Where do I go to register with a gynecologist?

Does anyone know how I can report a gynecologist who works through the insurance network (not a private practice)?
So, after my exam, he offered to do an ultrasound right then and there. I said sure. He sent me over to a different exam room and told me it would cost $33.
The guy showed up wearing a flannel shirt and jeans—no white coat in sight. He did the ultrasound, scribbled some notes on a scrap of paper, and told me to just bring it back at my next appointment. When I handed him the $33, he just said thanks.
I was so relieved to finally get out of that office that I didn't even process it right away.
But now it’s hitting me: something is seriously wrong here. Help!
😕

So, what's actually bothering you—is it the bill from $33 or was it just the fact that he did the ultrasound while wearing a plaid shirt?😕

Frank Nguyen4 said:So what’s actually getting under your skin here? Is it the bill from $33 or just the fact that they were running an ultrasound while wearing a plaid shirt?😕

What would you even find problematic in a situation like this?🙄

Steven Rivera7 said:Does anyone know how to report a gynecologist working through insurance? (Not a private practice).
Basically, after my exam, he offered to do an ultrasound. I said yes. Then he sent me over to a different clinic and told me it would cost $33.

I didn't know what to do right then because I just wanted to get out of that office as fast as possible.

Man, talk about quick reflexes. Nice job. 🙏 🙏

Steven Rivera7 said:Does anyone know how to report a gynecologist who works through the hospital system rather than private practice?
Basically, after my exam, he offered to do an ultrasound. I said yes. He had me move over to a different exam room and told me the fee would be $33.
He showed up wearing a plaid shirt and jeans—no white coat in sight—did the ultrasound, scribbled some notes on a scrap of paper, and told me to bring it back at my next appointment. When I handed him the $33, he just said thanks.
I didn't really process it right then because I was just dying to get out of there,
but now it's hitting me that something is seriously wrong here. I need help!
😕

Look, I’ll be blunt: filing a formal complaint with the medical board probably won't give you any sense of justice or closure. Honestly, the smartest move you can make is to just stop seeing him. If you want to actually do something, go public—post his name online so other women know to steer clear of his "services."

Steven Rivera7 said:Does anyone know how I can report a gynecologist who works through an insurance provider (so, he isn't in private practice)?
Basically, after my exam, he offered to do an ultrasound. I agreed. He sent me to a different exam room and told me it would cost $33.
He showed up wearing a plaid shirt and jeans—no white coat at all—performed the ultrasound, scribbled something on a scrap of paper, and told me to bring it back next time I come in. When I handed him $33, he just said thanks.
I didn't really process it right away because I was just eager to get out of the office.
But now it's hitting me that something feels off. Any advice?
😕

Honestly, it shouldn't matter if the doctor wrote the results by hand or printed them out from a computer—as long as his official stamp is on there, it’s a valid medical report. Unless he wrote it on toilet paper...🙄 though I'm guessing you wouldn't call a scrap of paper "toilet paper."🙂
Also, just a thought—even if he's working through an insurance provider rather than being a private doctor, there are certain services that aren't covered by the plan, which means you have to pay extra out of pocket.
I'm a little confused why you didn't just ask him why there was an extra charge since it clearly left you feeling so unsettled and frustrated in the first place.

Under the new law, doctors from the hospital are actually allowed to pick up shifts at private practices during their off hours, so it's totally legal now.

Even at non-private OB-GYN clinics, you're still getting charged for ultrasounds. It’s not like you're being ripped off for nothing; they actually issue a formal receipt for it.

Personally, I think Steven Rivera7 is totally justified in being confused, and honestly, it was a fair question to ask. Just a heads-up though—we might be missing some key details here, like whether there was supplemental insurance involved or if a referral was even issued.
First off, you should get an itemized receipt for every single service, including any co-pays from an exam.
Second, we have to consider how the doctor actually performed the ultrasound.🙄
If they charged $33 for an ultrasound, there should be a clear price posted right at the clinic door or on the wall, and obviously, they need to provide a receipt.
For example, if you go to a private specialist, those prices usually start around $150-$167🙄
.
Ivy, what new law are you talking about?? Does that law actually say doctors can work at a hospital clinic until 4 PM and then just walk a few feet over to their private practice in the same building?
(It’s kind of like how things used to work over at the local Salad cafe area recently. You try to book an appointment with a referral and everything is fine, but you're looking at a 30 to 60-day wait. But hey, you have another option: just pay roughly $133 and you can see them in a day or two).

