How Our Billing Works
At Geldwert Bunion Center, we strive to make the billing process simple, transparent, and stress-free. To accomplish this, we provide a few billing options for patients:
- Self-Pay Patients: we will provide you with quotes and pricing up-front for your appointments and treatments. While we often request full payment before treatments, this can be done in installments.
- Out-of-Network Patients: if you have insurance with out-of-network benefits, we will submit a claim to your insurance company for approval and payment. We will then send you a balanced bill for the portion not covered by insurance.
We are committed to providing you with the best care possible, both in and out of the exam room. We are happy to provide you with up-front information about fees, and we can help you understand your benefits and coverage. Please call our office with any billing questions you may have.
Why We Are Out-of-Network
Dr. Geldwert believes that developing strong relationships with his patients and taking the time to understand their concerns is the best way to practice medicine. Most managed care plans, such as traditional insurance, do not value or fully compensate for the time and dedication required to practice this way. Doctors end up rushed and may not be able to thoroughly diagnose the issue and all of the factors that may be contributing to it, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes. By not participating as an in-network provider with commercial insurance plans, Dr. Geldwert is able to provide more well-rounded care to patients, including:
- Specialized expertise: you have the entirety of Dr. Geldwert’s expertise available to you, including newer procedures like HyperFlex that may not be currently covered by insurance
- Personalized, quality care: out-of-network providers can offer more one-on-one time with patients
- More flexible treatment options: being out-of-network means Dr. Geldwert is not bound by the strict contractual obligations of commercial insurance, so he has more flexibility to design the right treatment plan for you
- Continuity of care: if your insurance changes, you can continue seeing Dr. Geldwert without disruption
- Choice and availability: you can choose which provider you see and will typically have shorter wait times
- No referral needed for many patients: self-pay patients don’t need a referral to get an appointment with Dr. Geldwert. Those filing out-of-network benefits with their insurance may require a referral – please call our office to determine if you need a referral.
To discuss payment options or to learn more about why we are out-of-network, please call our office. We are happy to help and answer any questions you may have.
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Estimating Out-of-Pocket Expenses
We do our best to help you estimate any out-of-pocket costs for services at Geldwert Bunion Center. The amount your insurance will cover typically depends on your insurance plan, including:
- Allowed Rate (how much the plan pays an out-of-network provider for a specific service)
- Deductible (how much you pay before your insurance plan starts to cover services)
- Co-Insurance (the percentage you are responsible for once you have met your deductible)
- Out-of-Pocket Maximum
To help determine what you will owe, our office will always attempt to obtain this information on your behalf. However, insurance companies will not always disclose this information to the doctor’s office. In certain instances, they will only provide this information to the policyholder. In these instances, it is best to call your insurance company yourself, and we can provide you with the diagnosis and procedure codes.
If you are uninsured or do not have out-of-network benefits, please contact our office to request fees for self-pay consultations and common procedures.
For the highest quality foot care in NYC and Westchester, including foot surgery, turn to Dr. Geldwert. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.