East Tennessee Primary Care Associates is dedicated to providing our patients with quality medical care that is affordable. For the convenience of our patients, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards as well as electronic bank transfers. All charges are payable at the time of treatment.
Please ask a member of our staff, and we will review our payment options to accommodate your financial needs. If special arrangements are needed, please talk to our office manager prior to receiving service.
Our office staff will be glad to assist you with your insurance coverage. Please bring your current insurance card with you to all appointments. If you change insurance companies or join another employer’s plan, please be sure to let us know. If an insurance referral is necessary, please bring the completed form with you to your appointment.
We are in-network or a preferred provider for all insurances except TennCare and TRICARE. We will submit all insurance claims for you. We will fully attempt to help you receive full insurance benefits; however, you are personally responsible for your account, and we encourage you to contact us if your policy has not paid within 30 days.
Co-pays: The patient is expected to present the insurance card at each visit. All co-payments and past due balances are due and payable at the time of service.
Non-participating Insurance Accounts: The financial obligations of patients who are insured by carriers that the practice does not participate are considered a Self-pay Account. The insurance company will be billed as a courtesy to the patient. If payment is received for an account that is previously paid, the patient will receive a refund.
Self-pay Accounts: Self-pay accounts are patients who are covered by carriers that the practice does not participate in, patients without an insurance card on file or at the time of service, or patients who have not met their deductible. It is expected that payment is required at the time of service for all services, including surgeries.
Checks Received "Paid in Full": The balance on the patient statement does not reflect charges pending with insurance carriers. Therefore, it is the policy of this practice not to accept checks marked "paid in full".
Patient Refunds: The following criteria must be met prior to issuing a patient refund: the patient has not been seen in the office for 90 days and there are no outstanding insurance claims on the patient’s record.
Divorce Cases: In cases of divorce, the individual who receives the care is responsible for payment of co-pays, co-insurance and non-participating insurance balance at the time of service. We will not bill a divorced spouse for the patient’s services.
Child Custody Cases: The parent with primary custody is usually the parent with whom the child lives and who usually brings the child to the office for care. Therefore, the parent with custody is also responsible for payment at the time of service whether the account is considered self-pay, participating insurance or non-participating insurance. If the non-custodial parent carries the insurance of the child, we will bill that insurance company. We do not get involved with specifics of the divorce, such as, one parent pays 80% and the other pays 20%. It is the obligation of the parents to work out this arrangement between them or with the court system.
It is our hope that the above financial policy will allow us to provide quality care to our valued patients. If you have any questions or need clarification of any of the above policies, please do not hesitate to contact our business office.