Kitsap Cardiology Consultants Financial Policy
Kitsap Cardiology Consultants, P.L.L.C. is committed to providing the highest level of quality medical care and personal service to our patients. For every commitment, there is an obligation. We feel it is the patient or guardians’ responsibility to meet their financial obligations.
As we see patients from many different insurance plans, it is impossible for us to know all the covered benefits, co-pays, and deductibles for each plan. In addition, your insurance company will not guarantee payment to us. While it is our intention to assist you, it is still your responsibility to ensure that all services rendered or referred by Kitsap Cardiology Consultants, P.L.L.C. on your behalf are paid in full. Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. We are not party to that contract and cannot negotiate benefits. If your insurance plan requires a Prior Authorization or Referral, it is your responsibility to see that your insurance carrier has received the information from your primary care physician. There is a phone in the patient waiting area available for you to call your insurance company to confirm authorization. In order to clarify Kitsap Cardiology Consultants P.L.L.C.’s Financial Policy, we have listed below our financial requirements:
Patients Without Insurance Coverage
Payment at the time of service is expected. If absolutely necessary, short-term payment plans are available. Please contact our billing office to find out what options are available to you.
Contracted, PPO & HMO Patients that have a Co-payment or Deductible
Currently, our physicians are contracted with the following insurance companies:
- Group Health
- KPS
- Aetna
- Medicare
- Premera Blue Cross
- First Choice
- GEHA
- CHPW
- Tricare
- DSHS
- Regence Blue Shield
- United Health Care
- Cigna
If we are contracted with your insurance carrier, we will bill your insurance for you. Co-pays must be paid at the time of service, as required by your insurance company. You will not receive a statement of a balance due from our office until after your insurance carrier has paid their portion of the charges or applied them to your deductible.
Medicare Patients
We will bill Medicare for you. You will receive a statement after Medicare has paid their portion of the charges or applied them to your deductible. If you have supplemental insurance to Medicare, we will also bill your Medicare Supplement for you. You will receive a statement from our office after Medicare and your secondary insurance has paid their portion of the charges or applied them to your deductible. Occasionally Medicare Supplement insurances will pay the payment directly to you. In this case please contact our office immediately or send the check to us so that we can keep your account correct.
Medicaid (DSHS) Patients
We accept patients on the Washington State Medicaid Program. Patients on Medicaid are required to present a current medical coupon upon arrival at each visit. If you do not have your current coupon, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment. If your coupon shows you also have other insurance, you will need to have that card as well. Medicaid patients being seen for non-covered services will need to sign a waiver and pay at time of service.
Other Insurance Carriers/Non-contracted Insurance/Private Insurances
As a courtesy to all our patients, we will bill your primary insurance for you. After 60 days, any balance not paid by your insurance will be due from you. We will reimburse you for any payment we receive if and when your insurance pays us directly.
Auto Accidents, Civil suits Home or Business Owners Claims
As a courtesy to all our patients, if you have all of the necessary information, we will bill the third party insurance one time for you. Due to the often lengthy resolution of these claims, after 60 days, any unpaid balance is due from the patient. We will reimburse you for any payment we receive if and when your insurance pays us directly.
Worker’s Compensation Claims
If you are seeing one of our providers for an injury that occurred during the course of your employment, please be sure to notify the receptionist that your injury is “work-related”. If your employer is self-insured with another carrier please bring the appropriate paperwork with you from your employer and notify the receptionist that it is a different carrier. Please be advised that our office is required by law to report all work-related injuries. We cannot choose not to report the accident if we have knowledge that it is work-related. If your employer or their insurance carrier denies the claim, you will be held financially responsible for all charges.
Services Provided to Minors
A “minor” is defined as someone under the age of eighteen years of age, who is not considered legally emancipated from his or her parent or guardian. We realize that there may be an arrangement regarding who is responsible when paying for medical services provided to a minor. However, it is our policy that the parent or guardian who requests medical care for the minor is the financially responsible party.
Laboratory and Other Ancillary Services
Although Kitsap Cardiology Consultants, P.L.L.C. provides many of its services in the office, at times it is necessary to obtain services provided from an outside laboratory or other ancillary service. You will receive a separate statement of charges for services provided outside our office. An example of these services would include: laboratory charges for special tests ordered, specimen evaluation, radiological services, etc.
Cancellation And No-Show Policy
Kitsap Cardiology Consultants requests that at least 24 hour advance notice be given if you will be unable to keep your scheduled appointment for any testing done at our clinic.Testing includes:
- Ankle Brachial Index tests
- Nuclear Stress Testing
- Treadmills
- Ultrasounds (abdominal, carotid, echo, peripheral)
All cancellations (for testing) with less than 24 hours notice and no-shows will be billed $200 per occurrence. These charges are considered noncovered by most insurance companies and will be billed directly to the patient.
Collection Accounts
If your account is sent to collections you will need to pay off your collections account AND pay any future visits in full at the time of service, regardless of insurance coverage. All accounts turned to collections will be managed through a collection agency of our choice.
Thank you for reviewing this information carefully. If you have any questions or need to establish a payment plan, please contact our Business Office Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm at 360 373-2547.
Updated January 2012