If you are here today for your annual wellness exam (i.e. well-child check, preventative exam, yearly physical), the claim submitted to your insurance company will reflect this. Depending on your health plan, this visit may or may not be covered. Not all insurance plans cover wellness visits.
If other significant ailments are discussed and evaluated during your wellness appointment (ex: hypertension, depression, diabetes, pain, acne, sore throat, joint pain, etc), you may receive a second charge for an office visit on top of the charge for a wellness visit. This additional service may not be considered part of your wellness benefit and your insurance may require you to pay a co-pay or they may apply the second charge towards your deductible or co-insurance.
You may also receive a second bill from our lab, Interpath Laboratory, as some insurance companies do not let us bill them directly for some or all lab services. (i.e. bloot tests, urine culture, pap smear, STD testing)
Each service your provider performs has a billing code. Your provider codes your services according to the guidelines and must use the correct codes for the service actually done. Providers use these codes when they submit claims to the insurance companies. If you insurance company does not cover some or all of the charges, you will be billed for any outstanding balance. It is fraudulent for your provider to manipulate the coding system to satisfy payer or patient coverage rules. If there is a billing error, that can be corrected.
Please contact your insurance company with any questions about what is covered under your policy.
Thank you.