- How do I schedule an appointment with my doctor?
- What do I need to do the day of my appointment?
- What do I need to do as a new patient?
- What do I do if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
- What will happen during my appointment?
- Will I need to have blood drawn or other tests during my appointment?
- Do I need to do anything at the end of my appointment?
- What is the payment policy?
- How do I obtain a referral for specialty care?
- Do I need precertification for outside services?
- Are Immunizations covered by my insurance company?
- Why is comprehensive care important to discuss at a sick visit?
Answers
How do I schedule an appointment with my doctor?
Scheduling an appointment with our providers can be done by calling our office or requesting an appointment through our patient portal or contacting us through our email via the website. Our goal is to provide access to our services in the timeframe required to meet your needs and to avoid potential and costly emergency room visits. Thus, we offer a variety of appointment options for your convenience.
If your doctor is not available, we have a group of similarly, well-trained providers who can assist you. Our providers can access your information electronically regardless of which office location they are seeing you at.
What do I need to do the day of my appointment?
Please arrive to you appointment 15 minutes before the scheduled time. We will assist you in completing or updating administrative information and we will ask to see your most current insurance card to verify benefits. We will also update your mailing address, email, and phone number so that we may contact you about results and future appointments with your most up to date information.
Payment is required at time of service and will be collected during the check-in process.
If you are seeing one of our specialists, your referring doctor should have provided you with a referral form to see a specialist as required by many insurance plans. We will ask you to submit the referral form to us during check-in.
What do I need to do as a new patient?
If you are a new patient, please make sure you have your updated medical records sent to us and bring a photo ID with you at the time of your appointment. If you are transitioning to us from pediatric care, please ensure your medical records include your immunizations.
What do I do if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
If you cannot make it to your appointment, we request that you contact us a minimum of 24 hours in advance to cancel or reschedule your visit so as not to incur a cancellation fee.
What will happen during my appointment?
Our providers strive to optimize your visit by developing a treatment plan that takes into consideration your needs and desires. We ask that you provide your most current medication information at the time of your visit and bring in any documents related to treatment you may have received in the emergency room or by another provider including:
- Test results (lab and radiology)
- Medication list
- Any other pertinent documents
Will I need to have blood drawn or other tests during my appointment?
Bergen Medical Associates is equipped to perform a variety of on-site tests including blood tests. Your insurance plan has strict guidelines as to where each test can be performed and our staff will help to guide you in scheduling a particular test at an approved site. If Bergen Medical Associates is an approved site, we will perform the test during your visit or schedule a follow-up appointment to perform the test.
Do I need to do anything at the end of my appointment?
Once you have completed your exam, you will be directed to see one of our staff members. At this time, they will schedule any follow up appointment you may need to make and provide you with any written prescriptions.
Payment is required at the time of service. We accept many forms of payment including, cash, check, money order, Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express and any pre-paid health savings credit card accounts. Any past due balances, such as co-insurance, deductibles and non-covered services will be expected to be paid prior to your leaving. For your convenience, we can provide you with a printed receipt of your account outlining all of the outstanding charges on your account.
How do I obtain a referral for specialty care?
Many insurance companies require written and/or electronic referral forms to be submitted prior to seeing a specialist. If we are providing your primary care, we will be happy to assist you in obtaining a referral. We request that you give at least 72 hours advanced notice of your appointment with the specialist to process the necessary forms.
When making a request for a referral, please be sure to provide us the name of the physician you will be seeing, the date of your appointment and the diagnosis required to complete the referral process.
Do I need precertification for outside services?
Many tests, procedures and hospital services require prior authorization or precertification, as stipulated by the insurance company. Each patient is responsible to understand the rules dictated by their insurance carrier and to be sure precertification is obtained prior to service. We encourage you to contact your insurance carrier and find out the plan requirements prior to receiving services to ensure that maximum benefits are applied.
Are Immunizations covered by my insurance company?
Bergen Medical Associates is happy to administer immunizations for our patients when necessary and appropriate. In some instances, insurance companies do not reimburse the office for the cost of the immunization. Therefore it may be necessary for you to bring a prescription to a pharmacy to obtain the needed vaccine prior to our administration.
Why is comprehensive care important to discuss at a sick visit?
Our goal is to provide you with the best most comprehensive care possible. To help achieve this, in addition to addressing your immediate concerns, your provider may touch upon other important aspects of your overall care. You may be offered preventive health and wellness guidelines including a discussion on such areas as nutrition, weight, health screenings and healthy lifestyle choices. This focus on comprehensive care will augment our ability to optimize your health.
