Financial Policy

Thank you for choosing RGV Endocrine Center (RGVEC) as your healthcare provider. We are committed to building a successful physician-patient relationship with you and your family. Your clear understanding of our Patient Financial Policy is important to our professional relationship. Please understand that payment for services is a part of that relationship. Please ask if you have any questions about our fees, our policies, or your responsibilities. It is your responsibility to notify our office of any patient information changes (i.e. address, name, insurance information, etc).

Co-pays
The patient is expected to present an insurance card at each visit. All co-payments and past due balances are due at time of check-in. We accept cash, check or credit cards. Absolutely no post-dated checks will be accepted.

Insurance Claims
Insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. In most cases, we are NOT a party of this contract. We will bill your primary insurance company as a courtesy to you. In order 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. Failure to provide complete insurance information may result in patient responsibility for the entire bill. 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.

If your insurance plan is one with which we are not a participating provider, you will be responsible for payment in full. However, as a courtesy, we will file your initial insurance claim and if not paid within 30 days you will be responsible.

Referrals and Pre-authorizations
Certain health insurances (HMO,POS, etc.) require that you obtain a referral or prior authorization from you Primary Care Provider (PCP) before visiting a specialist. If your insurance company requires a referral and/or preauthorization, you are responsible for obtaining it. Failure to obtain the referral and/or preauthorization may result in a lower or no payment from the insurance company, and the balance will be your responsibility. Alternative payment arrangements or rescheduling of your appointment may be necessary if not obtained.

Self-pay Accounts
Self-pay accounts are patients without insurance coverage, patients covered by insurance plans in which the office does not participate, 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 with 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 their balance at the time service is rendered.

Missed Appointments
RGVEC requires 24-hour notice of appointment cancellation. Appointments missed and not previously canceled may lead to discharge from the practice.

Returned Checks
The charge for a returned check is $30 payable by cash or money order. This will be applied to your account in addition to the insufficient funds amount. You may be placed on a cash only basis following any returned check.

Medical Record Copies
Patients requesting copies of medical records will be charged $25.

Attorneys and Insurance companies will be charged a $25 fee, plus postage.

A special handling fee of $10 will be charged if records must be delivered within 48 hours of the request.

Minors
The parent(s) or guardian(s) is responsible for full payment and will receive the billing statements. A signed release to treat may be required for unaccompanied minors.

Outstanding Balance Policy
It is our office policy that all past due accounts be sent two statements. If payment is not made on the account, a single phone call will be made to try to make payment arrangements. If no resolution can be made, the account will be sent to the collection agency, or attorney, and 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 all 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 over 18 years of age and receiving treatment, you are ultimately responsible for payment of the service. Our office will not bill any other personal party.

This financial policy helps the office provide quality care to our valued patients. If you have any questions or need clarification of any of the above policies, please feel free to contact us.

RGV ENDOCRINE CENTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE AND/OR MODIFY THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE AT ANY TIME.