Putnam Valley Pediatrics
Important Practice Policies
Go to Policies on:
1. Please call well in advance for preventive-care appointments ("checkups") -- we will try to accommodate your date and time needs, but we cannot overbook since we feel it is important to leave appropriate amounts of time for all our patients.
2. For all children two years of age and older, we try to do each child's preventive care exam in the month of their birth. This will meet the needs of schools, sports and camps, and allows us to spread our work over the entire calendar year.
3. Please arrive a few minutes prior to your appointment, so the nurses have time to check you in and prepare you for the exam.
4. Please try not to be late -- if you arrive after the start time of the appointment, we may have to reschedule the exam. It is not appropriate or fair to delay the appointments for all other children who follow on the day's schedule. Back to Top
1. We participate in most insurance plans. Please bring your child's current ID card at the time of each visit, so we can verify coverage and update our system information.
2. Copays are due at the time of visit. It is important that you know the copay policies of your individual insurance plan -- some have a single copay, many have several -- visit, lab services, and radiology (xrays).
3. If you pay your copay in cash, please be sure to get, and keep, your cash receipt for future reference.
4. Coinsurance and deductibles are not known to us until we receive the EOMB (statement) from your insurer. We will then bill you for these amounts -- but please be aware that some insurers may take weeks to months (or more) to settle a bill, and therefore you may receive bills for dates months earlier. Even though our statements indicate due amounts by 30,60,90-day aging we do not charge interest or late payment on these amounts. Back to Top
1. Federal Law tightly controls the privacy and confidentiality of your child's medical records. It may seem bothersome to some parents to get written approval or signatures for many of our activities, including immunizations and transmission / transfer of records -- please be assured that these policies are both required by law and are being done in the best interests of your child.
2. In the State of New York, adolescents have the individual legal right to seek medical attention for matters pertaining to pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases without parent approval, and with the legal expectation of privacy and confidentiality. We adhere to these laws, and ask our parents to trust our judgment and interest in the welfare of your child. In addition, Putnam Valley Pediatrics uses the American Academy of Pediatrics Adolescent Health Care Rights as a guideline for management of teenage health care. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please feel free to ask to speak directly with Drs. Shurp or Zurhellen.
3. Putnam Valley adheres to the Bright Futures Children's Health Charter . Back to Top