Fremont Center

Complaint 1: Annual preventive check was billed by PAMF/Sutter Health with additional "office visit". This year we (my wife and me) switched to Palto Medical Foundation (Sutter Health) at Fremont. In the annual preventive check visit we, the patients, started the conversation by disclosing our body condition from head to toe (such as heartburn, backpain, etc) so the doctor can know our condition better. Then the simple conversation became "medical discussion" in the view of PAMF/SutterHealth, then an extra "office visit" was bill on top of the annual preventive check. This problem has never happened with any other PPO doctors we have seen in the past 30 years in bay area. Complaint 2: PAMF/SutterHealth did not label "preventive care" on all items (e.g. blood test) for the preventive care visit. This could be human error. After we appealed, they did not pro-actively help us (patients). We were told to deal with our insurance company. My insurance company reviewed and approved most items if not all (still in progress) as preventive. We feel that PAMF/SutterHealth left patients alone and just collect the bills from patients.

I’ve seen a neurologist 3 to 4 times. No tests or blood work, has me draw a spiral on paper and take 10 steps down the hall. I won’t be seeing him again. I saw a dermatologist to address an issue and wanted a body check for any skin cancer as I’ve never had that done. She rushed in, didn’t look at me, didn’t look at any part of my body. Prescribed creams and rushed out. This was a first appointment so I’d course she charged for a “new patient”. I don’t pay anything out of pocket but the insurance is billed an absorbent amount and it’s one reason why premiums are high. And PCP’s are a waste of time and money and they do any doctoring. Look at the 1 star reviews. Nothing changes, what a joke.

I had a very disappointing experience with Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF). For even minor requests, they insist on scheduling in-person visits instead of addressing things through messaging or basic support. Something as simple as getting vaccination records took unnecessary effort and no timely response. What made it worse was the billing. For a recent visit, I was charged a surprisingly high amount with multiple CPT codes added, which felt excessive for the level of care provided. There was no clear explanation upfront, and it left me feeling overcharged for what should have been a straightforward interaction. I also tried calling the billing department multiple times, but it didn’t help resolve the issue or provide clarity. The lack of transparency and support has been extremely frustrating. Overall, the process feels inefficient, expensive, and not patient-friendly. After this recent billing experience, I am seriously considering changing my healthcare provider.

Over billing for annual preventative check. I visited my primary care doctor on April 2026 for annual preventive check. In the short meeting I shared what medicines I am taking for my existing conditions (hypertension and type 2 diabetes). The conditions already exist on my file before the visit. There was no new medical complaint for the doctor to address. But the doctor or Sutter Health still bill an extra "Office Visit" because they said it's a medical "discussion" hence an extra "office visit" bill. This is ridiculous. I feel that the doctors and Sutter Health are ripping patients off by billing as many claims as they can to extract more money from the insurance companies and the patients. My advice to patients: Beware when seeing doctors in Sutter Health in annual preventative check. Anything you said can be used against you in the bill.

Today I had my Colonoscopy performed by Dr Mai Dao. This surgeon/doctor is so caring, that I cannot say enough. When I had a question few days before the colonoscopy, she personally spoke to me. Greeted me prior to the procedure and also spoke to me in detail about after surgery care. She was also assisted by 2 nice nurses Veronica & Grace. I could not have asked for a better team.