this plan. My kitty had to have several office visits this year, x-rays, medicines, etc...this plan will not cover any of that and you are limited to only see one doctor. My recommendation that for only 5$ more/ month you can get a pet insurance. Do it. It will get you better benefits, more coverage, lower deductibles and an option to take your pet to any vet you choose.
Good luck to all of you and a happy healthy life to your pet!
It would help to know where this Banfield practice is located. They are a franchise in which each vet owns the practice, so experiences differ from place to place.
My Banfield Pet Hospital practice, located in High Point, NC, is absolutely wonderful, run by compassionate, caring, expert people from the vet to the kennel staff.
I would hate that all Banfield practices be tarred with the same brush, when so much depends on the individual who actually owns the specific practice and his/her staff!
what Banfield does is convince u to sign up for one of their Wellness Plans and try to use all of the services the first day you sign up. Example if you sign your dog up for their primary plan they do everything included in that plan the first day... Bloodwork, ear swab, Heartworm test, fecal ana., Tono, dewormer, all overdue vax etc. And when you find out the truth about the wellness ripoff its to late cause u have used up everything included in the plan, if you want to cancel plan you have to pay for all the services already used and all the services already used were used up on the first day.
There is a growing percentage of pet owners who can not afford to take care of their pets therefore they will do what ever it takes to get a free ride. If there is a known medical condition, people will go in and act as if they are clueless only to make accusations and threats to "get what they want". Whose to say this pet was not accidentaly injured at home? Now you find out the pet is hurt so you blame someone else and start making accusations. Sounds sketchy at best. Doctors take a sworn oath to be fair, honest and provide the best quality care possible. They really don't have anything to gain by what you are accusing this doctor of. Especially with the state of the economy, I highly doubt this doctor would put himself in this position. There just seems to be more to this story than what consumers are bing led (or misled) to believe.
your wrong.the suspension of albon that we give out is much much lower then what you may have looked up on google. if you were smart then you would have brought your pet in to get seen or at least by another vet. but no instead you kept your pet at home and let them continue to have the seizures. and test dont diagnose seizures either.
I WOULD SUE THESE INCOMPATANT'S!
How do you cancel? My dog's plan is up this month, and I can't find the paperwork. I think I remember reading that you can only cancel with a written letter- but don't know where to send it to. Let me know...
They will actually let you out of the contract if you pay for the services you received, but it would probably be better to just pay them the 21 bucks a month... ;-)
Yup and I am also one that is sick and tired of there wellness plan, they told me I saved over 600 Dollars to neuter my dog, where at a different clinic I could have gotten it done for less than 100 dollars (ABC Clinic in Waco). They are just trying to get money out of you and will do procedures that are not neccessary and will always charge you something.
I am in the process of canceling mine but I waited til the contract year is over with.
Hope you might have been able to figure something out with them!
The Wellness Plan is just what the name says a WELLNESS PLAN, it does not cover diagonastic tests or meds.
So you expected them to keep your cat when the entire office was closed? That would be incredibly stupid! If no one will be in the office then why would you expect them to keep your cat for 48 hours unsupervised?
They did all they could do in the the time they were open and rightly told you to go to the ER if your cat was not getting better.
And charging $33.95 is not overcharging for an office visit. A vet I used to work for charged $47! $34 is the low normal right now. They also don't overcharge for flea meds. Even the employees are not allowed a discount on flea meds because that's what the flea meds corporations charge.
PetMeds may charge less but they often give out expired medications. I know many vets who refuse to do business with PetMeds because they consider that company unethical.
Banfield is just like any regular vet practice. It does well care and treats problems. But if you have an animal that cannot walk or is listless you should immediately bring it to an animal emergency room. Even my private vet will not keep sick animals overnight and I would be required to bring my pet to an emergency care vet to do certain things like getting an ultrasound or mri.
Banfield is a good bargain for what it charges and I've found that it's easier to get maintenance medications like advantage or frontline from them. My private vet always requires an office visit for that stuff. Banfield doesn't.