Frequently Asked Questions
Please plan to arrive for your office appointment 15 minutes prior to your visit to complete your paperwork if you have submitted forms on line. If you have not completed the forms, please plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
Please plan to arrive for your procedure appointment 30 minutes prior to your scheduled procedure time to complete any paperwork and so that the endoscopy center staff can begin the pre-op necessary for your procedure.
The amount that may be due is dictated by your insurance plan. You may have a deductible to meet and/or co-insurance. Remember, your insurance plan is a contract between your insurance company, your employer and yourself. Please call the billing department at 301.663.9440, option 5 during normal business hours to help you estimate the amount based on our contract with your insurance company. You can also contact your insurance carrier for a detailed explanation of your benefits.
There are four different entities involved in your procedure. Each entity covers a different part of the procedure process. The entities are: (1) the doctor who performed your procedure; (2) the facility where your procedure was performed; (3) the anesthesiologist; and (4) if you had biopsies during your procedure, the laboratory where the biopsies were sent for testing. Again, the payments are determined by your insurance company.
Copays and coinsurance are responsibilities of the patient as determined by your insurance plan. Remember, your insurance is a contract between you, your employer, and your insurance company. We are not a party to that contract. Some plans are written with a specific copay for an outpatient center and a coinsurance for the physician’s office. The benefits are not determined by our office or our endoscopy center, but are determined by your insurance plan.
If, during your colonoscopy, the doctor finds multiple polyps, he may have to remove the polyps using different techniques. The techniques are determined by the size and shape of the polyps and the way they may be attached to your colon. One of the polyps may have to be removed by one method, and another may be removed by a different method. If the polyps are located in different areas of your colon and are removed by different methods,the removal of each is considered a separate procedure by your insurance company.
You may request a refill on a prescription by advising the pharmacy. The pharmacy will contact our office for you.. If you do not have refills remaining, you may call the office during normal business hours at 301.663.9440 and follow the prompts to reach the medical assistant/ secretary of your physician. Please leave the information as requested on the medical assistant/ secretary’s voice mail. Remember that we do require you to be seen annually in order to refill any prescriptions.
Please allow 48 hours to fill a prescription request. Some prescription plans require authorization. We see many patients and your request is as important to us as is the refill request of every other patient. We appreciate your patience.
Your health needs to be evaluated every year to determine if the medication is still appropriate for you. The doctor also may determine that you may need to decrease the medication, increase the medication, or change the medication to something that may work better for you.
Please allow approximately 2 hours for your colonoscopy or EGD. If you are having both procedures, please allow 2.5 – 3 hours. This includes the preparation time at the endoscopy center, the procedure, and time to allow you to recover from your anesthesia.
Each patient is required to have a responsible adult who remains at the endoscopy center when you present for the procedure. Sedation is given for most procedures. The doctor will speak with you after recovery, but you may not remember everything at that time as the anesthesia may still be wearing off. It is helpful to have a responsible adult present to help you remember the doctor’s instructions and answers to your questions.
At times, the procedure may take less time than estimated. Since the endoscopy center is busy and there are other patients waiting for their procedures, it is helpful to have your driver present to take you home as soon as you are ready to leave.
A cab driver cannot be responsible for you on the trip home and after arriving at home. For your safety, it is our policy that you have a responsible driver to drive you home after your procedure. You must have a responsible adult to assist you as the anesthesia wears off.
Test results from your procedure can take two to three weeks to be received from the lab and for the doctor to review them.
You will get a Results letter in the mail from our office. You may also call the office and leave a message for the medical assistant/ secretary of your physician to obtain results.