Look, healthcare definitely isn't free, but people still need to know exactly when, what, and how much they're paying.

Steven Rivera7, if you truly feel there's a legitimate reason to file a formal complaint against the gynecologist, go for it. But let's be real—it's such a massive headache of a process that you probably won't even want to deal with it.

What really kills me about this whole thing is how he didn't even have a white coat. I mean, come on—you can't just be running diagnostics on patients in some random storefront clinic off the main road! 😕

Frank Nguyen4 said:Honestly, it shouldn't matter if your doctor scribbles it by hand or prints it out on a computer—as long as there’s an official stamp at the top, it’s a legit medical report! Unless he wrote it on a roll of toilet paper🙄 though I highly doubt you're talking about a "scrap of tissue" like that.🙂
Plus, even if this doctor isn't running a private practice and is working through some insurance provider, if the coverage doesn't kick in, you've still gotta pay out of pocket.
And seriously, why didn't you just ask him why you had to pay for that specific service since it clearly left you feeling so confused and frustrated?!

Look, I don't think you actually got what I was saying, and honestly, neither did the other people responding to me.
Let me try to break it down a bit better for you:
My OBGYN doesn't work at a major hospital; he works out of a local community clinic in my neighborhood. He does the actual exams there. It's a full setup—he's got his own office, a nurse, and a little first-aid station. Everything's dialed in.
But, for the ultrasound, he scheduled me at a different clinic in the next town over and told me straight up it would cost $33, so I was totally fine with that. That place doesn't even have a nurse or a medical station. That's what tripped me up. He set the appointment for 8 PM, which is basically after hours (it's probably some private arrangement he has with the doctor there). And then, get this: the "report" wasn't on toilet paper, but it was written on a ripped-out square of graph paper from some random notepad, which he told me to bring back at my next visit. To make matters worse, there's no official letterhead or signature on it—just some illegible chicken scratch (he mentioned a 3cm fibroid, so I'm assuming that's what he scribbled down).

You should reach out directly to the administration at the health clinic where his office is located. You’re going to have to put everything in writing—both for him and for yourself. You can’t just show up and give them a verbal account; they need a paper trail. (Trust me, I've been there.) Once you submit it, they’ll review the matter and get back to you. Of course, if the director happens to be his buddy, you might find that absolutely nothing comes of it.

At this point, your best bet might just be that little note he wrote you. Keep that original safe—tuck it away somewhere secure. When you file your formal complaint, attach a photocopy instead. Only show the original if someone specifically asks to see it; you don't want to lose your only leverage. The fact that you weren't officially logged in their system as an ultrasound patient—even though you have the paperwork to prove you were—might actually help you prove what really happened. As for him scheduling you at 8:00 PM when he didn't even have the equipment ready? There's no way to prove that, even if you include it in your statement. They'll likely try to sweep a reported incident under the rug unless you stay persistent and keep calling that administrator's office. Even if they don't bury it, they'll probably just tell you they gave him a reprimand and claim the matter is closed.

Brace yourself.

It’s also pretty vital—in my opinion—that whatever complaint you file is actually well-written, both grammatically and stylistically. You want them to take you seriously, don't you?

Steven Rivera7 said:Look, I don't think you—or anyone else replying here—really caught my drift.
Let me try to break this down a bit better:
My OB-GYN doesn't work out of a major hospital, just a local community clinic in my neighborhood. He does the actual exams there. It’s a proper setup—private office, a nurse, a sterile kit, the whole nine yards.
But, when it came time for the ultrasound, he scheduled me at a different clinic in the next town over and told me straight up it would cost $33, so I went along with it. That place was bare-bones—no nurse, no medical supplies, nothing. It threw me off. He booked me for 8 PM, which is basically after hours (likely some private arrangement with the doctor running that site). And then, get this: instead of an official report, he scribbled everything on a scrap of graph paper torn from a notepad, telling me to just bring it back at my next appointment. To top it off, there's no clinic stamp, no signature—just some illegible chicken scratch. He mentioned a 3 cm fibroid, so I assume that's what he wrote.

