All Things Medical Office

A high medical deductible can put you in a difficult financial situation. If you need health care, a large insurance deductible could mean you’re faced with complicated choices. Don’t let your health suffer because of this deductible! Try these strategies and avoid a financial crisis: 1. Understand your deductible. Before you worry about high medical bills, it’s important to check the exact amount of your deductible. • Your insurance company can provide you with detailed information about your deductible. They’re required to answer your questions and make the information easy to find.   • Your deductible can vary based on the medical procedure, test, or treatment. • The deductible on your plan might change from one year to the next. It’s important to get the latest information from your company.  2. Shop around. You already know that shopping around is important before you buy a house, car, or shoes. Likewise, you can save money by shopping around for medical services as we

Do you want to ensure that your wishes and beliefs are upheld in your medical care? Advance health care directives instruct others about your wishes concerning medical treatment, should you become unable to communicate them yourself. Documenting your plans can give you greater peace of mind and make decisions easier for your loved ones in potentially stressful situations. Here are some steps that will help you create these important documents. Learn the Importance of Advance Health Care Directives: 1. Have your wishes and beliefs honored. It's natural to feel uncomfortable thinking about physical incapacity and death, but it's comforting to know that you can exercise some control. You'll feel more secure if you take every possible step to ensure that the medical care you receive is consistent with your personal values and beliefs. 2. Relieve your loved ones of unnecessary burdens. It's difficult for your loved ones to know what you want unless you talk with

Do you have medical bills that your insurance company doesn’t want to pay? You have several options as you explore different ways to pay the bills.  If your insurance company won’t pay the bill, consider these ideas: 1. Understand the out-of-network rules. Receiving care out-of-network is one of the most common reasons an insurance company denies payment. • Did you go to a hospital, clinic, or doctor who is outside of your network? Insurance companies have strict rules for what they will cover. They may not want to pay for hospitals or doctors who aren’t part of their network. • Unless you had an emergency that couldn’t be treated at an in-network provider, you may not be able to get the insurance company to pay.  • Your city or state may have specific rules that can force insurance companies to pay for out-of-network services in emergency situations. However, you may still be responsible for some of the charges.  2. Negotiate your payment. If your insurance company won’t b

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NYTimes: Can Doctors Be Taught How to Talk to Patients? http://nyti.ms/1ftDBoD

Every patient seen in the Medical Office has a right to privacy . This includes: Privacy Confidentiality Security Privacy Guidelines Information should never be: Discussed in the presence of others Visible to the public What is Confidential? All patient information is confidential. This includes all medical and financial information communicated on paper, by fax, verbally, electronic, film, disk, and video. Who has Access to Confidential Information? Only the staff that needs to know the information necessary to perform their job function. Keep Information Secure Never share passwords Never leave a computer monitor without logging off Never use weak password Be Especially Careful with: AIDS/HIV Substance Abuse Minors Mental Illness Pregnancy