Office Policies
Accepted Insurance Plans
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, AARP, Humana, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Community, Humana HMO (Gold Plus, referral and authorization number required from PCP prior to scheduling), Tricare. If your plan is not listed above, please call and our staff can help verify whether it is accepted.
Financial Policy
We are happy to bill your insurance as a courtesy. However, insurance coverage is not a guarantee of payment. You are responsible for all charges not paid by your insurance, including copays, deductibles, coinsurance, non-covered services, and services denied for medical necessity or eligibility. Please be sure to bring a valid insurance card and a photo ID to your visit.
Payment at Time of Service
Payment may be required at the time services are rendered. This includes:
- Your insurance copay
- An estimated portion of your deductible (if not met) or coinsurance
- Charges for services or equipment (including boots and orthotics) not covered by insurance
- Outstanding balances from prior visits
Estimated Patient Responsibility
If your insurance plan includes a deductible that has not yet been met, our office may collect a deposit toward the estimated patient responsibility at the time services are rendered. When available, this estimate will be based on information provided by your insurance carrier regarding the anticipated cost of services.
Please note that the final amount owed may vary after your insurance company processes the claim. If there is a remaining balance after your insurance claim has been processed and the deposit applied, you will be responsible for paying the outstanding amount. If your deposit exceeds the final patient responsibility, the overpayment will first be applied to any existing balance on your account. If no balance remains, the credit will be refunded by check to the address on file once all related insurance claims have been fully processed. This process typically occurs within 90 days. Payment plans are available but eligibility is at the discretion of the practice. All payment plans require balances be paid within 6 months of the visit date.
Insurance Verification
Verification of benefits is not a guarantee of payment. Patients are responsible for charges resulting from expired coverage, unmet deductibles, or plan limitations. It is each patient's responsibility to independently verify deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums prior to the initial visit with our provider.
If covered by an HMO plan, it is your responsibility to obtain a referral and/or authorization from your primary care physician prior to being seen by the doctor. If you do not have your referral at the time of your visit, we would kindly ask that you reschedule or pay for the visit at the self pay cost. Once your authorization has been received, we will process your insurance claim. Please note, some plans do not allow for retro-authorizations after the date of service.
It is also the responsibility of all returning patients to provide updated insurance coverage information. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of claims and the need for the patient to be billed for the full amount until the corrected claim can be submitted.
Financial Responsibility for Minors
The parent or legal guardian who accompanies a minor to their appointment is considered the financially responsible party for all charges incurred at the visit. We are unable to bill or assign financial responsibility to a parent or guardian who is not present at the time of service, regardless of custody arrangements or divorce decrees.
Same Day Visits:
Walk-in appointments made for the date of service are welcomed based on provider availability. No additional fee is incurred for same day or emergency visits.
Late Arrivals:
Your appointment time is reserved only for you. In the event that you are late to your visit, we are happy to accommodate you at the physician's discretion.
Cancellations and "No Shows":
We understand that unforeseen events and emergencies may arise. Kindly give 24 hours' notice if you are not able to keep your appointment. Recurrent cancellations within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment date and time or no-shows can be subject to a cancellation fee or termination from the practice.
Termination from the Practice:
Our practice strives to maintain a respectful, cooperative relationship with all patients. We reserve the right to discontinue care for reasons including, but not limited to, nonpayment, repeated missed appointments, failure to follow treatment recommendations, inappropriate behavior, or breakdown of trust.
If dismissal becomes necessary, the patient will receive written notice and will have a limited period (typically 30 days) to obtain care with another provider. During this time, we will provide urgent or emergent care only with payment required at the time services are rendered. Upon request, medical records will be forwarded to the patient’s new provider in accordance with applicable law. We encourage patients to communicate with our office about financial or treatment concerns so we can address issues before they affect care.
Durable medical equipment (i.e. surgical shoes, walking boots, ankle braces, over the counter orthotics) are also available for purchase.
Questions about what deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums are and how they play into your financial responsibility?