Policies

Office Information

Practice Policies

Please take a few minutes and familiarize yourself with our practice policies. If you have questions about a policy, please contact our office at 402-465-5600 and ask for any member of our Administrative team.

Phone Policies

CALLING OUR OFFICE
During office hours your call will be answered by our automated phone system with the following selections:

1: Appointments
2: Lab
3: Billing
4: Medical Records
6: Nurse Questions, Referrals, & Prescription Refills
7: Research
9: Repeat options

After you make a selection your call will be transferred to a live attendant or a voice mail box where you can leave a message.

AFTER HOURS
After office hours you may call 402-465-5600 and choose option 1. This is our after-hours nurse advice and triage service which can be used when your child is sick or has a minor (non-life threatening) injury. You can also access the CCH symptom checker here. If your child’s illness is life threatening or the injury is major, call 911. Please ask the Emergency Room to contact your child’s doctor to discuss this illness or injury.

Appointment Policies

It is our goal to stay on time when seeing patients so we ask that you call and make an appointment for your child to be seen, unless you are attending the Simple Sick Walk In Clinic . If you have more than one child who needs to be seen, please tell the scheduler. This will ensure that enough time is being reserved for your children.

ARRIVING AT OUR OFFICE

You will be asked to present your insurance card at every visit.  This allows us to ensure that your insurance coverage is still in force during the time of your visit.  You will also be asked to review the demographic information that we have on file to ensure the information is correct.  If you do not have insurance, you are expected to make payment in full at the time of your visit.

LATE ARRIVAL

Please arrive ten minutes before your scheduled appointment time.  If you are more than ten minutes late your child’s appointment will be rescheduled. We will make every attempt to offer you an appointment with another provider the same day as your scheduled appointment or an appointment with your primary care provider at their next available opening.

LATE CANCELLATION
We ask all of our families to contact us more than 24 hours in advance if you know that your child is not going to be able to keep their scheduled appointment. This will allow us the best opportunity to offer that appointment time to another child in need of care. We consider any appointment where more than 24-hours’ notice has not been provided, to be a missed appointment and the appointment will be treated as outlined in the policy below

MISSED APPOINTMENT
We ask all of our families to let us know at least 24 hours in advance if you will be unable to keep your child’s scheduled appointment. We also understand that there are circumstances where an appointment may be forgotten. If this occurs, you will incur a $24.99 charge for the appointment your child missed. If your child/children miss three appointments in an 18 month time frame, we will ask your family to seek the services of another pediatrics practice.

Billing Policies

Below please find our billing policies. Please review these so you understand how the billing process works in our office.

RESPONSIBLE PARTY

When your child is registered a parent/legal guardian is identified as the guarantor or responsible party for billing purposes.   If the parents are divorced or custody has been transferred to a legal guardian, the custodial parent/legal guardian who brings the child(ren) in will be responsible for payment of the bill.  We do not get involved in billing disputes between parents in cases involving divorce or separation and will not split bills among family members.  Emancipated minors are responsible for their own bills.

HEALTH INSURANCE

INSURANCE PLANS
Our office participates with most major health insurance plans in our area. However, it is always wise to verify current participation for your child’s provider with your insurance carrier’s customer service department. It is important to note that in some cases we participate with the insurance plan, but we may not participate at the highest reimbursement tier. Please make sure you know your benefits.

Insurance Benefits Design
Due to the significant number of insurance plans we encounter each day it is necessary for you to understand your health insurance coverage and the full range of benefits available to you under your plan. While we try to be familiar with what most plans are required to cover, we do not know the specifics of your individual plan. Consequently, we cannot guarantee that you will always receive the maximum benefit afforded to you by your insurance plan.

Insurance Card
Please bring your insurance card to every visit. Doing so helps us to ensure that any copays that are due at time of service are collected per your insurance contract. We are responsible for collecting the co‐pay and you are responsible for paying it. In addition, we can assure you that your claim is filed in the timeliest fashion possible.

Insurance Claim Filing
If you have insurance, we will file your insurance claim with your primary insurance company. After filing your insurance, we will wait 60 days for a response. If we receive no response from your insurance company, you will be personally responsible for the unpaid balance. You will then have 30 days after the receipt of your first statement to make the minimum monthly payment.

PAYMENT AT TIME OF SERVICE

If your insurance plan requires you to make a co-pay, your co‐pay is due at the time of your office visit. If your insurance plan does not require a co-pay, but instead has a deductible or coinsurance, payment in full will be expected upon receipt of your statement. If you do not have insurance, you are expected to make payment in full at the time of your visit.

STATEMENTS

You will receive a billing statement outlining the services you received, and any payment or adjustment made by your insurance company. The statement will clearly outline any balance that you are responsible for. It is our expectation that this balance is paid upon receipt of the statement.  Notify us in case of errors or questions about your bill. (402) 327-6010.

