FAQs
What is Evidence Based Medicine?
What Insurance plans does Northeast Endocrinology Accept?
How do I request medication refills?
If you would like a refill on any of your medications, we recommend you first contact your pharmacy. For chronic medications, our doctors usually place 1 year of refills from your last visit. The pharmacy should check for available refills and if none are available, the pharmacy staff should contact your doctor for you. We have noticed pharmacies vary in their patient support, which can be frustrating for patients. Due to overwhelming increase in medications requiring Prior Authorizations we recommend that you contact your pharmacy to request medication refills no later than 30 days prior, to help avoid delay in treatment. You may also request non-urgent refills or transfer of refills to Alamo Pharmacy through your Patient Portal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why do I need to confirm my information (again), every time I see you. Isn’t it in the system?
Why are there so many forms?
Believe us, we take no pleasure in making you fill out forms, but they are required if you are using insurance (including Medicare). We are always reviewing how we can reduce the number of forms required – we dislike paperwork as much as you do!
For your convenience, the link to complete the online check-in will be sent to you prior to your visit. If you have not received this link, please send us a portal message to have the link resent to you.
Is Alamo Pharmacy part of Northeast Endocrinology?
No. They are an independent entity, and Northeast Endocrinology does not derive any financial gain from them. However, in our experience they do the very best job with streamlining the patient pharmacy experience to include cost savings, prior authorizations, and insurance issues.
For more information visit their website https://alamospecialtyrx.com/stone-oak/.
How do I reschedule my appointment?
Please utilize the patient portal to reschedule here or email info@neendocrinology.com. We kindly remind you to please cancel your appointment within 48hrs to avoid a $75 no-show fee.
What happens if I miss an appointment?
Per our No Show Policy we do require 48 hour notice in order to avoid a $75.00 fee. We don’t like charging it, and you don’t like paying it. We provide a convenient option to cancel at your text message reminder. You may also utilize your patient portal for 24 hour access to communicate any schedule needs.
Who do I speak to if I have a billing question?
Understanding medical bill in the United States us notoriously difficult. According to a 2016 public opinion survey conducted by Co patient, around 72% of American consumers are confused by their medical bills, and 94% of consumers have received medical bills they considered to be “too expensive.” Unfortunately, until there is systemic change, there is little we can do to simplify this, but we do make sure that it is correct.
This article contains tips on how to read your medical bill and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to make sure you’re paying what’s owed and not a penny more: https://www.insider.com/explanation-of-benefits .
If you find yourself further confused by your medical bill and EOB, call your insurance agent if you have health insurance. They are a free resource that can walk through the bill with you charge by charge.
If you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to our billing department at 210-650-3360 ext. 910.
Portal messages will be returned within 48 business hours.
I left a message, when should I expect a call back?
Due to the heavy volume of patient calls, portal messages and phone calls will be returned within 2 business days.
If your needs are more urgent, consider going to urgent care.
If you feel you are having a medical emergency, call 911.
I am a new patient and haven’t heard anything, when should I expect a call back?
Our upcoming available appointment for new patients is typically scheduled within a timeframe of 60 to 90 days. To initiate the scheduling process, it’s imperative that you complete our New Patient (NP) packet, accessible via the provided hyperlink to Patient Forms. Additionally, a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is required for scheduling purposes.
For individuals with an HMO plan or insurance coverage necessitating authorization, it’s essential to secure the requisite authorization prior to scheduling your New Patient visit. This proactive step ensures a smooth and timely scheduling process.
Once we have received all the necessary documents, our New Patient Coordinator will be in touch with you to finalize the scheduling within 10 to 14 days.
What is a prior authorization?
We dislike them as much as you do. It’s an approval of coverage from your insurance company, not your doctor. Prior authorization is a restriction put in place by insurance companies, so they can decide whether or not they will pay for certain medicines. Even when they decide to pay, the medication may still wind up being very expensive. Because each insurance company determines which services and medications require prior authorization, you should contact your carrier directly to find out if a specific test or treatment option needs pre-approval. We also strongly recommend Alamo Pharmacy which provides the highest level of patient assistance that we have seen in streamlining this process.
https://www.goodrx.com/insurance/health-insurance/prior-authorization-what-you-need-to-know
How can I communicate with my doctor?
We recommend that you utilize your patient portal to communicate any non-urgent medical concerns, request refills and make appointments with your doctor.
Is the Quest Lab part of Northeast Endocrinology?
No. Although Quest is our neighbor, they are an independent entity that is not affiliated with Northeast Endocrinology. We do recommend Quest labs, as they have the correct selection of specialty labs we require and are well integrated into our Electronic Medical Record system.
Quest Diagnostics does require an appointment at most locations, you can set the appointment by calling 888-277-8772 or visit their website https://www.questdiagnostics.com/.
Does Northeast Endocrinology provide inpatient hospital care?
No, we are an outpatient only facility.
Can Northeast Endocrinology be my primary care provider?
As we are a subspecialty clinic designed to focus on endocrine disorders, we are not qualified to serve as a primary care provider. We strongly recommend that you have a primary care physician, and we are happy to provide recommendations.
Can I bring my children to my appointment?
Patients visiting us for in-room exams, who have children under 12 with them, are not able to leave them unsupervised and should expect them to be present with them during their exam. We do have free wi-fi so they can keep up on their homework or YouTube during the visit.
Is Northeast Endocrinology ok with profanity directed towards their employees, or guns in the clinic?
For the health, safety and comfort of all of our patients, we ask that patients and visitors follow the guidelines in our Code of Conduct.
Who can I speak to regarding a compliment or complaint?
What Forms of payments are accepted?
We accept the following:
- Cash
- Check
- Mastercard, Visa, Discover
- Debit card
- We currently do not accept cryptocurrency
Can I record video or take pictures during my visit?
To ensure that the privacy of our patients and staff is protected and to ensure that the physician-patient relationship remains confidential and private, Northeast Endocrinology does not permit anyone to record, video tape or photograph our facilities in any way during any visit or appointment with us.
What if I park in handicapped or reserved MD parking?
We must enforce stricter measures to maintain the integrity of our parking area. Patients found parking in a handicap or reserved physician parking spots without authorization will be subject to dismissal from our practice. Your acknowledgement provides Northeast Endocrinology Associates consent to complete a license plate identification.