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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Billing and Insurance Information
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Some insurance plans require that your primary care physician provide them a referral for specialist care. Please check to determine what coverage your plan will provide so necessary documentation can be in place before your appointment.
Appointments are made by calling the main scheduling number directly at 503-246-2212. Scheduling is available Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
The scheduler will need to know the reason for your appointment, your insurance information, and whether there are special factors to consider, such as the need to schedule an interpreter for the appointment. Every effort is made to accommodate a patient's need and physician requests.
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All facilities for Ankle and Foot Centers are accessible by wheel chair and comply
with ADA requirements.
The Hillsdale parking lot can be difficult to maneuver, but we have a special parking area between our building and the "ESP" building, for patients who need it.
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Both facilities for The Ankle and Foot Centers have convenient, off-street parking. Though parking is available at the downtown clinic in the building, we offer free parking a block away at the "Smart Park" structure, on 10th and Yamhill.
For more specific information for a particular facility, or a map to the parking, please see LOCATIONS on this web site.
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Your first visit is a consultation. Ask your primary physician or referral
physician to send us any parts of your medical record that is relevant to your
visit. These records will provide background and will help avoid redundant
testing.
During this visit, our providers will talk with you to understand your medical
and family history, with specific emphasis on the present problem bringing
you to our office. A relevant physical examination is done as well.
Follow-up visits are usually of shorter duration, unless necessitated by the present
problem.
Note that most health plans and insurance companies now require a "Referral"
from your primary care physician before a consultation or visit. Be sure
you have obtained such a referral before your visit, if necessary.
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The practitioner will document in your progress notes when a follow-up visit
is necessary and will let you know the need for this follow-up.
You can either make your follow-up appointment at the front desk after your
visit or call later. It is recommended that you make your follow up visit at the time of your departure, in order to insure you are able to get an appointment for the time you and the Doctor would like.
Often you will get a telephone call the day before your scheduled visit.
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Patients are asked to call the physician's office for results of lab work
and x-rays, if they do not hear from our office within one week, after performing the lab work or other studies.
In the event of an abnormal result requiring intervention, the physician or
their designated staff person will notify the patient for follow-up or further
testing.
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During your examination and treatment, information on your condition will
be provided by the physician and licensed staff involved in your care. We
also have health education pamphlets, videos and books available for some conditions.
You may also be referred to educational classes at various hospitals as appropriate. Referrals
to community resources may be made with assistance from the Social Service
Department of a specific hospital.
Patients are encouraged to ask questions to be sure they understand and are
understood.
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The information in your medical record is available to you by contacting our office. No information will be released by Ankle and Foot Centers to insurance
companies, attorneys, or other parties without your written permission.
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If it is a serious medical emergency, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest
emergency room.
Remember your health plan may require approval from your primary care physician
before an emergency room visit.
If you need to talk to your physician, call your physician’s office and describe
your problem or need. Leave the phone number where you can be reached and we
will respond to your call as soon as possible. After hours, you will be given an emergency only contact phone number. Please only call this number in case of an emergency. In doing so you may need to leave a message for the on-call physician to call you back.
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To have a prescription refilled, contact your pharmacy. They
will contact us if there are any questions.
If there is a problem with your medications or you need a refill earlier than
usual, call the clinic and explain the situation so we can have any changes
approved by your physician before the Pharmacy calls us.
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If you have concerns, we encourage you to let us know, so
we can improve our service and care - call: 503-246-2212. You can contact us by calling the clinic,or
by using the CONTACT US email option on this web site, or by mail to:
Ankle and Foot Centers
6327 SW Capitol hwy, Suite B
Portland OR 97239
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No. Our physicians are affiliated with Providence, Legacy,
and other facilities but The Ankle and Foot Center physicians practice independently
of any specific hospital system.
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All payments are sent to our Office directly.
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The Ankle and Foot Centers accept most insurance and will bill both
primary and secondary insurance plans as a courtesy for our patients.
Some insurance plans have restrictions or a specific provider
panel that patients must access. Please check with your insurance carrier for
specific eligibility, benefits, provider panel and/or referral requirements
as they apply to you.
If you have insurance related questions, you can reach The
Ankle and Foot Centers Business Office by calling 503-246-2212. The operator will direct
you to the appropriate Insurance Specialist to assist you.
Please ask when you call to be sure your care is likely to be covered. However, despite our best efforts we can not fully predict when your insurance plan may not pay for your care.
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A patient's insurance plan may change many times so to be
sure we have current information, we ask to see your card if it has been over
a month since your last visit. Inaccurate insurance information can delay
payment and may lead to increased medical costs for all patients.
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We do not send statements until after your insurance carrier
has been billed and processed your claim. Your statement will then show what
your insurance has paid and any portion of the balance due from the patient.
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Insurance billing requires many steps and can take many
weeks to complete. We are available for questions that you may have about our
bill. We work with the insurance company to ensure correct claims processing. However,
questions about how your insurance processed a specific claim should be directed
to your insurance company. They can answer questions regarding how your policy
and coverage apply to your care. Of course, we are also available to answer any questions you may have regarding a specific clain, or about your bill as well.
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The first billing is always itemized. Future bills will
have the current itemized detail, but the prior billings will show as a balance
forward. Please keep all itemized statements for your records.
If at a later date you need an itemized detail summary, please call our business
office at 503-597-3437.
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We request that all balances be paid upon receipt, or broken
into three equal monthly payments. If you are unable to do either of these
options, a payment plan may be offered. Please contact our Financial Counselor
Department at 503-246-2212.
for details.
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If a patient is experiencing a financial hardship and provides
us with income verification, we may be able to offer a charity discount. Our
decision is based on the poverty guidelines by family size as defined by the
federal government. Please contact our Financial Counselor Department at 503-246-2212
for details.
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An HMO is a type of insurance coverage called a “Health Maintenance Organization.” Typically
it is structured so that your primary care provider is a gatekeeper and approves
/ referals for all non-primary care. If you have chosen an HMO plan, you need
to be familiar with any rules for obtaining care or for co-payments so you
can minimize any expense to you or your family.
Most HMO plans require you to have a referral authorized by your primary care
provider at least 10 days before seeing a specialist, though emergencies are
an exception. Some surgical procedures require a second opinion before they
are performed.
The Ankle and Foot Centers will use the laboratories and other facilities
as required by your plan, but you are ultimately responsible to ensure that
you stay within your plan’s network.
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A PPO is a type of insurance coverage called “Preferred Provider Organization” where
groups (panels) of physicians are contracted with an insurance company to provide
care under specific fee schedules. These providers are “preferred” because
the contracted fees are typically less than those from providers not under
contract. Ankle and Foot Center physicians have contracted with most local serving PPO's.
Under a PPO plan, you may or may not need a referral from your PCP. The key
difference between a PPO and an HMO is that care is paid for as it is received
rather than in advance through a scheduled fee to the provider.
If you have chosen a PPO plan, you need to be familiar with the physicians
and facilities in the “network” and any rules for obtaining care or for co-payments
so you can minimize any expense to you or your family.
The Ankle and Foot Centers will use the laboratories and other facilities
as required by your plan, but you are ultimately responsible to ensure that
you stay within your plan’s network.
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