Patients

At all appointments, you should bring:

• Photo ID
• All Insurance Cards
• Current List Of Medications.
• Any copay or previous balances due

We understand things come up and an appointment may need to change for some reason! If this happens please just give us a call and we are happy to help you find another date and time. All we ask is you give us 24 hours’ notice for cancellation/change of appointments. A cancellation fee may be assessed if less than 24 hours’ notice is given, $50.00 for office visits and $200.00 for surgical/cosmetic appointments.

We ask that patients arrive ten minutes before their appointment to allow time to complete the check-in process. If you arrive past your appointment time you may be asked to reschedule. Please call the office to reschedule at (269) 321-7546 or proceed to the front desk to discuss your options.

Please call our office at (269) 321-7546 to request a refill before your prescription runs out. Many prescriptions require a yearly visit, if that is the case you will be asked to make an appointment.

We take pride in making sure your experience with us is the best it can be from start to finish. Click here for directions on how to care for your biopsy or surgical site.

Are you concerned about when or how to use a medication we prescribed, the price of the medication or think you are having a reaction? Please call our clinical team at (269) 321-7546.

Yes! Please fill out our HIPAA Compliance Form and submit it. One of our medical records team will contact you within 5 business days.

Southwest Michigan Dermatology and Laser & Skin Care Center maintains a high level of confidentiality and we adhere to a privacy policy (HIPAA). We take appropriate measures to provide security and respect your medical, personal, and billing information. Patients 18 years of age and older, who would like to share medical, billing, or financial information, will require a completed PHI form.

Southwest Michigan Dermatology and Laser & Skin Care Center accepts most major insurance plans. Most insurance companies offer coverage on medical and surgical dermatology services they deem medically necessary. However, it is your responsibility to know your plan’s provisions and seek appropriate approval prior to your services. as coverage varies by insurance carrier and from policy to policy.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not list skin cancer screenings under the A or B recommendations; meaning that skin exams are not seen as preventative by insurance companies. Therefore, skin exams are not billed as a preventative visit.

A deductible is the set amount that the patient pays out-of-pocket before the insurance carrier starts paying for services. Deductibles restart on a yearly basis. Deductibles are determined by your insurance carrier based on the benefit plan you or your employer group selected.

Copayments are set amounts that the patient pays at the time of a medical service, such as an office visit, procedure, or for medication. Co-pays are set by the insurance provider and vary depending on benefit plan selections.

Co-insurance is determined once the claim is processed based on the benefit payment level. These are billed to the patient if they do not have a secondary insurance that will cover them.

Each carrier limits the amount of time that a provider must file insurance claims for each date of service. Each time you register in our office you will need to present ALL valid insurances for that date of service. We will not be responsible for filing any claims that are outside the insurance carrier’s time filing limits and you will be financially responsible for those balances.

A Coordination of Benefits (COB) is a system utilized by insurance companies to determine the order in which different insurance plans, when more than one policy is active, should be billed. Insurance carriers will reject claims if they are missing COB, or if they believe that another carrier may be responsible for your services. Even if you only carry one health insurance plan, insurance carriers may reject claims if they are missing a COB. It is the patient’s responsibility to communicate and resolve this issue with their carrier.

We accept most major credit cards (American Express, Visa, Master Card, and Discover), debit cards, checks, and exact change cash. Any personal checks that are returned as not processable by the bank are subject to a $50.00 service fee.

These services are usually not covered by insurance carriers. Payment in full will be collected at the time of service.

You will receive three billings for a biopsy. One from the provider who performed the biopsy. The second bill will be from the lab that processes the tissue sample. The final bill will be from the pathologist who examines the tissue slide.

Each insurance plan is different, and coverage varies by carrier and plan. The best way to verify if your carrier will cover your services is by contacting them ahead of your visit. General office visits and biopsies are typically covered by most carriers. Coverage for specific procedures may vary by insurance policy. Carriers do sometimes reject claims as “non-covered.” In most situations, our billing department can provide you with an estimate of the code(s) that may be submitted for your visit. If you are concerned about coverage at the time of the visit, you can defer a procedure until you have an opportunity to review your carrier’s benefits and policies.

Sometimes an insurance carrier will require prior authorization for a service. While we do our best to give you advanced notification, it is your responsibility to verify with your insurance carrier before a service is performed. Our Business Office (269-321-0971, option 2) is available if you have any questions. If authorization is not obtained, you will be responsible for the cost of the unauthorized services.

That’s not a problem, we see and treat patients who do not have health insurance. If you are not covered by a registered health insurance carrier, we will collect a $200 down payment at each visit. You will be billed for any balances from your visit that are not covered by the down payment. When you receive your first statement you are welcome to contact our Business Office at (269) 321-0971, option 2, and have your account reviewed for a self-pay discount. If you have insurance, you will receive more discounts by using insurance coverage rather than asking for a self-pay discount.

If you do not want to bill your insurance you will need to contact the Business Office at (269) 321-0971, option 2, prior to your services. The insurance carrier will require that all services related to that diagnosis be considered “self-pay” going forward, and any services with that diagnosis that they have paid for will be refunded. In some cases, that can be costly. We do not give self-pay discounts if you choose not to bill your insurance.

If we are out-of-network with your insurance carrier we will send a courtesy claim for your services. You will also receive a bill for the services. The insurance carrier will issue payment to the insurance subscriber. You will be responsible for the entire billed amount. No provider network discounts will be issued for your services.

While this is not our complete list, below are some common carriers you may recognize. Sometimes insurance carriers that we participate with will add different lines of business that we do not participate with, feel free to contact the Business Office at (269) 321-0971, option 2, for more information.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Blue Care Network of Michigan
• United Healthcare
• Priority Health
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Aetna
• Cigna
• Medicare for Railroad Workers and Their Families
• MultiPlan
• PHCS
• Cofinity