Frequently Asked Questions

Prescriptions and Insurance

    • Ask your pharmacy to contact us, and allow 2 business days for their response. Plan ahead! We may not be able to respond to a Friday request before Monday.

    • For on-going prescriptions, such as for blood pressure or thyroid meds or birth control pills, expect to come in at least once a year.

    • For narcotics or other controlled substances, generally we require a visit every 1-3 months. Our Pain Contract describes our policies regarding these prescriptions.

    • If you need a prescription sent to a mail order pharmacy or phoned to a new pharmacy, call us to give the name of the medicine, strength, directions and quantity you are requesting, the pharmacy phone or fax number, and patient ID number if needed.

  • Call the toll free number on the back of your insurance card or ask our front desk staff.

  • Expect to pay at the time of service. If there is also financial hardship, please tell us.

  • Call the toll free number on the back of your insurance card or visit their web site, to be sure our providers are on your plan.

  • We have contracts with the following insurance companies:

    Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Meridian, Wellcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Complete, United Health Care, Total Health Care, Hap, Priority Health, and others.

Calling the Office

  • The receptionist will give the message with your chart to the medical assistant, who will then call you back, usually within a few hours. You may be asked to come in for an office visit.

    If you are asking for a prescription, please give us 48 hours notice. We will need a pharmacy number, state any allergies, and specifically what medicine you are calling about. You may be asked to come in for an office visit.

  • Calls “for the doctor” will be returned within the next 24-48 hours.

  • We are a walk-in clinic. No appointments are neccessary.

  • Check on the back of your insurance card. We collect the co- payments prior to your visit when you check in.

    Please bring your insurance card.

    We accept Visa, Master card, Discover and American Express We offer a discount to patients without insurance who pay at the time of service.

  • A list of your concerns. We may not be able to address all of them at each visit.

    Your current med list: a complete list of everything you are actually taking now. It may help to bring in the actual prescription bottles and any over the counter remedies, and those prescribed by other doctors.

    Allergies and any meds that have caused any kind of adverse reaction.

    Please tell us if there is anyone with whom you would authorize us to discuss your medical care.

    Any forms that need to be filled out need to be presented during an office visit or there may be a separate charge for completing them.

    Your insurance card and co-pay or medical coupon. Please check to make sure we are on your plan.

  • Yes! Even if you have just been in, we may not have the information we need. If it is important enough to do, then it needs to be done right. Bring the form in at the time of the visit.

    Such paper-work may include school or other “physicals,” disability documentation, prescriptions for medical equipment, justification for “un-covered” meds, L&I (workman’s comp), Family Medical Leave Act or POLST (advanced directive) forms, work excuses, retirement home admission forms.

    If you are seen regularly for diabetes, pain management or other chronic problems:

    We like to see patients about every 3 months for these type of concerns.

Referrals

  • If your insurance requires a referral in order for them to cover a visit or a test, you must be seen by your primary care provider first. Referrals may need to be “renewed” after three or more months. Referrals are generally done in our office and may take several days to complete, unless it is very urgent.

    IMPORTANT: If a specialist suggests you see another specialist, check back with our office first! Many times, your insurance company will only pay if the referral is from your primary care provider. Please tell us before you see the second specialist!

    If you plan to see another practitioner, but don’t need a referral, please let us know.

    • You will get better care if we can send them some of your medical history.

    • Please ask them to send us a report, so we can take better care of you.

    • Part of our job is to help coordinate your care to avoid duplication and omission of services.

Lab Tests

  • We do some tests in the office, including urinalysis, rapid strep, glucose, pregnancy.

    Blood work and other tests are usually sent to outside lab. They will bill your insurance. We will bill for a small specimen collection fee.

    You may also request that we fax a prescription for lab work to another lab site if that is more convenient. You would generally need to see your primary care doctor first to determine what tests are appropriate.

  • We will report all lab and other test results to you, within two weeks, either by letter or by telephone. Please let us know if it is OK to leave a detailed message. If you would prefer that we send you an actual copy of your lab results, please ask. If you do not get a result within 2 weeks, please call us.

  • You need to sign a written release. Please bring name, address and/or fax and phone # of your previous provider, so we can request records from them.

    There is no charge for records sent to another practitioner for your continuing care.

    There is a charge for records sent to an insurance company, or for your own use.

Patient Satisfication

  • Please tell us, so we can work together to find a better treatment plan or send you to see a specialist, if that is needed.

  • Please tell us! It is our intention that you get excellent care. But we can’t fix what we don’t know about. Call, come in or write us a letter so we can work with you toward a solution.

  • Tell all your friends! Put it on the internet! We suggest adding a review on Yelp or Healthgrades. Help our practice to provide excellent care to more people!