Information for Patients

We are glad that you have chosen us as your Primary Care Provider. Below is some important information for all patients of Carroll Family Medicine, LLC. These topics cover a variety of areas. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 410-239-0406.

What We Offer

• Care for Adolescents and Children (Over 6 years old)
• Wellness Exams: Routine immunizations; Sports, Camp, and College Physicals
• Management of Chronic Issues: Allergies, Asthma, Acne, and Depression
• Management of Acute Illness: Cold, Flu, Childhood Diseases, Ear Infections, Rashes, etc.

Adult Care for Men and Women

Routine Care
Routine Physicals, including immunizations
Cancer Screening
Wart, Mole, and Skin Tag Removal

Management of Chronic Illnesses
High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Diabetes Mellitus, Heart/Lung Disease, Thyroid Disease
Anxiety, Depression
Erectile Dysfunction, Prostate Disorders
Allergies, Asthma
Migraines, Chronic Pain, etc.

Gynecological Care
Pap Smears, Contraception Counseling
Menopause, Osteoporosis
Abnormal Menstruation, Breast Disease, etc.

Management of Acute Illnesses
Laceration Repair
Cold, Flu, Infections
Sports Injuries

Workman’s Compensation and Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

Physician Supervised Diet Program

After Hours Emergencies

In case of an emergency when the office is closed, please call 410-790-9549: the after-hours telephone number for the practice. Either Dr. Uggowitzer or Alyssa Best -our Physician’s Assistant will be on-call. If no one answers, please leave your name, telephone number where you can be reached, and a brief description of the medical problem. If you have not heard back from the provider in 15 minutes, please call again. We will make every effort to return your phone call as soon as possible. If there is a true emergency, do not hesitate to call 911. For routine matters, like refilling a prescription or making an appointment, please call back at 8:30 on the next business day.

Appointment Scheduling

We try to accommodate the needs of our patients. We will try and schedule your appointment at the most convenient time possible. If you need to be seen the same day, we will make every effort to work you in with your medical provider. Otherwise, we will schedule you with the provider available. Please call 410-239-0406 to make an appointment.

~ A Notice to Our Medicare Patients ~ Within the first 12 months of your initial enrollment, Medicare will cover a “Welcome to Medicare Physical”. Medicare will also now cover an annual physical examination. Please refer to your Medicare Handbook to see what other specific services may be covered. You can still have a complete physical, however, you will be asked to sign a Medicare Waiver Form at the front desk. This is called an ABN or Advanced Beneficiary Notice. It states that you are aware that the services you are receiving are not covered under Medicare, and that you will be responsible for the bill.

HIPAA

The federal government requires us to share our Privacy Notice, which is posted at the front desk and throughout our practice. You will be asked to read and sign our HIPPA consent form if you have not already done so. A downloadable copy is available for your convenience. Please review the Privacy Notice, which explains the Practice’s policy on sharing patient information for treatment and billing issues. You will be asked to list anyone that you would authorize us to release information to (i.e. if someone would ever pick up a prescription, referral or samples for you). We value your right to privacy. Patient confidentiality is very important to us.

Insurance and Demographic Information

We do all of our medical billing in-house. We must verify your insurance card and demographic information at each visit. This ensures that we have the information necessary to process your bill accurately in a timely fashion. We make every effort to ensure that your health-care benefits are used wisely and appropriately. If you do not have your insurance card available at the time of the visit and we are unable to verify your coverage, we may ask you to sign a release form, and pay for the visit, or reschedule your appointment until you can present your card. If your insurance company covers the visit, we will refund the money that you paid or use it as a credit on your account.

Test Results

Test results may take up to one week. Your provider or their assistant will either request that you schedule a follow-up visit to discuss the test results or will mail the test results to you once they have been reviewed. If anything urgent is discovered, we will contact you right away.

Laboratory Services

We contract with several laboratories for our lab services. Many insurance companies have contracts with one designated lab company. We must follow your insurance guidelines in order for them to pay for your labwork. Please communicate with your provider or the nursing staff, if you have any questions about your lab tests. Each laboratory coordinates their own billing, so please contact them directly at the number proved on your bill.

~ A Notice to our Medicare Patients ~ There are some laboratory tests that Medicare does not cover. Medicare does not pay for routine, preventive medical care. In order for us to perform the test, you will need to sign an Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN), stating that you are aware of this and will be responsible for the cost of the test. Please refer to the note under the Appointment Scheduling section.

Prescription Refills

Please contact your usual pharmacy for medication refills. Your pharmacist will call us at your request. Please allow one (1) business day for prescription refills or sample requests. If you are requesting samples, please bear in mind that we do not always have them available, and that we have no control over when they will arrive. Also note, that we do not routinely order medications or issue samples for acute problems without seeing you and evaluating your problem. If you have not had a check-up, we will ask you to schedule an appointment, so that we can evaluate the effectiveness of your medication.

Referrals

We are a primary care office. Occasionally, you may need to see a specialist for a consultation about your care. Many insurances require a referral from the provider’s office in order to cover the visit to the specialist. The primary care provider needs to see you first, to evaluate the situation. If they determine that a visit to the specialist is necessary, they will recommend another provider listed with your healthplan that they have confidence in.

Every effort will be made to complete this referral at the end of your appointment before you leave the office. If this is not possible, the referral will be completed within 48-72 hours. If your insurance does not require an authorization for your referral, you should contact the specialist’s office directly for an appointment. If your insurance does require approval, we will assist you with coordinating the appointment. The referral process is varied and continually changes, so if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask our staff. Be aware that the specialist will not see you if they do not have the appropriate referral letter and insurance authorization.

Copays and Collections

Your copay is due at the time of service. It will be collected at the front desk when you register for your appointment. We are unable to discount or waive this fee due to our contracts with the insurance companies. All deductibles, coinsurance, payment for non-covered services, and outstanding collections are also due at the time of your visit. You may be asked to reschedule your appointment if you are unable to make payment. We accept cash, checks, debit cards, and Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards. There is a $30 fee for returned checks. Accounts that become past due at 90 days, may be turned over to a collections agency. Payment plans can be arranged at any time with the billing staff.

No-Show Policy

It is the responsibility of the patient to arrive for their appointment on time. We do not normally call to confirm appointments prior to the visit. Cancellations must be received 24 hours in advance, so that we may accommodate patients who need to be seen. Patients who do not contact us prior to their appointment will receive a no-show charge of $50.

Requests for Medical Records

We will release copies of a patient’s medical records with written patient authorization. The copying or printing of records is done in the office, usually within 2-3 days of the written request, but it may take up to 30 days. There is a $20 fee for copies of a patient’s medical records, and this includes postage and handling. You will not be charged a fee for records requested by a physician to whom we have referred you.

Completion of Forms

Disability, employer, FMLA, insurance forms, or any other paperwork that requires your provider’s input, can be very time consuming to both you and your provider. Please be sure to complete all required information prior to submission to your provider. You may be asked to schedule an appointment with your provider to review the requested information. A fee may also be charged for the completion of some forms.

Termination from our Practice

Our office values its patient relationships and wants to protect patients’ rights. We will only terminate patient relationships with cause and careful consideration. Reasons for termination include: Repeatedly not showing for scheduled appointments; not complying with recommended medical care; being hostile or abusive to the providers or staff; or not paying bills in a timely manner. Termination will be issued through a certified letter, sent directly to the patient.