Insurance and Financial Policies

We are contracted with most preferred provider (PPO) insurance plans. We only accept an HMO plan if it is through your employer and the medical group is Regal Medical Group of LA. Many of the insurance plans that we are contracted with have network specific plans which we may not be a part of. We strongly suggest that you contact your insurance plan prior to scheduling an appointment to verify that your doctor is in network. 

You will sign our financial agreement form, which assigns direct payment from your insurance company to your pediatrician. Please be aware that some recommended services may not be covered by your insurance plan. It is your responsibility to know what type of health insurance policy you have and understand the limits and coverage it provides. Please understand that if you consent to and accept any service recommended by your doctor, payment is ultimately your financial responsibility, regardless of what coverage your insurance provides. You may be asked to sign a Waiver Agreement for specific tests that your doctor recommends that your insurance will not cover. This will be discussed prior to testing done, if applicable.  

Insurance coverage can be very complicated. Please do not hesitate to contact our billing department with any questions. We make every effort to make it as easy for you as possible. If you have questions about your coverage or explanation of benefits, you may also check with your specific insurance company, and we strongly recommend for you to document any discussions you have with your insurance company.

We strongly encourage you to create a family account with InstaMed to receive e-statements and make online payments. We also accept checks and major credit cards. A service charge of $35 will be due for each returned check. 

All co-payments will be collected at the time of service unless you set up direct payment via InstaMed. There are also many options via InstaMed to pay outstanding balances. Otherwise, outstanding balances due will be requested at each visit. A statement for any services will be sent to you after we have billed for your child’s visit and received a response from your insurance company. Payment will be due at that time. 

Self-pay patients are expected to pay for services in full for each visit at the time the services are rendered. This includes patients with out of network insurance plans or cost sharing/share of cost plans. Our billing department will be happy to try and submit the claim for you or provide the necessary documentation for you to file the claim for reimbursement with your insurance company yourself. 

Our billing department will make every effort to contact you regarding outstanding balances. Please avoid waiting to be sent to an outside collection agency to discuss any issues. We are always willing to work with patients who make reasonable efforts to pay for their care. 

We strive to offer the best possible care for your children, providing a full spectrum of services for your family’s convenience. Some of the services we offer are not covered by your insurance, but we feel that they are vital to the high-quality care we strive to maintain. We therefore charge an annual fee to be able to continue offering such a wide array of services. These extra services include:

• Reserving slots on our schedule for same day sick/unexpected visits

• Extended and weekend hours

• Curbside seasonal vaccination clinics

• Curbside viral testing

• Access to all seasonal vaccines

• Quick turn around with school and camp forms

• Faxing documentation/forms to schools and specialists

• Maintaining electronic medical records

• Completing authorizations

• Phone calls and written communication with advice nurses and physicians

The cost of the annual fee is based on who your primary doctor is and the number of children you have. For most doctors, the fee is $100/child with a maximum of $200/family. For Dr. Daniel Bruckner, the fee is $500 for your first child, $250 for each additional child, with a maximum of $1,000 per family. This fee will be automatically charged to your account every year on the anniversary of your original payment.

We value your relationship with us and we do not want this fee to be a barrier to your access to quality health care. If you have any concerns or questions, we will work with you to find a solution that suits your needs and budget.

Much effort goes into preparing for your well-child visits and consultations, and the extra time allotted to those appointments is valuable. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please be considerate of your doctor's time, as well as other patients who may need to be seen. Please contact us no later than 24 hours before your scheduled appointment to cancel. 

A $50 fee will be charged for a missed well-child appointment, unless you call at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment to cancel. We understand that there are sometimes extenuating circumstances so we will apply this policy judiciously. 

If you have any other type of appointment scheduled, please also call to advise us as soon as possible if you are not able to make it so we can offer that appointment to someone else. It would be truly appreciated!