Office Policies

Appointment Policy

When we make an appointment for you, we reserve a certain amount of time to provide you with the highest quality care based on your needs and the type of appointment required. Should you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please contact our office at CMA Primary Care & MedSpa as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours before your scheduled appointment. This will enable another patient who is waiting for an appointment to be scheduled in that appointment slot.

Sick Visits

Please call for sick visit appointments as soon as possible after 8:00 am. If you know you would like to get checked up, calling prior to reaching CMA Primary Care & MedSpa will give you more options for appointment times. We try our best to see all our sick patients on the same day.

Late Arrival Policy

Dr. Tallapureddy and staff aim to make your visit a pleasurable one. In our efforts to minimize every patient’s wait time, we have implemented a late arrival policy at CMA Primary Care & MedSpa. If a patient is more than 15 minutes late for an appointment, the appointment may need to be rescheduled. This is to ensure that the patients who arrive on time do not wait longer than necessary. We will make every attempt to work in late appointments as the schedule allows.

Prescription Refill Policy

Prescription refills may take up to 24 hours to approve and may take longer if your insurance company needs prior authorization. Please request your prescription before 4 pm, or else they will be deemed next-day requests. Weekends and holidays can also delay requests. Staff at CMA Primary Care & MedSpa makes every effort to avoid any inconvenience caused by delays.

Chronic Pain Management Policy

PCP of CMA Primary Care & MedSpa will perform a biopsychosocial pain assessment, check your history of prior pain and substance use, and prescribe therapeutic modalities.

Insurance Coverage

If you have health insurance, it should be understood that it is an agreement between you and your insurance company to pay certain amounts for medical care. Your doctor’s bill, on the other hand, is an agreement between you and your doctor. You are responsible for the payment of your doctor’s bill regardless of the status of your insurance claim.

Our practice participates in most local insurance plans; however, it is your responsibility to determine whether we are a participating provider for your insurance carrier. If we participate in your insurance plan, we will, as a courtesy, verify your coverage, bill your insurance carrier, and assist you in getting the claim paid. You are, however, ultimately responsible for payment of your bill. You are also responsible for payment of any deductible and co-payments as determined by your contract with your insurance carrier. We expect these payments at the time of service.

We attempt to accurately verify the amounts due from you; however, we are not liable for false or outdated information that your insurance provides to us. Many insurance companies have additional stipulations that may affect your coverage. Please be aware that some of the services you receive may be non-covered or not considered reasonable or necessary by your insurer. You are responsible for any amount not covered by your insurer.

If your insurance carrier denies any part of your claim, or if your treatment continues past your approved period, you will be responsible for your balance. Being educated about your individual policy is your responsibility, and if you have any questions regarding coverage, please contact the insurance carrier directly. We simply follow the guidelines set forth by your insurance company.

Financial Policy

Please familiarize yourself with CMA Primary Care & MedSpa’s financial policies:

• Methods of Payment
  We accept payment by cash, check, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover.

• Co-payments
  We are contractually required by insurance carriers to collect co-payments at the time services are rendered. The patient’s appointment may be rescheduled if they are not prepared to make this payment.

• High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP)
  If we participate in your insurance carrier’s provider network, you will be asked to pay a $90.00 deposit toward your total charges at the time of service, as we are unable to determine the total charge amount at the time of service. This deposit will be applied to your charges. If the deposit exceeds actual charges, a refund will be issued.

  If we are not part of your insurance carrier’s provider network, your entire balance must be paid at the time of service.

• Non-Covered Services
  If non-covered services are provided, the patient will be expected to pay for the services at the time of service.

• Coverage Changes
  If your insurance changes, please notify us immediately. Claims outside of your carrier’s filing limits will not be submitted on your behalf.

• Refunds and Overpayments
  Overpayments may be applied as a credit to the patient’s account unless a refund is specifically requested.

• Outstanding Balances
  Any outstanding balance due is payable in full upon receipt of the statement. Patients with an outstanding balance for more than 90 days may be referred to a collection agency and charged a $20 collection fee.

• Returned Check Fee
  There is a fee of $25.00 for any checks returned by the bank.

• Self-Pay
  Payment for all services rendered is due at the time of service.

• Medical Record Copies
  You may be charged a reasonable fee for copies. Requests will be fulfilled within 30 days.

Emergency Services

Dr. Tallapureddy does not admit patients to hospitals or make hospital rounds. We recommend that you have an ongoing relationship with a general practitioner outside of CMA Primary Care & MedSpa for emergencies, urgent care, and hospital admissions.

On Call Coverage / Emergency

A health care provider is on call 24 hours a day. Dial the main number to connect with the answering service. Calls should only be for urgent medical concerns after business hours. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 911.

Request for Medical Records

To request a copy of your medical record, you will need to sign a release of information and indicate the specific information you are requesting. Payment is due at the time of request.

Billing and Insurance Information

Full payment for co-pays, deductibles, and non-covered services are expected at the time of service. We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards.