Patient billing statements are generated every four weeks. A $15 penalty fee will be charged for each subsequent statement printed and mailed for charges appearing on the first billing which are not paid in full. Please be aware that if the payment is to be issued from another source (such as an HSA, FSA, or bank bill pay system) this penalty fee will still be incurred if another bill is produced, regardless of when you made the request for the payment.
If your account becomes 90 days delinquent, we will begin collection/discharge proceedings and a 33% additional collections fee will be added to your account. Additionally, we will have no choice but to terminate our physician/patient relationship. To avoid collections, you may set up an approved budget plan with our billing office using your credit card.
If your personal check is returned to us unpaid from your bank, a $50 returned check fee will be added to your account, and we reserve the right to place your account on a ‘cash only’ basis.
The parent/legal guardian/authorized adult accompanying the minor child is responsible for payment, regardless of legal or custodial arrangements. We do not get involved in financial disputes between parents; the parent who brings the patient for services is expected to pay at the time of service for copays and account balances. Subsequently, bills will be sent to the address of record and the parent who lives at that address will be responsible for payment.
When your child is seen for preventive care (also known as a “well visit,” “check up,” or “routine care”) there may be times when he or she needs a service on the same day as the well visit that is not considered preventive. If your child is not well, a problem is found that needs to be addressed, or you would like to address a problem unrelated to the well visit, the physician may need to provide an additional office visit service (called a “sick visit” or “office visit”) to care for your child. This is a different service and is billed to your health plan in addition to the preventive services provided on that day. Certain circumstances may require you to schedule a separate appointment for these types of issues. If you have a co-payment for office visits, it must be paid at the time of service. Any coinsurances or deductibles must be paid upon receipt of our first billing statement.
Some services that may be provided and billed in addition to preventive services include:
- The doctor’s work to address more than a minor problem, which will be billed as an office visit (e.g., if the doctor gives a prescription, orders tests, or changes care for a known problem)
- Medical treatments (e.g., breathing treatments or wart treatments)
- Any surgery (e.g., removing splinters or something the child put in his ear or nose)
- Tests performed in the office that are not included in the Bright Futures plan
- Discussion of oral contraceptives
Our office does not want you to be surprised by a bill but must always bill your health plan based on federal guidelines and the actual services provided. Please feel free to ask questions about services JDC provides that may not be paid for in full by your health plan. Bills and claims sent to insurance are not final until reviewed by our billing department.
We realize that financial problems may affect the timely payment of your account. We encourage you to contact our billing department promptly to work out payment arrangements.
