Financial policy and clinical guidelines.

Financial policy

Urology Northwest contracts with and processes bills to insurance plans and governmental programs as a courtesy to our patients.  Urology Northwest collects at time of service the amount we are allowed to by the specific governmental agency or insurance plan.

Urology Northwest is diligent in our objective to provide quality care and service.  Our ability to continue to care for patients is dependent on receiving timely and full payment for services provided.

Your FINANCIAL RIGHTS as a PATIENT – OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU:

  • Contact insurance for basic eligibility and coverage – notification to patient if no coverage in effect
  • Timely and accurate billing.  Bills are processed daily
  • Timely and accurate posting of payments
  • Timely and accurate posting of discounts
  • Timely notification concerning patient financial responsibility
  • The ability to set up payment plans
    • 4 months from service date
  • Variety of payment options (cash, debit/credit card, on-line)
  • Ability to ask questions about your bill and receive timely answers
  • Our assistance in navigating your insurance coverage and policy issues
  • Timely completion of medical leave forms, disability paperwork
  • 1 form is completed at no charge;  subsequent forms are completed at a $25.00 per form fee

Your FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY as a PATIENT – YOUR COMMITMENT TO US:

  • Co-payment paid on each date of service.  If you do not have your co-pay at time of service a $25.00 billing fee will be imposed
  • Additional co-payment as determined by your insurance carrier
  • Patient balance paid upon notification of insurance processing
  • Co-insurance
  • Unmet Deductible
  • Non-Covered service
  • Payment of required deposits or estimation of charges at time of service
    • $250.00 New Patient office visit – if no insurance or if insurance cannot be verified
    • $250-$1000 – Office procedure appointments if no insurance or insurance cannot be verified
    • 100% of charges for office visits and procedures not covered by insurance
  • Provide accurate and complete information concerning insurance coverage at each visit
  • Keep all scheduled appointments –No show appointments or appointment cancelled with less than 4 business hour notice will be charged $50.00 per incident.
  • Payment of all incidental fees (forms, letters, no-show)
    • Clinical guidelines

    The healthcare system can be confusing.  We have put together the following guidelines.  These guidelines are designed to help us provide you, the optimal level of patient care.

    • Appointment Availability:   Urology Northwest recognizes the need for urgent or same day appointments.   We encourage patients who have an urgent need to schedule with one of our Physician Assistants.  Our Physician Assistants work in close collaboration with the physicians.  The physician assistants’ schedules have more flexibility and therefore can spend more time with the patient.  A physician is always on site for immediate consultation if needed.
    • Appointment:  Please be prepared to review general demographic information, show your current insurance card, picture ID and pay your co-pay at each visit.
    • Medication Refills:  Contact your pharmacy first.   Plan for a 72 hour turn-around time between the pharmacy and clinic.   If you have not been seen in the office for six (6) months or longer you may be asked to schedule an appointment BEFORE the refill will be approved.
    • Narcotic Medication Refills:  Urology Northwest does not refill narcotic medication after normal business hours, on weekends or holidays.
    • Possible UTIs:  Urology Northwest does NOT treat UTIs over the phone.  You were referred to Urology Northwest by your PCP or other provider because your UTIs are complicated.  Therefore to provide you with the best level of care and service it is necessary to see you in the office.  We do offer same day appointment availability.  After hours seek care at an urgent care or emergency room setting.
    • No-Show – Missed Appointments:  Our goal is to provide timely access to appointments for patients.  When patients fail to keep appointments, routinely arrive late or have multiple requests for reschedules, other patients needing to be seen on an urgent basis may be denied access to a timely appointment slot.   A fee of $50.00 is charged for every no-show appointment or cancelled appointment with less than 4 business hours notice.  This fee is not billable to your insurance company.
    • Phone Appointments:  In some special cases, the physician may authorize a “phone visit”.  Please see our website (www.urologynorthwest.com).  Click on Services then scroll down the page to Urology Northwest-Phone visits.   Your physician must approve these visits which are not billable to insurance.
    • On Call Physician:   A physician is on-call 24 hours a day to deal with urological emergencies.

    If you believe you have a urological emergency go directly to an urgent care or emergency room.   The urgent care or ER physician will be able to assess the problem and will contact the urologist on call if immediate urological care is needed.     The urologist on-call will not be able to assess your symptoms over the phone.  Accessing care in an urgent or emergency room setting will help you receive the right care at the right time.

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