INSURANCE & FINANCIAL POLICIES

• Your Responsibility: It's essential to be familiar with the health plan coverage you've chosen, as we can't be experts on every plan.

• HMO Plans: All HMO plans require a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) for your health plan to cover services.

• Obtain Authorization First: It's your responsibility to contact your PCP for authorization and confirm a referral is in place before your appointment. If you don't have a valid referral, your insurance may deny coverage, and you'll be responsible for the cost of services.

• Covered Services: Not all services provided at South Coast Dermatology may be covered by your plan. Please understand what services are covered by your insurance. You may be asked to sign a referral waiver, allowing us to bill you directly if services are denied due to lack of a referral or coverage.

SELF PAY PATIENTS

If you are a self-pay patient, please be prepared to make payment in full at the time of service. This includes:

• Co-payments and deductibles from your health plan.

• Out-of-pocket costs for non-covered services (you may need to sign a non-covered waiver, allowing us to bill you directly).

• Any prior balances.

For your convenience, we accept cash, checks, and credit cards.

• Monthly Statements: Patient statements are sent out monthly. Information on payment plans is available upon request.

• Payment Due: Unless a prior payment plan has been agreed upon, all balances are due within 30 days of receiving your statement from South Coast Dermatology.

• Collections: If your balance hasn't been paid 90 days after receiving the first statement, your account may be turned over to a collection agency.

To provide the best care to all our patients and ensure appointment availability, we require at least 24 hours’ notice for any appointment changes or cancellations.

• Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice will result in a $50 fee.
• No-shows (missed appointments without notice) will also incur a $50 fee.

This policy helps us accommodate other patients waiting for appointments. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

MINORS

Any patient under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (over 18). We cannot provide services to a minor without proper authorization and the necessary signature for treatment.

PRESCRIPTIONS

• Prescription Phone Line: Please call 781-335-9700, option #4.

• Processing Time: For new prescriptions, refills, or questions about prior authorizations, please allow 48 to 72 hours for processing.

• Voicemail Information: When leaving a message on our prescription voicemail line, please include:

         o Patient's full name (please spell it) and date of birth.

         o Name of the prescribing physician.

         o Medication name, including strength, directions, and quantity.
         o Name & phone number of your pharmacy.

• Mail-Away Pharmacies: Missing information for mail-away pharmacies will cause delays. 

• Annual Visit Requirement: Please note: If you haven't been seen in our office within a year, your refill request may be denied until you schedule a follow-up visit.