UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health theft / skimming of patient insurance co-pays is FACT. I will go over exactly how UT Health East Texas stole copays from me. This information is posted here for free to help other patients that are victims of Ardents Healths Copay theft.
I will be more than happy to share my proof documents, reports and personal findings with attorneys, investigators or media. Contact me with what documents you want and preferred method of receiving the information.
How The Copay Theft Started
For my 2025 health insurance, I had the “Focused Silver” insurance plan offered by Ambetter from Superior Health plan. My max out of pocket in 2025 was $3,050.00 then Ambetter would pay 100% of in network cost after. I met my max out of pocket limit on 4/25/25, so that make Ambetter 100% responsible for all in-net-work covered cost for the remaining of 2025.
My health during 2025 has been very poor, so my medical care has been high maintenance. I have had many doctor visits, procedures, 2 surgeries and lots testing. The exact point of theft is easy to see and well documented.
First instance of copay theft occurred 4/25/25 with a visit to my primary care provider Dr. Susan McMullen. My max out of pocket for 2025 was met on 4/25/25 but with a CVS copay that was paid for my prescription. Leaving Ambetter 100% responsible to pay for my office visit with Dr. McMullen.
When I checked in for my office visit with Dr. McMullen’s front desk, I did tell them that I was probably at my max out of pocket. The clinic staff told me that they are required to collect insurance copays from all patients, or they wouldn’t be able to see the doctor. I did on this day pay my first copay stolen by UT Health East Texas.
An insurance claim was made to my health insurance policy in the amount of $160 in the name of Susan McMullen. My credit card statement shows a $15 copay charged for the clinic visit and paid to “ETMC PHYSICIAN GROUP ITYLERTX“.
This first stolen copay may appear to be an simple mistake, but I have learned that it was not a mistake.
Identifying The Pattern Of Copay Theft
As my health during 2025 has been poor, I visited multiple UT Health East Texas facilities and was treated by many doctors. I have found that the facilities and doctors connected to the main hospital in Tyler did not steal copays. Every time I was treated in the Olympic Plaza after 4/25/25, no copay was charged and the office staff had no issues with not charging.
The only times I was charged Copays illegally was when I visited my PCP Dr. Susan McMullen. I was charged a $15 copay by Dr. McMullen’s office staff even after I told them I met my max out of pocket for 2025. The clinic staff told me that if I didn’t pay the $15 copay, I wouldn’t be allowed to keep my scheduled appointment with Dr. McMullen. I was very sick at the time, and needed medical care so I paid the CoPays the clinic staff demanded.
UT Health East Texas stole copay’s from me on the following dates:
- 4/25/25
- 6/25/25
- 7/16/25
- 7/23/25
My copay to see my PCP Dr. McMullen is $15 per visit during 2025 until my max out of pocket is met. So my total theft amount is $60 in copays, because Dr. McMullen’s office continued to charge me every visit. They would have continued to charge me copays every clinic visit, if I had not left Dr. McMullen’s care. They told me that If I didn’t pay my copay _ I would not be getting medical care.
Legally Charged CoPays After Max Out Of Pocket Is Paid
Legally UT Health could charge patients CoPays even after their max out of pocket was met if that were their company policy. If a health care provider had such a policy that required copays to be paid even after the MOP was met, they would also need to refund those copays as soon as the insurance company’s claim said the patient owed $0.
These types of over payment refunds are common. Medical providers usually refund over payments within 30 days. So if these CoPays were legally charged by UT Health policy, the copays should have been refunded 30 days from the date the claims were paid by my policy.
Health care providers could charge copays to patients as a way to better utilize their resources. Verifying insurance per customer could increase labor cost for the provider. The health care insurance company will automatically review each claim and inform the provider of the responsibilities of the patient. Charging copays in this legal professional manor is actually better for the health care providers profitability. Very smart business policy.
How UT Health East Texas / Ardent Steals Copays
When I notified UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health that I was aware of UT Health skimming copays from patients. I notified them through email on October 23, 2025 9:35pm using email address privacyoffice@uthet.com. UT Health East Texas didn’t offer any kind of response to my email, nobody called about the copays, I was not offered a refund for the copays.
UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health responded to my email accusing them of skimming copays from vulnerable patients was to try to hide the theft. Without notifying me of any kind of solution, UT Health / Ardent moved the money for 2 of the 4 copays from Dr. McMullen’s clinic to an open account I have at the Tyler Hospital.
Dr. McMullen’s clinic is structured as a separate business, under the umbrella of UT Health East Texas – Athen’s. So those 2 copays managed to be transferred to a completely different business, because they tried to excuse their copay theft.
I do have an open account set up on a payment plan since 2/2025 for knee surgery I had in the Tyler hospital. I have the payments set up on autopay and have not missed a payment since it started. This account is not delinquent in any way, and payments have always posted through autopay. Yes, technically UT Health East Texas could decide to refund over payments to that account even in good standing.
BUT UT Health East Texas can not legally transfer funds from one business into another separate business. If I purchased merchandise at Walmart could I return them to Sam’s Club? Absolutely not.
