Office Policies
Appointment Policy
Cancellation/No-Show
We request that all patients schedule appointments prior to coming to the office so that we may properly dedicate enough time to address your concerns. We know that your time is valuable and we want to respect your time while giving you and all of our patients the best care possible. If you are no longer to keep your appointment time, please call and notify us immediately. By notifying us, you are then giving another patient the opportunity to have your reserved time. Therefore, our office policy allows us to assess a $50 cancellation fee for sick visits and a $75 cancellation fee for well visits if you do not give at least 24 hours notice of cancellation prior to your appointment time.
Late Policy
We understand that life happens, especially when children are involved! We recommend that you arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. That way, once you arrive in our office, this gives you enough time to complete necessary paperwork, update insurance information (and squeeze in those last minute bathroom breaks that are bound to happen with little ones). In the event that you arrive more than 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time, we may need to reschedule your appointment, however, we will do our best to accommodate you that same day.
Prescription Renewal Policy
Prescriptions can only be refilled during normal office hours. The on call physician will not prescribe or refill any medication after office hours. Our office needs up to 5 business days to complete your request (however, it will usually be much less time). When you are calling to renew a prescription, please have ready the name and the phone number of your pharmacy along with the name of the medication. If we have not had a visit with you within the last 6 months, we will request that you schedule an appointment before we can refill your medication. No prescriptions for any scheduled medication such as narcotics or medication for ADHD will be renewed without a visit.
Billing/Payment Policy
Please check with your insurance carrier and on our website to see if we are a participating provider with your insurance. You must have your plan ID card at the time of each visit and must be prepared to pay your co-pay, deductible or any services that are not covered by your insurance at the time of your visit. We accept cash, check, MasterCard, Visa or Discover for your convenience. If you have an insurance plan for which we are not a provider, our billing team will be happy to provide you with the necessary paperwork for you to file with your insurance company. Our billing team is available to answer any questions you may have regarding your account or insurance coverage.
Patient Education on Billing
As you may know, there are very specific regulations about billing for health care services. We are obligated to follow those regulations in how we report services provided to you. Additionally, every insurance plan has different rules that vary from insurer to insurer and may even vary between plans of the same insurer. All physicians/providers must report services using a variety of codes to tell the insurance company what was done and why. It is not uncommon for patients in the course of a visit to receive management and treatment services for a separate and specific problem, as well as routine or preventive services at the same visit. The physician records all care provided during every encounter and must submit documentation to the insurance company. This results in billing a sick visit with a well visit. Both services must be reported to the insurance company and may result in an additional co-payment or charge as per the insurer's plan rules. There are many different insurance companies and plans; addressing a problem may trigger a co-payment or additional charges to your account. Your financial responsibility is determined by the rules of your insurance company, which we are obligated to follow. If you have questions, please check with your insurance plan. We are dedicated to providing the best possible care for you and your family and to being respectful of your time. If our billing team can help, please contact the office so we may connect you with them.
Medical Records Release
Your child's medical records are maintained with strict adherence to patient confidentiality laws. You may, with a written, signed request, obtain copies of your child's medical records. Whether the copy is for you or for another physician we will forward the records, a reasonable number of times, at no charge. We may require up to 30 days notice to prepare your records. If you are moving, we recommend you pick up your records and take them to your new physician.
Forms Policy
Please bring all forms to be completed with you to your child's well visit, and we will be happy to complete them free of charge with the exception of Katie Beckett forms.
- Any form submitted outside of a well child check will require a payment of $10 per form at the time of the request.
- Due to the complexity of Katie Beckett forms they will require a $25 fee (not $10).
- There is no fee at any time for the following forms: 3231 immunization forms, allergy or asthma action plans, medication forms, state required forms, and insurance required forms. However, you will require an up to date visit for the management of chronic conditions (allergies, asthma, ADHD, etc.).
- All forms require 5 business days to complete, whether presented at the well visit or another time.
You do have the option to have the form expedited to be completed within 2 business days for a fee of $25.