Armstrong Michael, MD

Looking for an ENT? Just don’t.
I’ve been dealing with sinus issues for many years and a family member suggested a balloon rhinoplasty to open my passages. The doctor was nice, however I felt like the procedure was somewhat pushed on me upon my first visit — no alternatives except for gutting out my sinuses, which is a more evasive procedure. I agreed and it was scheduled. I was told that the outpatient procedure would take me out of work for an avg of 2 ½ days. Although I haven’t had any issues post-​op, I wish I wouldn’t have been awake for what I witnessed after I was numbed up.
If you’re non-​religious, then you should know that he’ll ask to say a prayer prior to the procedure. He then pulled in 3 other people into that small room to observe (although one ‘observer’ assisted), and let’s just say that it wasn’t a walk in the park. He grinds a tube between your canine teeth and your gums to allow the balloon to enter your sinuses, but they don’t tell you about the CRUNCH that occurs once the balloon is inflated. Personally, I don’t like people messing around in my skull when I’m awake except for my dentist!
The billing fiasco is another story all together. During the procedure the doctor said that there’s no charge for the followup. Upon scheduling, the person on the line said that there is no followup to the procedure (yet they do this to charge your insurance as a regular visit.) Remember when I wrote that the doctor said ‘no charge’? They charge your insurance either way and you have to pickup the remainder. So it’s really a deferred charge. They said that it’s a courtesy that they don’t have you pay a copay upon arrival and that they bill your insurance first to see if they’ll cover it. The doctor shouldn’t say something as stupid as ‘no charge’ when he doesn’t know how his billing works. The bill was only $ 25, but it’s the principle of the matter, you know.
I won’t be stepping foot back into this office. I don’t care if they gave me a free t-​shirt — I’m burning it!