Thank you for choosing Fishman and Sheridan Eyecare Specialists as your health care provider. We are committed to building a successful physician-patient relationship and the success of your medical treatment and care. Your understanding of our Practice Financial Policy and payment for services are important parts of this relationship. For your convenience, this document discusses a few commonly asked financial policy questions. If you need further information or assistance about any of these policies, please ask to speak with our Practice Manager.
When are payments due?
All copayments, deductibles, patient responsibility amounts, and past-due balances are due at the time of service unless previous arrangements have been made with our billing team.
How may I pay?
We accept payment by check, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Care Credit. We will not accept post-dated checks.
Do I need a referral or pre-authorization?
If your insurance plan requires a referral authorization from your primary care physician or a pre-authorization from your insurance, you will need to contact your primary care physician or insurance company to ensure it has been obtained. If we have yet to receive authorization prior to your appointment time, we will reschedule. Failure to obtain the referral or preauthorization may result in a lower or no payment from the insurance company, and the balance will become the patient’s responsibility.
Will you bill my insurance?
Insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. In most cases, we are not a party to this contract. We will bill your primary insurance company on your behalf as a courtesy to you. To properly bill your insurance company, we require that you disclose all insurance information, including primary and secondary insurance, as well as any change of insurance information.
It is your responsibility to notify our office promptly of any patient information changes (i.e., address, name, insurance information) to facilitate appropriate billing. Failure to provide complete and accurate insurance information may result in the entire bill being categorized as a patient’s responsibility.
Although we may estimate what your insurance company may pay, it is the insurance company that makes the final determination of your eligibility and benefits. If your insurance company is not contracted with us, you agree to pay any portion of the charges not covered by insurance, including but not limited to those charges above the usual and customary allowance. If we are out of network for your insurance company and your insurance pays you directly, you are responsible for payment and agree to forward the payment to us immediately.
Which plans do you contract with?
Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A. accepts most major insurance plans. However, with frequent changes in the insurance marketplace, it is a good idea for you to contact your insurance company prior to your appointment to verify if we are a participating provider under your plan.
What if my plan does not contract with you?
If we are not a provider under your insurance plan, you will be responsible for payment in full at the time of service. As a courtesy, however, we will file your initial insurance claim, and if not paid within 90 days, you will be responsible for the total bill. After your insurance company has processed your claims, any amount remaining as a credit balance will be refunded to you.
What is my financial responsibility for services?
It is your responsibility to verify that the physicians and the practice where you are seeking treatment are listed as authorized providers under your insurance plan. Your employer or insurance company should be able to provide a current provider listing.
If you have:
- Workers’ Compensation
- Workers’ Compensation (Out of State)
- Occupational Injury
Payment in full is requested at the time of the visit. Our staff will provide a receipt to file the claim with your carrier.
What about “non-covered” services?
The patient or the patient’s legal representative is ultimately responsible for all charges for services rendered. “Non-covered” means that a service will not be paid for under your insurance plan. If non-covered services are provided, you will be expected to pay for these services at the time they are provided or when you receive a statement or explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurance provider denying payment.
Your insurance company offers appeal procedures. We will not under any circumstances falsify or change a diagnosis or symptom to convince an insurer to pay for care that is not covered, nor do we delete or change the content in the record that may prevent services from being considered covered. If you receive non-covered services, you must agree to pay for these services if your insurance company does not.
What if I don’t have insurance?
Self-pay accounts are used for patients without insurance coverage, patients covered by insurance plans which the office does not accept, or patients without an insurance card on file with us. Liability cases will also be considered self-pay accounts. We do not accept attorney letters or contingency payments. It is always the patient’s responsibility to know if our office is participating in their plan. If there is a discrepancy with our information, the patient will be considered self-pay unless otherwise proven. Self-pay patients will be required to pay in full for services rendered to them and will be asked to make payment arrangements prior to services being rendered. Emergency services provided to self-pay patients will be billed to the patient.
At the sole discretion of the practice, extended payment arrangements may be made for patients. Please speak with our practice or billing manager to discuss a mutually agreeable payment plan. It is never our intention to cause hardship to our patients, only to provide them with the best care possible and reasonable costs.
I received a bill even though I have secondary insurance
Having secondary insurance does not necessarily mean that your services are 100% covered. Secondary insurance policies typically pay according to a coordination of benefits with the primary insurance.
What if I have billing or insurance questions?
Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A. is supported by a staff of dedicated professionals. Our office staff can assist with most financial questions and help relieve the patient/caregiver of burdensome paperwork. Please ask if you have any questions about our fees, our policies, or your responsibilities.
Do you bill workers’ compensation?
We will NOT bill workers’ compensation.
At your request, we will submit the claim to your primary medical insurance carrier. If your primary medical
insurance carrier’s claim is denied, you will be responsible for payment in full.
What if I need surgery?
If your physician recommends surgery, your surgery will be scheduled by your physician’s staff. The staff member can answer specific questions about the surgery scheduling process, discuss the paperwork and tests involved, and assist with completing all prior authorizations your insurance company might require.
Our office will require a pre-surgical deposit equal to the amount of your copayment/deductible to go toward your surgery copayment, deductible, or any other amount your insurance carrier deems to be the patient’s responsibility. After your insurance company has processed your surgery claim, any amount remaining as a credit will be refunded to you.
I received more than one bill for my surgery/procedure/service.
