What insurance do you accept? Our office works with most insurance plans, including Cigna, Aetna, Regence, Premera, Meritain, United Healthcare, First Choice, Kaiser Permanente, Lifewise, Providence, Ambetter (Core Plan but not Cascade Care) and Medicare. Please call your insurance to confirm that Dr. Jinwah John Hoy, podiatrist, NPI number 1104820653, is on your insurance plan. We only accept Medicaid as a secondary or tertiary insurance to another plan such as Medicare. We do not accept Medicaid primary, or Medicaid managed care plans such as United Healthcare Community Care, Coordinated Care, Community Health Plan of Washington, Molina Healthcare, Wellpoint. Further, we are prohibited from accepting private pay for patients on these plans, who are prohibited from paying.
How do insurances commonly work? There are many different insurance plans. Most insurances do not pay for all aspects of care, and are increasing cost sharing with the patient in the following ways:
- Require a copay for office visits. The “office visit” is the evaluation and management service with the physician.
- Require a referral from your primary care physician. HMO plans give the patient one primary care physician, and the patient needs to obtain a referral for any specialty care. You can minimize your out-of-pocket expenses by checking to see if you need a referral to see a specialist, if your current referral is valid, and contacting your primary care physician for a new referral if you need one.
- Require satisfaction of a deductible before the insurance kicks in to pay anything. This deductible can be as high as $10,000. It can apply to a whole visit, or anything outside of the “office visit” described above. That means any x-rays or procedures are subject to the deductible. A procedure can include an office surgery such as an injection, biopsy, removing an infection or skin lesion. You can minimize your out-of-pocket expenses by choosing a plan with no deductible or waiting until your deductible is met before seeking care in this office.
- Require a coinsurance after the deductible has been met. This is a percentage the patient has to pay.
- Require a prior authorization, which is an application process for coverage. You can minimize your out-of-pocket expenses by waiting for the prior authorization to be approved before having the procedure performed.
It’s not possible for us to be aware of all the requirements and benefits for each and every insurance plan, only what the insurance company publishes on verification sites. You are responsible for understanding the terms and conditions of your insurance benefits, as well as keeping up-to-date on changes to your insurance plan. Please let us know of any insurance changes, or have any questions about your insurance coverage, well before your appointments. If we are unable to verify your insurance benefits by the time of your appointment, we will not be able to accept your insurance.
Do I need a referral? If required by your insurance plan to see a specialist, please contact your Primary Care Physician for a referral.
How does the billing work in your office? Per industry standard, we verify for referral status, eligibility and patient responsibilities and collect at the time of each service. Please be ready to pay when you arrive for your appointment. Private pay and copays collected are a set amount. To improve billing accuracy and reduce upfront payments, Seattle Foot & Ankle Center now offers a secure Card-on-File program for deductibles and coinsurance. Rather than collecting estimated amounts before your visit, we bill your insurance first and then charge only your actual patient responsibility after your claim has been processed.
How much will the visit cost? Please check this page to learn about how a medical bill is generated.
Do you have payment plans? Payment plans can be arranged by calling the Patient Accounts Department upon receipt of any bill.
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