PAYMENT PLAN

If you are unable to a pay your account in full, you should contact our Billing Department at 402-327-6010 to discuss a payment plan. Agreeing to a payment plan means that you will make your payment each month. If you are unable to make your required payment, you will need to contact our Billing Department. Any new balances incurred after setting up your payment plan will not automatically be added to the payment plan.  You will need to contact the Billing Department regarding payment of these balances or to revise your payment plan.

MINIMUM PAYMENT
A minimum payment of $50.00 or 20% of the outstanding balance (which‐ever is greater) is required on any outstanding balance or charge incurred.

PAYMENT OPTIONS
For our patient’s convenience we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Care Credit and Debit Card payments. Payments can be made in person, at any of our locations, over the phone during a call placed to our billing office or via the patient portal.

PAST DUE BALANCE

If you have a balance that is unpaid and is older than 60 days from the date of service, you will receive a letter regarding your past due balance.  We ask that you call our Billing Department within 15 days of receiving the letter to set up a payment schedule.

COLLECTION AGENCY
You will receive a final notice prior to your account being sent to our collection’s agency. If you do not contact our office within 10 days following your receipt of your final notice your account will be sent to our collection’s agency for collection. Once your account is sent to the collection agency, it is in their hands, and we will not take the account out of collections.

NO SURPRISES ACT
The No Surprises Act limits out-of-network cost sharing under certain circumstances where surprise medical bills frequently occur. Rules implementing these protections became effective January 1, 2022. The No Surprises Act has 3 general components: (1) a prohibition on surprise billing, (2) additional protections for uninsured or self-pay individuals, and (3) disclosure requirements applicable to all providers and facilities. Click here to review the disclosure requirements.

Please contact our billing office if you have questions about your account. We are here to serve you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. You can contact our billing staff at 402-327-6010 and we will be happy to assist you.

Other Office Policies

INSURANCE PLANS
Our office participates with most of the major health insurance plans in the Midwest, however, it is always wise to verify current participation for your child’s provider with your insurance carrier’s customer service.

MEDICAL RECORD REQUESTS
If you have a CCH Patient Portal account for your child you can view much of your child’s health information online, if not you can sign up for free.  In addition, you do have an option to print much of the content.  If you would like to receive a hard copy of your child’s medical record, there is a form on our forms page that you can complete to request a copy for your records.  There is a retrieval and copying charge of $20.00 plus $.50 per page for copying.  We also require 72 hours to retrieve and print the record.

BEHAVIOR INCIDENTS WITH PARENTS
At Complete Children’s Health, we are committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for our patients, their families, and our staff. Consequently, we do not tolerate aggressive behavior from families, directed towards our staff.

Parents/Caregivers/Guardians/Family members of our patients are expected to use calm voices and refrain from using curse words while on the phone, during a virtual session, or when in/outside one of our physical locations.

The aggressive behaviors listed below will not be tolerated*:

  • Yelling or using raised voice
  • Using curse words, derogatory language, or racial/cultural/sexual slurs
  • Making threats in any form (verbal, written, text, email, letter, etc.)
  • Physical touch or the insinuation of physical harm
  • Using bullying techniques (intimidation, excessively talking over others, discrediting the observations or clinical reasoning of others)
  • The use of or threat of firearms or other weapons
  • Destruction of any of the physical property of Complete Children’s Health

*This list is not an exclusive list and is subject to the interpretation of the staff member

If you engage in behavior deemed to be aggressive, Complete Children’s Health reserves the right to any of the following:

  • Document aggressive behaviors in patient files
  • Cancel the appointment or end the appointment early
  • Ask you to leave the building
  • Request that another caregiver bring your child to appointments
  • Discharge the patient (and siblings) from the practice

If you continue to demonstrate the disruptive behavior after being asked to discontinue, we reserve the right to call the police for support.

Vaccine Policies

The providers of Complete Children’s Health follow the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC recommended vaccine schedule. We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as health care providers and you can perform as parents/caregivers.

At Complete Children’s Health our pediatricians, providers and staff dedicate their efforts to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. One very important step in ensuring the health of any child is to make sure he or she receives immunizations at the correct time. CCH follows the outlined schedule by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP). Vaccines prevent serious disease and have helped to lower the rates of these disease in the U.S. By getting vaccinated, individual children receive protection from these diseases.

Vaccines also help to protect communities by slowing or stopping disease outbreaks. This is especially important for children who cannot be vaccinated because they are too young, too sick, or do not respond to vaccines. When you have a question about immunizations, check with your child’s doctor and we will listen to your questions and concerns intently. Our providers will guide you to the tools you need to make the best decision for your child’s health.

  • We firmly believe in the safety vaccines.
  • We firmly believe in the power of vaccines to prevent serious illness.
  • We firmly believe that, based on all available scientific inquiries, that do not cause autism.
  • We firmly believe that all children should be vaccinated according to the CDC/AAP schedule.
  • We firmly believe that vaccines are in the best interest of your child, family and the community.

