As of January 1, 2021 some significant changes were made by the Department of Health and Human Services to the national guidelines for billing medical office visits. Under the revised protocols and regulations, if we manage a medical problem during a routine checkup, the provider is required to document and charge for this service in addition to the usual charge for the routine visit. You may be charged a copay or deductible when billed for a separate medical problem. Whether you are charged a copay or deductible depends on the medical insurance plan, and is determined by your insurance company, not by our office.
As an example, if your child has asthma and we discuss the state of your child's asthma and review the use of asthma medications during a checkup, there will be a separate billing charge for the diagnosis and management of the asthma issue. The same applies for children on various medications, illnesses, injuries, and other complex medical syndromes.
There are hundreds of different insurance plans which make it impossible for your provider to know the details of all of them. Therefore, if you have questions about your covered benefits, please refer to the covered services section of your insurance handbook or contact member services at your insurance company.
Past due balances must be satisfied before your next scheduled appointment. If a balance exists on your account at the time of a visit, the office reserves the right to reschedule your appointment until the balance is paid.
You may send us any questions via the patient portal or contact Natalie or Krissy in our billing department at 508-833-0269.