I wanted to write this review to help others in making their decision. Sales calls: I called to ask for info and they scheduled a tour for the following week. During the few days in between, Admissions Specialist Ashley Joiner contacted me 4 times, twice via email and twice via voicemail. She called early on my birthday, which was a Sunday, on a holiday weekend. She had just asked my birthdate a few days prior, but didn't acknowledge it as many companies do, just left another high-pressure sales msg. In an earlier voicemail, she said that they'd checked insurance and that there would be "0 due at admission." This wording struck me as odd, and I realized that wasn't the same as covered for the duration of the program. Tour: The tour experience was great. The facility is pristine and beautiful, with lovely artwork all around. And very quiet. I met with the director Fran and had a good conversation. If my decision were based solely on that visit, I probably would have gone forward. A couple of things did stand out though. At one point she said, unprovoked "We're not a cult." She also asked me right away what my traumas were. I discussed with her how I'd learned that it can be retraumatizing to dive into discussing one's trauma, and she seemed to back off somewhat. Though I realize a lot of therapy professionals don't fully understand retraumatization. The main issue I had was the sketchy financial practices and overly manipulative sales techniques the remote staff in Wickenburg, AZ and Houston, TX tried on me. Financial manipulation: Before I even left the parking lot, I called my insurance provider and they told me the center is Out-of-network with a deductible plus 30%. Not $0. I then called and had a weird experience with the Texas staff. I asked for their financial dept. At first the girl didn't say anything, like she hadn't heard. 🤨 I repeated and she transferred me. When I told the next girl they were out of network for Cigna, she became defensive, insisted I was wrong and that she "knows for a fact" that they're in-network. She used the same phrase, "0 due at admission." When I asked what happened if I left early, she said that wasn't permitted 😨 & then claimed they'd refund me some portion. 🧐 When I asked her to send me an email repeating what she told me in the call, that it would be 100% covered for 8 wks at 3 days/wk (despite that even in-network is deductible + 10% 🤔), she said she wasn't "allowed" to. But that if I gave a "verbal commitment" now, she would then send me the contract. I refused but she insisted it would only be a formality that wouldn't count. 🥴 I say I'll sleep on it. "Before you go, I have 2 questions." No, I'm good. Meadows' troubled history: After this I was so bewildered, I went down a Meadows rabbit hole. I read the dire reviews on the Wickenburg, AZ flagship location, which director Fran had just lauded. One describes 3 suicides there. There is an article in The Arizona Republic (AZ Central) about how Pat Mellody (owner Pia's husband) raped a staff member. I read Pia's Codependent No More years ago and found it helpful, but she has no college degree nor clinical accreditation. Why I wouldn't recommend: While I considered just paying the 30+%, the problem is this co. doesn't utilize insurance in a trustworthy way. Even if you're covered for Out-of-network providers, you can't trust these weirdos to actually follow through w/ ins. Other reviews report having ins. cut and getting unexpected bills for thousands of dollars. They claim it's $12,800 out of pocket for the IOP, but who knows if that's accurate? While I'm bummed to not be able to attend based on financial stonewalling, sleazy staff, & everything I've learned, it doesn't feel right supporting a system that should be making things easier for, not taking advantage of, those it purports to help. But maybe under new management this center could be something beneficial.