Please note that Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A. only bills for services rendered by our clinical team during the procedure. The ambulatory surgical center, hospital, anesthesia or other providers may bill you for other services provided—which might include operating room costs, anesthesia costs, other doctor’s charges, etc. If you believe you have been accidentally billed twice for the same service, please get in touch with our office for clarification or resolution.
Do you bill other third parties?
We do not bill third parties for services rendered to you. Our relationship is with you and not with the third-party liability insurer or policy carrier (eg, auto or homeowner). It is your responsibility to seek reimbursement from them. However, at your request, we will submit a claim to your primary health insurance carrier. You will be asked to pay in full for the services we provide you. All formalities required by your insurer and the third party should be promptly completed by you. If we receive a denial of your claim, you will be responsible for payment in full.
What if my insurance pays late?
As a courtesy to you, we bill your insurance company for services on your behalf. If any insurance company fails to process payment for services within 120 days from the date of the claim submission, the total balance will be determined to be the patient’s responsibility.
Will I receive statements or bills?
It is our office policy that all accounts with pending balances be sent three statements, each one month apart. If payment is not made on the account, a single phone call will be made to try and make payment arrangements. Accounts with unpaid balances for 90 calendar days or more will be sent to an external collection agency or attorney for collection. Unpaid bills can also lead to possible discharge from the practice.
In the event an account is turned over for collections, the person financially responsible for the account will be responsible for the collections costs, including attorney fees and court costs.
Regardless of any personal arrangements that a patient might have outside of our office if you are 18 years old or older and receiving treatment, you are ultimately responsible for payment of the service. Our office will not bill any other personal party.
Do you refer unpaid bills to collection agencies?
If a patient cannot pay the balance on their account according to the financial policy will be referred to an outside collection agency or an attorney for further action.
What if my child needs to see a physician?
A parent or legal guardian must accompany patients who are minors on the patient’s first visit. This accompanying adult is responsible for payment of the account, according to the policy outlined on the previous pages.
Do you charge a penalty for returned payments?
Any charges incurred by the practice collecting balances owed to us during the collection process may be charged to the patient. Returned checks, credit card chargebacks, or returned payments will attract a minimum $35 penalty in addition to the balance owed. Accounts with returned payments will be expected to make payments via money order, or cashier’s checks only.
Can you waive my copay?
We cannot waive deductibles, coinsurances, or copays that are required by your insurance. This is a violation of insurance rules.
I have a hardship. How can you help me?
Some patients may accrue large balances for services provided. At the sole discretion of the practice leadership, we will work with you to set up a mutually feasible payment plan. In some cases, if the minimum payment due cannot be paid, we will need proof of financial hardship. We may be forced to pursue collections of balances in the absence of tangible proof of hardship.
Do you charge for completing forms?
Completing disability forms, FMLA forms, and other requested supplemental insurance forms requires time away from patient care and day-to-day business operations. A prepayment of $15.00 per form is required. Please understand that to complete forms, your medical record must be reviewed, forms completed and signed by the physician, and copied into your medical record. Some of these forms can be quite complicated and tedious to fill
out. Please provide us with pertinent information, especially dates of disability and return to work. We request that you allow 5 business days for this process.
What if I missed my appointment to see the physician?
At Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A., we are committed to providing timely and quality medical care to all our patients. To help us maintain an efficient schedule and ensure that appointments are available for those who need them, we have implemented the following No-Show and Cancellation Fee Policy:
A “no-show” is defined as missing a scheduled appointment without any prior notification to our office.
A “late cancellation” is defined as canceling or rescheduling an appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice prior to the scheduled appointment time.
The fee for a “no-show” or late cancellation is $25.00.
To avoid a no-show or late cancellation fee, please notify our office at least 24 hours in advance if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment by phone at (352) 360-2301 or via our patient portal at mypatientvisit.com. We understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise. Exceptions to this policy may be made on a case-by-case basis for documented emergencies or other unavoidable situations.
This No-Show and Cancellation Fee Policy is part of our financial policy and is provided to all new patients. It is also available upon request and may be posted in our office. Appointment reminders may also include a reference to this policy.
If you fail to show for a scheduled appointment without prior notification or cancel/reschedule with less than the required notice, you will be charged the applicable fee. This fee will be added to your next statement and is your responsibility. Please note that this fee is generally not covered by insurance.
Patients with a history of repeated no-shows or late cancellations may be subject to further action, such as requiring a non-refundable deposit to schedule future appointments or, in some cases, dismissal from the practice.
Our No-Show and Cancellation Fee Policy is in place to ensure that our appointment schedule is used effectively and to allow other patients to be seen in a timely manner.
What if I have a credit from an overpayment?
In the event your insurance company pays more than expected for services, or if we have over-collected from you, a refund will be issued for the overpayment. Whenever possible, we will return funds using the original payment method (e.g., credit card, debit card). For cash payments or any payments made more than six (6) months prior to the refund determination, a check will be issued to the patient at their address on file.
Any credit balance under $10.00 will remain on the patient’s account for future use towards services or copayments. Patients may also request a refund of any credit balance, regardless of the amount. Upon request for a credit balance under $10.00, a refund will be processed.
I have read, understand, and agree to the above Financial Policy. I understand my financial responsibility to make payments for services provided to me and the courtesy extended by Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A. to simplify insurance reimbursement for the services provided to me. I acknowledge that these policies do not obligate Fishman & Sheridan, M.D., P.A. to extend credit to me for services provided.
