ARA Diagnostic Imaging – William Cannon

Fantastic service! Went in for a chest x-​ray and was in and out faster than any other doctors appointment I have ever had. I mean from walk in the door to back out the door it took maybe 20 mins. The staff were super nice and helpful and explained the process. The location is very nice and clean and I like this location much much better than the one on Ben White. I will still drive to the ARA in San Marcos for my mammograms because I have certain staff there I adore, but will make this Wm. Cannon ARA location my Austin area go to for any other imaging needs.

Very efficient office with pleasant, friendly professionals guiding your way through what might be nerve –wracking procedures (insert squeeze jokes).

I have to start this off asking — did Austin Radiological (ARA) help to save my son’s life? Yes. Could any other radiological company have done the same? Probably. My problem is not with the ARA services since all work took place in Dell Children’s NICU; they interfaced with the docs and nurses (who definitely helped to save my son’s life!) over the 2.5 months that we were there. However, once the bills started rolling in it was a completely different story.
First off, their bills come in with each chargeable service listed randomly within the bill; that’s right — they are not sorted in any way whatsoever. This might be fine if you go in for a single xray and that’s all that is on your bill, but my bill was 13 pages long. Add to that that each page comes separately tri-​folded within the envelope so you first have to unfold each page of the bill, then try to figure it out. Oh yeah, and there are no page numbers it’s just a random assortment of printed pages with no specific order. Each page contains a complete heading with patient/​payee/​account into. You can probably picture my eyeballs trying to jump between my insurance claim website (conveniently sorted by date of provided service) and having to look through ARA’s 13 pages of transactions to find a single line item, in no particular order. When I called in to their support number and asked about this I was told «there’s nothing we can use as a unique identifier to sort by that makes sense since submission to insurance and processing can happen haphazardly»; to which I asked about the DATE OF SERVICE. The patient only receives that particular service that they are billed for on a single date — an obvious «unique» field to be sorted by. They may have another xray taken, but if it’s on a different date (or the same) it would still make sense to sort your bill using this field since that date can never change.
On to their telephone support — I started calling them in September (son was born in mid August) because they had random days within the entire set of billed dates that had no «contractual adjustment», nor any payment by my insurance company — so the total amount due was (incorrectly) to be paid by me. The first time I called in I was assured that it was a timing issue that would be resolved by the time my next statement went out. The next statement arrived (October) and the charges were still there so I called in again. The rep that time told me she completely understood the issue and would work with my insurance company to resolve all 14 line items that were wrong. Fast forward to yesterday when I received the November statement and sure enough, all 14 line items were still there — but now I’m listed as 60 days past due as an added bonus! Dutifully I called in again, but this time I was told by the rep that the previous rep noted on my account that I was going to contact my insurance and clear everything up … which was never a part of our conversation. I’ve got around 10 different service providers charging me for medical services that took place over 2.5 months; obviously there were some mistakes, and every time there was a discrepancy between the insurance company and the service provider (SP) all I had to do was make the SP aware of the issue and they contacted the insurance company and cleared it up from there. After all, this essentially put them in the driver seat to get the money owed to them, instead of waiting for me to have the time and inclination to get it resolved. Not so with ARA. Even though clearing this up would get them payment from the insurance company, I was told that it’s up to me as the customer to contact my insurance company and resolve the discrepancies with these line items — and until I do I’m responsible for the charges.
I’ve rambled on a bit here — but I can add this 30 minutes onto the numerous hours I’ve spent trying to figure out a chaotic, nonsensically printed bill from Austin Radiological Ass. or talking to my insurance company trying to resolve this issue so that ARA can get their money and I don’t get sent to collections and have my credit report impacted.
Obviously we are not going to refuse assistance in an emergency, but my wife and I have already agreed that at no time when we can make the choice, will we ever use ARA again. I don’t have hours and hours to spend in futile phone calls trying to ensure my credit score isn’t screwed up by their ridiculously inept billing department. It’s almost 2014 — put page numbers on your bills, sort your billing line items by something that makes sense, and take ownership of a miscommunication between yourself and the insurance company. I didn’t make the mistake, and I’m not looking to make any money off of this deal so I should not be the one having to play middle man between the two of you.
They were founded in 1954 and the services may be great — but they need to get their accounting department off of punch card computers and up to the 21^st century.

