Visit Expectations

We want to help make your visit as comfortable and straight-forward as possible. Call us and let us know if you have any specific needs or concerns.

Here are some things to keep in mind before your visit:

Before your Visit

Our on-site pharmacy, Highland South Wedge Pharmacy, is our recommended pharmacy. They are part of your care team, and we work closely with them to help manage our patients’ health. Our pharmacy offers a wide range of services, including coordinating all your medications, pre-packaging your medications in “blister packs” helping you take what you need when you need it. They routinely go above and beyond for their patients.

If you need a refill, the South Wedge Pharmacy can deliver your medications for free in Monroe County. If you want to pick up your prescription at your next appointment, please let us know 5 days in advance. The South Wedge Pharmacy can easily transfer any exiting prescriptions, coordinate your refills, and deliver for free in Monroe County.  Consider requesting all medication refills during appointments. You will need the following:

  • Name of the medication
  • Dosage (mg)
  • Pharmacy name
  • Pharmacy phone number
  • Pharmacy address
  • Prescription number
  • Directions for us 
Call the office at least 24 hours before your appointment if you can’t make it. If you are more than 15 minutes late, your provider may need to reschedule your appointment.

Fees and Insurance

Fees

To keep medical costs reasonable, we ask you to pay at the time of your visit for charges not covered by your insurance. Your prompt payment decreases administrative costs and results in lower charges overall. 

  • If you cannot pay at the time of your visit, please let our billing office know. A representative can meet with you to design an affordable payment schedule. Accounts greater than 90 days overdue may be referred to an outside agency for collection. Patients who do not pay their medical bills may be asked to leave the Practice. 
  • Financial assistance is available for qualifying individuals. We encourage patients to inquire about these programs.
  • If you have a form for insurance, disability, or social services, please make a separate appointment to complete the form. The only way to ensure accurate and timely completion of a form is to devote an entire visit with your provider. 

Insurance: Highland Family Medicine Accepts the Following Plans

  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield Blue Choice
  • Blue Choice
  • Blue Choice Option
  • MVP Option
  • Medicaid
  • MVP
  • GHI
  • Medicare
  • Empire Plan
  • Monroe Plan
  • Strong Care
  • MVA
  • WC
  • Child Health Plus
  • Fidelis
  • Family Health Plus

We do not accept Via Health at this time.

  • If your insurance is an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), you'll be assigned to one of our faculty family physicians for billing purposes. Your primary family physician resident will work with your HMO-assigned physician.
  • If you have private insurance that reimburses you directly, the copy of your encounter form has all the information you need to be reimbursed by your insurance company. You should attach the encounter form to your insurance form and send it to the insurance company.
  • If you have a form for insurance, disability, or social services, please bring it with you to your appointment. Please allow a few days for such forms to be completed, and always specify whether you'd like these mailed back to you or if you'll pick them up.

Additional Guidelines

Seeing your health care provider on a regular basis is an opportunity to review your health concerns. We believe in keeping you healthy by actively working with you to prevent serious health issues. This starts with regular check-ups and screenings for cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and more. Of course, we’re here for you when you’re sick by appointment, in our Walk-in Clinic, or at Highland Hospital.

In general, we recommend:

  • Monitoring your blood pressure and weight
  • For women who have had 3 normal yearly Pap smears, recommendations for repeat Pap smears vary from 1 -3 years
  • Mammograms are recommended beginning at age 35 for high-risk patients, and routinely after age 40. Ask your doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant if you are unsure of guidelines.
  • All adults should receive a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis immunization every 10 years.
  • Flu shots are recommended for people with chronic medical conditions, children under 2 years of age and adults 50 years old and older. Pneumovax is recommended for selected patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and those over 65.

More Information

Regular Check-ups & Immunizations

We care for children of all ages, beginning with your newborn in Highland Hospital. Whether you deliver at Highland or not, you should schedule your baby’s first visit to our office before you leave the hospital. We treat illnesses and injuries, and also emphasize annual physicals, checkups, and immunizations to keep your child healthy. 

Immunization shots are very important, because they prevent serious infections. Occasionally, these shots cause fever, irritability, or soreness at the injection site. Immunizations carry a very low risk for problems, and the benefits of the immunizations far outweigh the risks. Common screening tests we recommend include those for anemia, lead poisoning, vision, and hearing.

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