There were no refunds, responses or attempts to cover the stolen copays from 4/25/25 and 6/25/25. It is my observation that UT Health East Texas / Ardent on tried to hide the stolen copays on 7/16/25 and 7/23/25 because older financial records are being erased.
I tried to get copies of itemized bills from my Dr. McMullen office visits. UT Health told me that only Dr. McMullen’s office can provide the itemized bills, since the clinic is a separate business entity. I went in person to Dr. McMullen’s office to request the itemized bills. Dr. McMullen’s staff told me that they do not have access to itemized bills and that I would need to contact Ardent for those financial records.
I requested the Dr. McMullen bills multiple times in writing and got a couple of calls from Ardent. Ardent provided me with the wrong bills on 1 occasion. The second time Ardent sent me copies of what were supposed to be itemized bills from Dr. McMullen’s office _ they were generated fake document from Ardent corporate offices.
Ardent Health is supposed to be the “Billing Department” for UT Health East Texas. Ardent can not provide these medical bills. I believe Ardent erases financial documents _ for the purpose here : to hide stealing copays from patients.
Reporting The CoPay Theft To Texas Department Of Insurance
When I reported the copay theft on 11/21/25, I also reported insurance fraud for another bill that I stumbled onto by accident. I will post about the insurance fraud in a later article, as information on the insurance fraud is still developing.
I did report all of the facts to The Texas Department Of Insurance TDI about the copay theft as mentioned here in this article. The TDI complaint is #440532 reported 11/21/25. The TDI notified people involved to which I believed would be UT Health East Texas. I was contacted on December 2, 2025 by an Ambertter rep (my health insurance company).
On December 2, 2025 my insurance company asked me why I believed UT Health East Texas committed insurance fraud. So I mentioned that the bills I brought up to TDI were not billed correctly. The Agent sent very little time on the stolen copays. I found out very quickly that my insurance company Ambetter was more interested in getting the TDI complaint closed _ than stopping UT Health East Texas / Ardent from stealing copays from patients.
I did specifically tell the Ambetter rep that I wanted to press criminal charges on UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health for their theft from patients. In the space allowed in the TDI complaint for my idea of a fair resolution, I also told the TDI that I wanted to press criminal charges for the theft. I believe is immoral for any health care provider to steal money from sick patients.
Ambetter closed the TDI complaint by agreeing to refund the stolen money to me. Ambetter mentioned that they talked to Dr. McMullen’s office about charging patients CoPays.
Since the Ambetter rep told the TDI that UT Health East Texas agreed to pay the stolen money back _ TDI closed the case. I guess Texas Department Of Insurance sees it as no theft occurred if the money is returned.
So this also means _ UT Heath East Texas / Ardent Health will continue to skim copays from sick patients, because they only need to repay the money if a patient reports them to the TDI. I confronted UT Health East Texas on 10/23/25 about them stealing my copays, I received no refunds when they were made aware. UT Health reacted by adding 2 of my copays to a completely different facility in an attempt to hide the theft.
If You Believe You Are A Victim Of UT Health East Texas / Ardent CoPay Theft
From my experience going directly to UT Health East Texas, Ardent Health or your own health insurance company is a waste of time. I did’nt see any kind of results till I contacted Texas Department Of Insurance TDI , so I recommend just starting with the TDI. I still have not received a refund from the CoPays UT Health / Ardent stole from me _ but maybe with enough reports of the same copay theft, they might press criminal charges and stop them from stealing.
How To Check To See If You Are A Victim Of CoPay Theft
The fastest and easiest way to see if you are a victim of CoPay theft is to contact your health insurance company. Your insurance company can tell you if you have met your max out of pocket. You can also ask them if you are supposed to be paying a copay when you visit the doctor.
When I told Ambetter that Dr. McMullen’s office was charging me copays after I met my Max out of pocket _ they asked me if I wanted to file a grievance and I did. The agent told me that she would file the grievance but “good luck” getting my money back.
See If You Are A Victim Of Insurance Fraud
It is within your patient rights to request itemized bills of all medical services. Go to the UT Health East Texas / Ardent location that treated you, and ask the registration desk about getting your bill. Patients also have the right to request medical records. To get your itemized medical bills, you should only need your ID to get them.
I found that UT Health East Texas double charges, so go down the list of charges looking for duplicates. You can report the Insurance Fraud to Texas Department Of Insurance (TDI)
Documents Of Proof I Have For This Article
- Reports made to Texas Department Of Insurance (TDI)
- 4x Insurance Claims made through my health insurance for Dr. McMullen office visits
- I have 3 proofs of payments but cant seem to find for one of the copays, possibly paid in cash
- Emails between myself and UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health
- Emails between myself and Ambetter Insurance
- My Ambetter health insurance policy
This article was created and published on 12/18/2025. At the time this article was published, A link was sent to UT Health East Texas / Ardent Health. privacyoffice@uthet.com They have been aware of everything in this article for some time now and still have not provided real itemized bills for Dr. McMullen’s visit.
They have the means to have this article taken down if the content were lies. This information is FACT and will remain published to stop UT Health East Texas / Argent Health from stealing from vulnerable sick patients.
Sandra Hopkins