Office Hours
Make an Appointment
Patients are seen by appointment – on the same day the appointment is made if possible. To schedule an appointment, please call $host.phoneNumber during regular business hours.
Please call in advance for office visits. Make follow-up appointments as you leave. We make every effort to stay on schedule although emergencies do arise. If we are seriously delayed, we attempt to notify patients beforehand.
Telephone Calls
All patients are encouraged to call during office hours. If our nurse cannot answer your question, she will confer with the doctor. All calls will be returned promptly. Please confine all requests for prescription refills to office hours whenever possible. If you have any emergency after hours call our office. A greeting will direct you how to contact us in the event of an emergency. Please note that birth control prescriptions will not be filled outside of normal office hours.
New Patients
New patients are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork. You can download, print, and complete the forms prior to your appointment. Please bring the completed forms, a list of all medications you are currently taking, recent copies of x-rays, lab results and your insurance card to your appointment.
Billing
Unless arrangements have been made in advance, co-payments, co-insurance, and any outstanding balances are expected at the time of service. Patients may be financially responsible for payment of all services even if their insurance company does not pay. Patient accounts not paid promptly are subject to third party collections and/or legal procedures.
If we are not participating providers with your plan, we will provide you with a receipt for you to file with your insurance company.
If your insurance carrier has not responded to a claim within 90 days, we reserve the right to formally transfer all associated liability for the claim to the patient/guarantor. Failure to promptly resolve this balance may result in third party collection and/or legal procedures. Please always notify our office of any change in name, address, phone or insurance information.
If you are a participant of an HMO / PPO, or POS group insurance, please inform us at the time you sign in. We regret that we cannot be responsible for HMO / PPO, or POS authorizations, co-pays, or write offs if we are unaware of your participation or do not have proper identification or information.
We are committed to providing you with the best possible care. If you have medical insurance, we are anxious to help you receive your maximum allowable benefits. In order to achieve these goals, we need your assistance and understanding of your payment policy.
Payment for services is due at the time services are rendered, unless payment arrangements have been approved in advance by our authorized staff. We will be happy to help you process your insurance claim for your reimbursement. However, your receipt sent with a properly completed claim form is usually sufficient.
Balances older than 30 days may be subject to additional collection fees and monthly interest charges of 1% per month. (This does not apply to prenatal care and surgical procedures before insurance has been filed.)
Your co-payment and past-due account balance is due at the time of service. We accept checks, debit and all major credit cards. You can access your records and billing summaries via our patient portal.
Bounced checks will not be returned to the bank for collection and you will be charged a $25.00 handling fee. The check amount and the handling fee must be paid by money order or cashiers check. Any returned check not collected will be forwarded to the District Attorney for legal action.
We understand temporary financial problems may affect the timely payment of your account. If such problems should arise, we encourage you to contact us promptly for assistance in the management of your balance.
You can also use our secure Online Bill Pay option to pay current statement balances online without setting up an account.
Insurance
We participate with most major insurance plans, including Medicare; however, please review all insurance information with our staff prior to services being rendered.
Your health insurance contract is between you and your insurance company. Any complaints regarding your coverage should be directed to your carrier.
For your first visit, please bring your insurance card and picture ID, and arrive 30 minutes early to complete the necessary patient information forms. If you download these forms in advance from our physician's web sites and bring the completed forms with you, then we will only need you to arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment.
You will be asked to sign a consent form for your treatment. This document simply allows us to contact other healthcare providers and do whatever is necessary to ensure that you are given the best possible care.
We will gladly discuss your proposed treatment and answer any questions relating to your insurance. You must realize however that:
- Your insurance is a contract between you, your employer and your insurance company. We are not a party to that contract.
- Our fees ore generally considered to fall within the acceptable range by most companies and are therefore covered up to the maximum allowable as determined by each carrier. Our fees are considered usual, customary and reasonable by insurance standards. This statement does not apply to companies who reimburse based on arbitrary "schedule" of fees, which bears no relationship to the current standard and cost of care in the area.
- Not all services are a covered benefit in all contracts. Some insurance companies arbitrarily select certain services they will not cover. Such as IUD placement, routine annual exams, tubal ligations.
We must emphasize that as health care providers, our relationship is with you, not your insurance company. While insurance claims processing is a courtesy that we extend to our patients, all charges are your financial responsibility from the date the service is rendered.
If you have any questions about the above information or any uncertainty regarding insurance coverage, PLEASE do not hesitate to ask us. WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU.
Cancellations or Rescheduling
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance. Missed appointments will result in a $25.00 dollars fee added to your account. Please call and give us a chance to offer help with your scheduling problem.
Refill Requests
We are happy to help with refill requests during regular office hours, so please call us at $host.phoneNumber to let us know what you need.
After-Hours & Emergencies
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911. However, if you need after-hours advice for a medical concern, please call $host.phoneNumber and our answering service will assist you.
Hospitalization
When necessary, our patients may be hospitalized at Women's Hospital of Texas.