Insurance


We accept the following insurance carriers:

  • Aetna PPO/POS
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Aspire Health
  • Aspire Health Advantage (Medicare replacement)
  • Blue Shield of CA
  • BCBS out of state plans
  • Beech Street
  • Benelect
  • Central Coast Alliance for Health ( Please call prior to asking your Doctor for a referral)
  • CHAMPVA
  • Delta Heath
  • First Health
  • GEHA
  • Healthnet
  • MCSIG
  • Monterey Bay Public Emp Trust
  • Monterey Culinary Ins Fund
  • Mutual of Omaha
  • Pacific Claims Management
  • Tricare Prime, Standard, Retired & Tricare for Life
  • Western Growers Assurance Trust
  • Writers Guild
  • Workers Compensation

In the event that you are involved in an auto accident, we do accept "med-pay". Med-pay is an additional benefit that you opt-in on when you sign up for your auto policy. Policy's offer anywhere from $1000-$100,000.00 of medical coverage. When you call to schedule, please be prepared to provide your policy number, claim number, adjuster name and phone number. You will also need to provide your declaration page when checking in for your first appointment. We DO NOT do third-party med-pay billing at this time. Third-party billing means billing the other drivers' auto insurance.

Workers Compensation Patients: Please make sure to bring your ID and adjuster's name and phone number with you to your first appointment.

Our office bills primary and secondary insurance carriers as a courtesy. We do not bill tertiary insurance. As a courtesy, our office will verify your insurance coverage and benefits prior to your first appointment. We strongly recommend that you call your carrier and obtain your eligibility and benefit information as well. Please note: *our insurance verification IS NOT a guarantee of payment from your insurance carrier.

It is our office policy to collect all co-payments, coinsurances and deductibles at the time of your visit. Payment plans are available on a case-by-case basis and should be coordinated prior to starting care, with our office manager.

Health Insurance Terms

Below, you will see a list of terms that pertain to insurance coverage and payment for health services.

  • Co-insurance: in indemnity, the monetary amount to be paid by the patient, usually expressed as a percentage of charges.
  • Co-payment: in managed care, the monetary amount to be paid by the patient, usually expressed in terms of dollars.
  • Consumer Driven Health Care (CDHC): refers to health plans in which employees have personal health accounts such as a health savings account, medical savings accounts or flexible spending arrangement from which they pay medical expenses directly.
  • Deductible: the portion of medical costs to be paid by the patient before insurance benefits begin, usually expressed in dollars.
  • Denial: refusal by insurer to reimburse services that have been rendered; can be for various reasons.
  • Eligibility: the process of determining whether a patient qualifies for benefits, based on factors such as enrollment date, pre-existing conditions, valid referrals, etc.
  • Exclusions: services that are not covered by a plan.
  • Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs): an account that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified medical expenses during the year. FSAs are usually funded through voluntary salary reduction agreements with an employer.
  • Gatekeeper: in managed care, it refers to the provider designated as one who directs an individual patient's care. In practical terms, it is the one who refers patients to specialists and/or sub-specialists for care.
  • Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): a form of managed care in which you receive your care from participating providers.
  • Health Savings Account (HSA): a savings product that serves as an alternative to traditional health insurance. HSAs enable you to pay for current health expenses and save for future qualified medical and retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis.
  • Managed Care: a method of providing health care, in which the insurer and/or employer (policyholder) maintain some level of control over costs and utilization by various means. Typically refers to HMOs and PPOs.
  • Member: a term used to describe a person who is enrolled in an insurance plan; the term is used most frequently in managed care.
  • Open Enrollment: a set time of year when you can enroll in health insurance or change from one plan to another without benefit of a qualifying evening.
  • Out-of-pocket: money the patient's pays toward the cost of health care services.
  • Payer: the party who actually makes payment for services under the insurance coverage policy. In the majority of cases, the payer is the same as the insurer. But, as in the case of very large self-insured employers, the payer is a separate entity under contract to handle the administration of the insurance policy.
  • Policyholder: purchaser of an insurance policy; in group health insurance, this is usually the employer who purchases policy coverage for its employees.
  • Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): a form of managed care in which the member has more flexibility in choosing physicians and other providers. The member can see both participating and non-participating providers. There is a greater out-of-pocket expense if member sees non-participating providers.
  • Premium: the cost of an insurance plan shared by employer and employee.
  • Provider: one who delivers health care services within the scope of a professional license.
  • Reimbursement: refers to the payment by the patient (first-party) or insurer (third-party), to the health care provider, for services rendered.

Reference: www.apta.org