×

Office Policies

Child Health Care Associates’ Office Policy

What you need to know about appointments, referrals, forms, records, and refills!

  • We value the time we have set aside to treat your child. We do not double book appointments.  If you are unable to keep an appointment, we would appreciate 24-hour notice.  You will be charged a $25 no show fee for each missed appointment.  Multiple missed appointments may result in dismissal from the practice.
  • If you are more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we will do our best to accommodate you. However, on certain days it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment.
  • As your child’s primary care “home” medical office, we request that all well child/physical examinations are done here in our office. We require a parent to be present at any well child check/physical and vaccine appointments.
  • We will charge a $18 fee for any appointment on weekends, holidays or after 5pm on weekdays. This additional fee will be billed to your insurance company and may or may not be covered.
  • Audio recording, Videotaping and photography in the exam rooms and hallways are prohibited due to privacy issues.
  • Advance notice is needed for all non-emergent referrals, typically 3 to 5 business days.
  • Remember, we must approve referrals before they are issued. If you cannot make the referral appointment we set up for you, it is your responsibility to reschedule it with the specialist.
  • We ask that you give us at least 24 hours’ notice if any forms such as school, camp, sports or Family and Medical Leave Act forms are needed.
  • We provide records of your child for visits (including consultations from specialists) rendered here at Child Health Care Associates only with a written request. For any previous records, you must request them directly from your previous doctor(s). A fee for records may be assessed for any “non-transfer” request.
  • Please be aware we will only refill a prescription at a parent’s request and will not refill prescriptions at the request of a pharmacy representative. For ALL medication refills, we require a 5-day notice, during regular business hours. Please plan accordingly.
  • Vaccine Statement: We do not accept children who are unvaccinated into our practice as it would put not only these children at risk, but other patients of our practice as well. Infants must start the New York State DOH required vaccines by 3months of age and complete these required vaccines by 9months of age. For children 12months and older, we require NYS DOH vaccines be initiated at 12months of age with all vaccines up-to-date by 18months of age. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to schedule and keep well child check and vaccination appointments so that your child is fully vaccinated before these deadlines.
  • Our practice does not accept home births. All deliveries must take place in an accredited medical facility where appropriate medical support and resources are readily available. Additionally, to establish care with our practice, newborns must receive the Vitamin K injection at birth.
  • Access your patient portal here.

 

 

Financial Policy

Please understand

  • It is your responsibility to keep us updated with your correct insurance information. We require that you present your insurance card at each visit. If the insurance company you designate is incorrect, you may be responsible for payment of the visit and to submit the charges to the correct plan for reimbursement.
  • Before making an annual physical appointment, check with your insurance company as to whether the visit will be covered as a healthy (well-child) visit.
  • It is your responsibility to understand your benefit plan with regard to, for instance, covered services and participating laboratories. For example:
    • Not all plans cover annual healthy (well) physicals, sports physicals, or hearing and vision screenings. If these are not covered, you may be responsible for payment.
    • At your annual physical if the physician addresses any other issues that are not routine there may be an additional fee billed to your insurance company. This fee may be subject to your deductible or copay.
  • According to your insurance plan, you are responsible for any and all co-payments, deductibles, and coinsurances.
  • Co-payments are due at the time of service.
  • Self-pay patients are expected to pay for services in FULL at the time of the visit.
  • If we do not participate in your insurance plan, payment in full is expected from you at the time of your visit. We will supply you with an invoice that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
  • If previous arrangements have not been made with our billing office, any account balance outstanding longer than 90 days may be forwarded to a collection agency. If this occurs you will be asked to leave the practice.
  • For scheduled appointments, we would appreciate any prior balances be paid prior to the visit.
  • We accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.  We do not accept cash.
  • A $35 fee will be charged for any checks returned for insufficient funds.