This page discusses the special service of fee-based personal telephone communication with your Digestive Health physician. There is no charge for routine calls to our scheduling or billing staff, or to our nurses or medical assistants. In many cases your physician will initiate a personal telephone call to follow up a limited matter, for which there is also no charge. The fee based option described below is offered as a more convenient and cost effective optional alternative to a traditional office visit for selected patients.
We are pleased to offer selected established patients the option of fee-based personal telephone communication with your participating Digestive Health physician.
Physicians participating in this service:
In many cases, telephone consultation with your gastroenterologist may provide an effective alternative to a traditional clinic visit. Telephone consultations can be used to discuss your endoscopy, radiology or laboratory results, to provide additional or new history, and to consider adjustments in your treatment or diagnostic plans, including the addition of new medications or the need for additional diagnostic or treatment plans.
Because telephone consultations can be conducted outside of usual office hours, scheduling is limited only by your availability and the personal availability of your doctor. For this reason, telephone consultations can generally be provided more quickly than an office appointment.
Fees
Telephone communication of this type is an optional fee-based service which may or may not be reimbursed by your insurer. You should ask your insurer if it covers the codes identified below prior to initiating fee-based telephone services.
Fees for this service are necessary because of the costs we incur in providing it. A review of your medical record at Digestive Health, the Southwest Endoscopy Center and Mercy Medical Center is necessary as a part of this service, and documentation of our communication must be prepared and maintained in your Digestive Health record.
We will, as medically appropriate, issue physician's orders for additional laboratory, imaging (radiology) or endoscopy services on the basis of these communications. We may also issue new or renewed prescriptions. In some cases, we may need to have you come into the office for a traditional visit and physical examination.
Despite the necessity for fees to cover this service, in many cases, this form of telephone communication service may be more expeditious and cost effective for you than a formal clinic visit.
Limited telephone-based communication services may include a report on tests or laboratory results, or discussion to clarify or alter previous instructions, to integrate new information from other health professionals into your medical treatment plan, or to adjust therapy.
More complex telephone-based communications may include discussion to provide advice on a new problem, to initiate treatment that can be handled appropriately in a telephone conference, to go over test results in detail, to coordinate medical management of a new problem, to review and evaluate new information and details, or to initiate a new plan of care.
Our fees for these services are time-based:
99441 (5-10 minutes of medical discussion) $65
99442 (11-20 minutes of medical discussion) $98
99443 (21-30 minutes of medical discussion) $131
What to ask your insurer regarding coverage for this service
Ask your insurer if your policy provides coverage for services designated by 2008 CPT codes 99441-99443.
We are happy to provide you with this service on a private self pay basis if it is not a covered benefit of your policy.
The material provided on this website is for general informational purposes only.
If you need specific medical advice, please contact our office for an appointment.
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