PATIENT BILLING INFORMATION

Billing Information Lines:

 Office  409-935-8702

 Office  281-335-4600
    8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday

General Billing Policies:
Patricia or Maria can be contacted by phone and in person before or after your office visit. We encourage you to talk to a billing representative about any problem you may have with your insurance coverage or your account.

If you have health insurance, we will submit claims to your insurance company on your behalf. If a special form is required, please bring that form with you. If you would like to file your own insurance, please ask to speak with our billing representative. To update your insurance with our offices, please click here.

To keep our billing costs and our charges to you at a minimum, we request that you pay your deductibles, co-pays and other non-covered charges at the time of service.

We will work with your insurance company in every way possible to resolve any problems. However, we may request that you contact your insurance company or your employer on your own behalf.

There is a $10.00 charge to file disability forms.
Copies of your insurance card will be made by our office staff at the time of your first visit and periodically thereafter. You will be asked to confirm or update our files each time you visit the office.

If your policy has not changed but you receive a new card from your insurance company, please let us know.

If the insurance company's address is not on your card, we will need the address from you in order to submit all claims.

Medicare:
We will accept assignment on all Medicare claims. Medicare Assignment Means:

Medicare approves a set amount and pays 80% of that amount.

You are responsible for the remaining 20%. If you have secondary insurance, they may pay the 20% not covered by Medicare. We will bill your secondary insurance for the portion Medicare doesn't pay. However, if your secondary insurance does not pay the portion left by Medicare, you will be responsible for the remaining balance.

Medicare Part "A" pays hospital charges. Medicare Part "B" pays physician and other charges. The deductible for Part "B" is $100.00 per year. You are responsible for your Medicare deductible. Many secondary insurance plans will not cover the Medicare deductible. Check with your insurance company if you are not sure about your secondary benefits.

Non-Covered Procedures:
Some procedures your doctor may prescribe might not be covered by Medicare or other Insurance proceeds. We will do our best to inform you at the time of service. You will be responsible for the payment of any of the non-covered items or services provided.

Outside Billing:
We may order tests that cannot be performed in our office. In addition to our bill, you may also receive a bill from other providers for labs, x-rays, pathology and other charges. If you have any questions about these bills, we will arrange to provide answers. However, you are encouraged to contact the billing office for the provider of that service directly.

Insurance Plans:
Please call to see if your insurance is accepted by our office
If you have a question about our participation with your insurance plan, please contact our billing department.

Referrals and Prior Approvals:
Referrals: If your insurance plan requires a referral for your office visit, it is your responsibility obtain the referral and keep track of the number of approved visits or the effective period of the referral. If you come to your appointment and there is no current referral on file, you may be asked to contact your primary care physician immediately to secure that referral number. We will do our best to assist you to resolve any problems with your referrals, but it is your responsibility to make sure you have a referral to cover your visit to the doctor.

Prior Authorizations: If your insurance company requires prior approval for tests, treatments, or hospitalizations, we will ask you to assist us in getting these service preauthorized. Please try to alert us when the test is ordered if it needs preauthorization. This will eliminate any additional out-of-pocket expense to you.

New Patients: You should receive an information sheet that outlines exactly what we understand about your coverage and responsibility as part of your first visit. We make every effort to obtain all insurance information (and referrals) before you come for your visit but this cannot always be done. Please be patient if we have to contact your insurance company or primary care physician for information when you arrive.