San Mateo Podiatry Group

DO NOT SIGN ANY AGREEMENT FORMS! San Mateo Podiatry Group is ripping people off!
What happened to me:
I’m a member of the carpenters union, i have great insurance as long as you use a provider in their network. SM Podiatry, IS in my network. I had heel pain fro over 2 months & went for help. Got the orthotics, PAID $ 300 up front, signed the form agreeing to pay bill, no problem, don’t mind paying what i owe.
BECAUSE i signed that agreement, SM Podiatry is NOT GIVING ME MY NETWORK AGREEMENT DISCOUNT ON THE ORTHOTICS! AND INSTEAD OF PAYING BACK THE OVER PAYMENT OF $ 161.00,(on my health & welfare plan statements), they are sending me a bill stating I owe them $ 150.00 The difference is Network Discount on each orthotic!
DO NOT SIGH ANYTHING!
DO NOT USE SAN MATEO PODIATRY GROUP IF YOU ARE A UNION MEMBER!

Found via Google search. I called and easily made an appointment for the following week. They even sent me all the new patient forms via email so that I wouldn’t have to do it when I got there, which I found to be a real time-​saver. The staff is extremely welcoming and relaxed. The waiting area is clean and comfortable.
I was seen by Dr. Metaxas for my plantar fasciitis symptoms. He has a warm, upbeat demeanor, prides himself on his abundance of knowledge in his field, and I found his confidence to be very reassuring as a patient with little knowledge of orthotics treatments. He provides a lot of relevant research and science to his treatment recommendations, which inspired me to do my own further research at home.
I would recommend this practice and Dr. Metaxas to friends and family in a heartbeat. They are professional, efficient, and helpful.
Bonus: On my follow-​up appt I showed up 20 minutes early and they were able to see me right away!

DO NOT BUY THE ORTHOTICS until you get a pre-​authorization from your insurance and DO NOT SIGN THE ORTHOTIC CONSENT FORM. The doctor (Dr. Bruce Bulkin) and his staff present the orthotics treatment plan as if most insurances do not pay for them. As an honest healthcare professional myself, I trusted their opinion on this bc they reported that they will bill my insurance and I can be reimbursed. I chose to start the process bc I was in pain and I had time off from work for the current appointment. The first visit I paid $ 300 (UCR-​the no insurance fee per foot orthotic) to get the orthotics process started. Then a few weeks later I picked up the orthotics and paid the remainder $ 300 for a total of $ 600.
Now I have my explanation of benefits (EOB) from my insurance stating the contracted rate for my orthotics. The contracted rate is a dollar amount that the doctors agree to be paid from the insurance companies when they sign up to be Preferred Providers. My EOB says that my contracted rate is $ 142 for each orthotic for a total of $ 284. That’s a $ 316 difference. Therefore I should get a refund of $ 316.
I have contacted San Mateo Podiatry Group and they have told me that they will not refund my money.
This is a breach in the insurance contract and a scam to patients. I don’t treat my patients this way, nor do I expect to be treated this way. It’s each doctor’s choice to sign up as Preferred Providers with the insurance companies. If the doctor makes that choice then he/​she should abide by the contract agreement. I have contacted my insurance company and they are investigating the claim.
I hope this review helps others out there who are confused about their insurance benefits and the process. We as doctors try to do our best to help patients with the financial burden of healthcare expenses. Situations like this one with San Mateo Podiatry Group are why there are a lot of disgruntle unhappy patients. A lot more honesty and ethics could help our healthcare system to better serve the people of our country.

A must go to for anything foot related. Very professional and amazing patient care. I highly recommending them.

Easy to get an appointment, clean and comfortable waiting room. Very professional staff who answered my questions and concerns without making me feel uncomfortable. Addressed my issues promptly without any hiccups, and walked me through every step of the procedure. They even took the time to show me/​teach what they were talking about. Receptionists were prompt in checking insurance and making a follow-​up appointment that fit with my schedule. All in all, great professional response to my medical issues.