So, that "scrap of graph paper" diagnosis... is he planning to wear it as a pocket square?🙏

Don't even bother trying to fix this... just find a different OBGYN... there are plenty of decent doctors out there.
I used to mostly see private specialists because I figured if you’re paying out of pocket, you should at least be treated with some respect, but that’s definitely not always the case.
Lately, I've been seeing someone who isn't strictly "private," and I'm actually really happy with them. The wait time is about a month and a half. I went in for my pap smear today. Usually, around here, you have to wait six weeks just to get your results back, but today he actually asked if I wanted him to send the samples to a specific lab privately, since they partner with a local clinic😕. Of course, that comes with an extra fee of $50. I decided to go for it, and the results were ready in just five days.
I once had this experience with a doctor who works at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic, but he also moonlights at a private practice and runs his own clinic on the side... the issue was that while I was at that well-known private practice, he kept trying to convince me that I needed to run certain tests specifically through his own private office. He started pulling this stuff while looking over my pap results, so I asked him if something was wrong with them (they were perfectly fine—any idiot could see that)... and then he just started making excuses... blah, blah, blah... but look, I'm not stupid, so I started questioning exactly which tests he wanted and why. Once he realized I wasn't from Mars, he finally backed off.

I mean, he’s out here acting like a fashion icon just because he wears a crisp button-down—as if that makes him some kind of high-end specialist.🙂

But seriously, it’s pretty obvious this guy is operating off the books and cutting massive corners with the law.
Melissa Sullivan27 explained how the whole process works, which was super helpful, but the real question is whether we can actually take action. You really have to call out these kinds of blatant violations.

The problem is, without an official signature or a stamp, it’s going to be an uphill battle to get anything done.
It’s basically your word against his, and unfortunately, a scrap of paper is the only real evidence you have when someone is straight-up breaking the law.

Before you go filing any formal complaints, maybe try having a real conversation with him first.😉

It isn’t always about corruption—sometimes it's just plain old confusion. You really should have asked that doctor right then what was going on and why there was a charge in the first place. Honestly, it’s not too late to fix this; you can just give that gynecologist a call and ask for some clarification. It'll definitely help put your mind at ease. In your case, I’d bet it’s more of a misunderstanding than any kind of "shady business." Just call them and smooth things over.
Let me know how it goes—I'm actually really curious to hear!🙂

I don't think approaching him from the "you cheated me, I'm here to complain" angle is going to work at all. What's he actually going to say? "Yeah, I took your money without a receipt—totally an accident"? We both know that’s not how this works. It’s a dead end.

Your best bet is to play dumb—act completely naive, like you have no idea what his intentions were. Just tell him you need him to write down exactly what you paid for on a piece of paper for your own records. Maybe suggest he "must have just forgotten" to give you a formal receipt... and mention that you absolutely need it for something like your tax returns (which he'll know is a valid reason). This might actually work if you want to avoid filing a formal written complaint. It gives him a way out—an opportunity to save face instead of being confronted directly—while still getting you that documentation. If he claims he can't provide a receipt, that's when you dig in. Start insisting that, as far as you know, a receipt is legally required for every transaction...

I honestly feel like he’s just totally out of his mind when it comes to using that specific patterned fabric! 🙂🙂

Elizabeth Hill48 said:Just don't deal with it... find another OBGYN... there are plenty of sane ones out there.
I’ve mostly stuck to private practices because I figured if you pay more, they actually treat you like a human being, but apparently, that's not always the case.
Now I'm seeing someone at a non-private clinic and I'm actually happy. The waitlist is about a month and a half. I was in for an ultrasound today. Usually, it takes six weeks just to get results around here, but today he asked if I wanted him to send my samples to a private lab instead, since they partner with this specific outpatient center😕. Obviously, it costs an extra $50. I said sure. The results were ready in five days.
I actually had this one experience with a doctor who works at Mount Sinai but also moonlights at a fancy private clinic and has his own practice too... basically, while he was looking over my ultrasound results at that big-name clinic, he started trying to hustle me into getting certain tests done specifically at his private office... he was acting all shady while checking my results, so I asked if something was wrong with them (they were totally fine, anyone could see that)... and then he started making excuses... blah, blah, blah... whatever. Anyway, I'm not stupid, so I started grilling him on which tests and why, and once he realized I hadn't just fallen from Mars, he backed off.

What do you mean "don't deal with it"!!! This is exactly why the whole system in this country is such a mess—because nobody stands up for anything and everyone just takes the path of least resistance. Maybe Dr. Karirani isn't technically breaking any laws, but someone definitely needs to have a word with him or the hospital board.