This is about the most rude front desk experience i’ve seen in a long time. Got the attitude from the moment i walked in.
This was after getting robo-​called to make an appointment. And bills are due upon receipt. Getting an estimate is a painful reminder of our healthcare system. Nobody over there understands FSA accounts either.
i don’t care if you are the biggest operation in town. You are not getting my business. Walked right out of there in less than 5 minutes. Good thing my MRI was elective (by me).

The stick in the mud people up front could make the experience in which someone needing an MRI or other types of test is going through much better by having at least 10% of a personality. They seem to hate their job and hate people in general. It is kind of sad. trust us, we don’t want to be there either!
Once you get past the unfriendly front desk folks, everyone in the back is in a pleasant mood, and comforting. Maybe it is the radiation? ;)
The billing here is slow to get to your insurance then they want payment ASAP. You weren’t in a hurry before, so I won’t be now. You will get it with in 30 days as is normal procedure. It isn’t my fault you billed and then adjusted what I owe so late in the game.
My 2 pennies

I’d rather say I have never been here, so I don’t need to write a review, but… well… trailing off now…
Austin Radiological Association is fantastic. I’ve been here a couple few times for testing. «I’s gots stricken» with the osteoporosis, and so I have to get regular bone density exams. The employees are always so kind, and the ladies that have done my bone scans always lighten the mood.
It’s tough to be in your early 30s and have this old lady disease. No, in case you are wondering, I do not have giant hump on my back or anything, but I do have weak and brittle bones that can snap when the wind blows. I am usually uncomfortable when I arrive, and make bad jokes about my bones to the nurse ladies, and they always make jokes back, and we laugh, and it makes the whole procedure better.
Results come back quite quickly, in about a week or so. The place is immaculate and ARA has super cool looking equipment. That’s a plus for me, since I am so nervous coming here. It’s fun to check out all the new high tech stuff.
So, thank you, ARA for helping me and my dusty bones feel at ease.

Daddy is gettin old. Things are starting to crack, creak, and crunch, kind of like an old tired set for a Broadway stage. It looks good to the audience, but the works just ain’t there no mo–
Doc sent me to ARA to get a knee x-​rayed and MRIed on two separate occasions within a week. I found the staff to be pleasant, professional, organized, and apt at their jobs. From front desk attendant to radiology technician, it was all very smooth and sincere.
The equipment the location uses seem very current, clean and professional. No issues with insurance questions. Not even a front end co-​pay. They just go through the insurance company and contact you later if you owe a balance. (I may change my review when I get that little piece of paper in the mail, but for now, let’s focus on the services.)
If you are a Southy, this is a great location on William Canon between West Gate and Manachaca. If you are a public transportation user, it’s a short walk from the #338 — very convenient.
If I wanted to return to this business, I would because they are great, but let’s hope I don’t have to.

I’ve been to this business twice I think in the last few years and really appreciate their professionalism, cleanliness and kindness of the people who are your care providers.
They are prompt, efficient and explain everything to you making you feel right at home and no one has ever been rude or short with me. I feel very secure in the attention to detail that their doctors most likely pay to reading test results when they have people representing the front as well as this establishment is doing.

I recently found a lump in my breast and called my MD’s office and the Austin Regional Clinic on Brodie recommended the closest Austin Radiological Association just down the street to get a Mammogram.
Their website is great I could have made an appointment and payed without ever talking to anyone and also quickly received my test results via their website. I actually called in my appointment because I had lots of questions that were expertly answered and I received my test results back in exactly a week (5– 10 days was the expected wait period).
The technician who did my Mammogram was very sweet and patient. I will not try and make it funny like the talented comedian Kimberly K. did with her Mammogram review because it was not funny and it sucked and it hurt and my results came back with a tumor in my right breast.
The new building is very clean and I was able to get an appointment within 4 days of calling — this place just might have saved my right Boob!