I am an international student in Australia, and I went to Angel Care to get blood tests done. I was fully aware that it was a private clinic (I was not looking for anything free). When I spoke to the receptionist and asked about the pricing, she clearly told me the blood tests would cost $300. I accepted this amount because I needed the tests urgently and going through my insurance would take too long.
After completing the blood tests, I asked the receptionist when I would receive the results. She told me within 24 hours. I then told her I was ready to pay the $300 she had quoted. Suddenly, she informed me the total was $350. When I asked why the price had increased, she said it was because a doctor would review my results.
Not only did I never receive any call from a doctor, but my results were not delivered in 24 hours—I only received them four days later. At that point, I felt I had been misled and overcharged.
When I emailed the clinic to complain and request a refund, they replied with this:
“That money is not paid to us directly, but to SNP instead. The $300 quote was for the pathology only & not the private clinic fee.”
This was never explained to me at any point. I was told the extra $50 was for a medical consultation with their doctor.
When I asked again about a refund, they suddenly changed their explanation and replied with something completely different:
“Our clinic is a private facility, every patient pays an out of pocket fee…
$125 short consultation
$98 Medicare Item Code
SNP Pathology for Non-Medicare Patient $300
Total $523.”
I am definitely not as stupid as they think. I know the difference between a private and a public clinic. As an international student, I have heard many stories about private clinics taking advantage of students and overcharging them — and unfortunately, Angel Care proved these warnings right.
This clinic is not honest with their patients. If a clinic behaved like this in my country, it would have been shut down already. Their administrative practices need serious improvement. They must clearly explain the real prices from the beginning instead of surprising patients with hidden fees.
The only positive part of my visit was the person who took my blood sample — she was very kind and professional. She deserves full credit and my congratulations.