FAQs

My goal is to provide the highest-quality medical care and service, emphasizing a proactive, comprehensive approach to both disease prevention and wellness. I strive to provide excellence in care that is both compassionate and truly patient-focused. From the moment you enter my office, I want you to be completely satisfied with every aspect of your care.

I have intentionally limited the size of my practice in order to devote more time to each patient’s care and individual needs. I also offer patients certain non-covered amenities and benefits designed to personalize and enhance their health care experience. Patients will have little or no office waiting room time, and appointments will start promptly. This practice model also enables me to schedule longer, unrushed patient appointments (approximately 30 minutes for routine appointments and approximately 60 minutes for the comprehensive annual health assessment) that they, or I, feel they need. If an issue requires extra time for evaluation or discussion, I will accommodate patients to the best of my ability. Additionally, you will be able to contact me on my personal patient-dedicated cell phone and email, making it easier than ever to communicate.

I am on staff at Marian Regional Medical Center and Lompoc Valley Medical Center.

Yes. My medical practice does not take the place of general health insurance coverage and is not a health insurance program.  Your annual fee pays for the non-clinical, non-covered amenities and benefits that are described in the Highlights & Details document. Neither the fee nor the amenities take the place of general health insurance coverage. You are advised to continue your Medicare or other health insurance program coverage.

My goal is to be available to my patients 24 hours a day. There will be rare occasions when I am out-of-town or otherwise unavailable. In these situations, a trusted colleague will serve as my covering provider.

Yes. My office will file your claims with Medicare as well as with your supplemental insurer on your behalf, as required by law. Office visit fees that are not reimbursed by insurance will be the responsibility of the patient.

I intend to remain an in-network provider for most major PPO insurance plans and will bill your insurance directly for professional services that are covered by those plans. (Professional services are not covered by your annual fee.) If the terms of your insurance plan require a co-pay, I am obligated by those terms to request payment at the time of service. Even if I am not a provider for your insurance plan, I will attempt to refer you to in-network physicians for any necessary consultations and to in-network facilities for diagnostic tests and hospitalizations as medically indicated. Those services will likely be covered by your insurance plan.

The annual fee is not reimbursable by Medicare or your commercial insurance plan.

In some instances, the annual fee, or part of the fee, may be payable through your HSA. You are advised to consult with your HSA or FSA plan administrator, employer, HR representative or tax adviser to clarify qualification in your particular circumstance.

Your annual fee pays for membership in the practice and for many other non-covered benefits. All medical procedures and services, whether performed in my office or by other providers or health care facilities, will be billed by the performing physician and/or entity.

Please know that you can contact me at any time. However, if you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. You can then call me or ask the hospital personnel to contact me so I may assist in your care. If you have a non-urgent problem, feel free to contact me first.

If the problem is minor, call me first. However, if you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately – then you can call me. With the exception of controlled substances, I will seek to accommodate your prescription requests if state/local law allows. If you seek care at an emergency room or urgent care center out of my area, you should feel free to ask the doctor seeing you to call me for coordination of your care. I will be readily available for phone consultation with you and/or other health care personnel. If you should require hospitalization while away, at your request, I will attempt to establish regular phone communication with you and your attending physician(s) to ensure continuity of care.