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Office Information: About Your Visit

Triage Procedure

The waiting list to see our surgeons can sometimes be long. However, we make every effort to treat the neediest patient in the most expeditious manner. If you feel that the appointment time you are given is not soon enough, we encourage you to send in the report of your imaging studies. The physician will review all the reports, and your appointment will be rescheduled to a sooner date if necessary.

Bringing Your Original Films and Reports to Your Appointment
If your CT/MRI were done in St. John Macomb, Providence Hospital Southfield and Providence Park Hospital in Novi, and you are going to our clinics in any Providence and Macomb facilities; we can retrieve your images through the St. John Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). There is no need for you to bring your films and reports. If your CT/MRI were done in Oakwood hospital and you are going to our clinic in Oakwood, we can retrieve your images through the Oakwood Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). There is no need for you to bring your films and reports to the Oakwood clinic.

If you are going to any of our other clinics, you must bring your original films and reports to your appointment. If the above two situations do not apply to you, you must bring your own films or CD with the report to your appointment. Without the images, the doctor may not be able to reach a definitive diagnosis, and you may need a repeat visit.

XR Performed at Our Clinic
One of the major diagnoses leading to neck and back problems is spinal instability. Since CT and MRI are static images which are taken when you stay motionless, a dynamic spinal instability can only be diagnosed on flexion and extension XR/dynamic MRI. If you have a 4-view XR (AP, lateral, flexion and extension) of the neck/back done within 6 months of your appointment, you will not have to undergo XR at our clinic. Otherwise, all new patients who suffer from neck and back problem will have their 4-view XR taken at the time of their appointment.

Patients who are going to our Oakwood and Macomb clinics will receive an XR script with the new patient mailing package. You need to have your XR done before the appointment and bring the films to your first appointment. Some insurance carriers do not cover XR performed in our facilities; you will either receive an XR script in the mail before the appointment or be sent to the hospital facility for XR during the appointment.

Cancellation Fee

If for any reason, you cannot make your appointment, please give us twenty-four hours notice. Failing that, you will be charged a $35 cancellation fee.

Waiting Time

We are a spine and brain specialist practice and we are committed to helping patients make informed decisions on their spine and brain surgery. For patients scheduling major spine and brain surgeries, it is understandable that there are lots of questions to be answered. Our surgeons give the time that each patient needs with him and this sometimes result in a delay. Please note that the waiting time can be more than one hour.

Please bring your driver license, insurance card to your appointment

Insurance Participation

Our practice accepts assignment from Medicare. We also accept patients from Workers’ Compensation and Auto injuries. While we accept most insurance carriers, like BCBS and HAP, insurance carriers constantly make changes to their plans and it is very important that you check with your insurance to make sure that your visit will be covered.

Insurance & Financial Policy

Patient Responsibility

It is the patient’s responsibility to be familiar with your insurance coverage. The primary rule is to call your insurance companies and asks questions.

The doctor renders service to you, the patient, and not to the insurance company. The insurance policy is between you and the insurance company, not with the doctor.

Medicare Patients

If you have Medicare as your primary insurance and another insurance as your secondary insurance, you are not expected to pay any amount of your visit. We will bill Medicare and your secondary insurance for you. If you have Medicare only, you are expected to pay 20% of the Medicare fee schedule at the time of service.

HMO Policyholders

A referral form is required from your primary doctor for any visits, tests or procedures, including surgery. It is your responsibility to bring all insurance information for the visit. If you fail to produce the referral form, you will need to reschedule your appointment or pay the full fee at the time of service.

Workman’s Compensation or Auto-related Injuries Patients

We require your claim number, the adjuster’s name and address, the insurance carrier’s name and the date of injury. We also require an authorization letter/letter of intent to the physician from the insurance company. If you fail to produce the above information, you will need to reschedule your appointment or pay the full fee at the time of service. Any legal action must remain between you and your attorney. We do not wait for legal settlement.

Participating PPO Insurance Holders

You need to pay your co-pay and deductible at the time of service. We will bill the insurance for the remaining balance. However, if your policy does not cover particular services rendered, you will be responsible for the charges incurred.

Non-participating PPO Insurance Holders

You need to pay your whole fee at the time of service. You will bill the insurance company on your behalf, the insurance payment will be directly sent to your address. As we do not participate with your insurance, we cannot provide information about how much they will pay for the visit. If you need surgery, our office will obtain prior authorization. Once the authorization is obtained, it is your responsibility to find out the amount of insurance payment for the surgery. You are responsible the remaining balance. We are ready to assist you, please contact the Billing Manager for payment arrangement.

Second Opinion Patients

Some insurance policies will not cover for second opinion visit. We will bill the insurance and you will be responsible for any amount not covered by the insurance. If you neglect to inform us that this is a second opinion, you will be responsible for the resulted billing error.

BCBS Master Medical Patients

You are required to pay the full fee at the time of service. We will bill the insurance on your behalf and the insurance payment will be directly sent to you.

If you do not have insurance coverage, you will be responsible for all charges incurred. Please talk to us about our payment plan arrangement. We will be happy to assist you.

All the above information relates to office visits. If it is determined that you need surgery, the surgical scheduler will assist you with getting authorizations, knowing what expenses to anticipate, and when payment will be expected.

We are sorry that this has become so complex and laborious, however, these are rules imposed on you and us by the insurance industry. We are here primarily to care for your need.

Prescription Policy

Prescription is given on the day of visit and will be continued only for patients scheduling for surgery or in the first three months following surgery. Prescription request for non-surgical patients will be directed to your own primary care physician and the pain management clinic.

Please understand that we are a surgical clinic. The primary mode of treatment offered by us is surgery. We do not prescribe or monitor the long-term use of pain medication. It is to your benefit that the pain management specialists and your primary care physician manage your long-term prescription use.

Medical Records Policy

No long-term disability form will be filled out if you never have surgery with us. In no circumstances will a long-term disability be filled out after one clinic visit. We will consider filling out your long-term disability form only if you have surgery performed by us.