During each visit that a vaccine is recommended, we will provide you with a Vaccine Information Statement which discusses the vaccine, its benefits and any possible side effects. Many of your questions about vaccines can be answered ahead of time by consulting the CDC “Vaccines for Your Children” website.

We have the expectation that by entering Complete Children’s Health pediatric practice your child will be afforded the opportunity to follow these guidelines and stay up to date on recommended immunizations. You are welcome to start vaccinating your child at this point. If you do not vaccinate according to recommended schedule, however, you will need to find a new health care provider for your child.

 

Aging Out

When should my child start seeing a physician whose focus is adult medicine?
As your child ages it is important that you discuss with your child’s physician or advanced practice provider when to consider transitioning to an adult medical care provider. There is not a specific age when this must happen, however, many of our patients begin the process after they have graduated from high school. For some the process is simple as they transition to the physician that their parents see. For others, the thought of establishing a new relationship with a health care provider is more challenging and they may wish to continue at their pediatric clinic for a year or so after graduating, and we are happy to see them while they evaluate the many care options available.

Can CCH recommend an adult medicine physician for my child?
We work closely with the Lancaster County Medical Society to assure they have current information on which practices are accepting new patients and which practices are not. Call 402-483-4800 and let them know that you are looking for an adult medical care provider for your child. Make sure you have your current health insurance information available and if there is a specific area of town you prefer.
You could also consult your health insurance carrier for help with getting the best physician to match your current health insurance plan and your family’s needs.

How do I transfer my records?
Once you have identified an adult medicine physician for your child, click the link below to be taken to our records request form. Simply complete the form and drop it off at one of our four locations.

Authorization to release-records

Prescription Refills

If your child needs a prescription refilled, we ask that you first call your pharmacy. Often prescriptions are written with more than one refill. Your pharmacy may already have everything they need to refill your prescription. If the pharmacy did not receive a refill or the authorized refills have run out we request that you notify our office at least 24 hours before you need the refill. This gives our nurses enough time to check with the physician before calling in the refill. Prescriptions will not be refilled after the office is closed or on weekends.

When calling for a prescription refill please leave the following information:

  1. Your name, your child’s name and a phone number where you can be reached. (Speak distinctly and spell your last name. If your child’s last name is different from yours, please spell it as well.)
  2. Name of the drug that needs refilled. If you are unsure how to pronounce it, please spell it.
  3. The name and location of the pharmacy where it should be called in.

Additionally, there may be some prescriptions that will require a follow up visit to our office before they can be refilled. Please allow for this possibility when managing your child’s prescriptions.

Separated/Divorced Parents

Complete Children’s Health’s Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, Psychologists and staff (CCH) are dedicated to providing the highest quality medical care possible to your child/children. Our focus is on your child’s medical, emotional, and psychological health. We are not party to or to be involved in any legal issues between parents and/or legal guardians (parents) including divorce, separation, or custody agreements.

  • CCH is often asked by one parent to limit the rights of the other parent in a divorce or other domestic situation. Without a court order on file in our office outlining any limitations ordered, each parent will be given full access and authority relative to their child/children’s care.
  • “Joint Custody” means that each parent has equal access to the child/children’s medical records. Without a court order specifying specific custody limitations, we will not stop either parent from accessing the child/children’s chart or obtaining test results.
  • Either parent, unless limited by court order, can sign a “Consent to Treat” form that authorizes any named individuals (like grandparents, nannies etc.) to bring your child to our office, be present during the visit and consent to treatment during that visit. Either parent can schedule an appointment for their child/children, be present for the visit and/or obtain a copy of the visit summary. (Subject to medical records fee.)
  • Both parents are responsible to communicate with each other about the child/children’s care, office visit dates and any other pertinent information relevant to the child/children. All parties involved should make decisions regarding their child/children’s appointments, vaccinating and/or any office procedures PRIOR to the child/children’s visit. It is not the responsibility of CCH to communicate visit information to each custodial parent separately. CCH should not be expected to call the non-attending parent following visits.
  • Copays or any additional fees mandated by your child’s insurance are due at the time of service, regardless of which parent is responsible for medical expenses. It is our policy to collect payment at the time of service from whomever brings the child in for the appointment.

  • Absent specific information in the court order, whoever carries the insurance on the child/children will become the guarantor on the account and will be responsible for payment for services provided, after insurance has been processed.  This designation will remain in place until we receive a copy of the court order clearly defining responsibility for health care services.

  • In the event that the issues that have come between the parents become disruptive to CCH or there is non-compliance with this policy, CCH reserves the right to discharge the family from our practice.
  • Again, representatives of CCH cannot be involved in domestic legal issues or disagreements between parents either over the phone or in the office.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.