Do you take insurance?
In order to have low overhead, I cannot take insurance. I am happy to provide you with a receipt for medical services. Because I am an out-of-network provider, you may or may not be reimbursed for this or be able to apply these expenses to your deductible. However, if you have a Health Savings Account or Flex Benefits, you can use these.
How much do you charge?
My fee is $400 per hour. For new patients, we charge an additional $50 to help cover the time it takes to enter your information into your medical record, but a two-hour visit is capped at $850. We bill based on the time that we spend with you. An initial consultation for a complex patient will usually run anywhere from one to two hours, depending on the complexity of your situation. Follow-up appointments are anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. There is a 30 minute minimum charge for in person visits. I am happy to answer simple questions (about 5 minutes) by phone or email, but if you require a long answer I will charge you for our time (I will let you know if our conversation or email is moving into the billable realm). Anything requiring review of records or a phone conversation about details will be billed. Likewise, phone conversations with another provider, a case manager or attorney may be billed. I also charge for filling out all but the simplest forms or writing the most basic letters on your behalf.
How do I contact you if I have a problem?
I am reachable by phone or email for routine and semi-urgent problems. In the case of a more urgent matter, I am reachable by pager. There are times when I cannot answer my pager for up to an hour (such as if I am swimming); if you are truly unable to wait that long, you should go to the emergency room. I will let patients know ahead of time that I will be unavailable so that refills can be ordered. This is also why it is important for you to have a primary care provider for backup if I am not available.