Insurance & Payment
Q. What insurances do you participate with?
A. We participate with many different plans. Please verify with your insurance carrier that we are in network with your plan.
Q. What forms of payment do you accept?
A. Cash, check, money orders, credit cards (Visa, Discover and Master Card) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) cards.
Q. What do I do if I lose my health insurance from loss of employment or any other reason?
A. There are several insurance options that you may be eligible for. Please contact the Business Office at 585-381-4982, as soon as possible, to discuss these options.
Q. Is my new baby automatically added to my insurance policy?
A. When a new baby is born, you must promptly notify both your insurance company as well as your Human Resources Department so the baby can be added. (The hospital does not do this.)
Q. Will you bill me for my copay balance?
A. Copays are expected at the time of the visit or a $15 service charge will be added to your account.
Q. Why did I get billed for this?
A. The process for billing medical visits has evolved due to payer request as insurers have adopted high deductible models, not by physician choice of preference. The services are now being billed piecemeal whereas it used to be one lump sum. That being said, it is important for your provider to deliver the best care possible; this includes preventative screening, testing, labwork, medication, and disease management. Insurance no longer pays for everything, even some care that you or your health care provider have good reason to think is needed. You are subject to pay based on your individual insurance contract. We are subject to bill, based on services rendered and insurance guidelines.
Locations, Services & Appointments
Q. What are your hours?
A: We are open 363 days a year, including nights and weekends. The office is closed on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.
Appointment Hours: Our office is open from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. On Friday the office is open from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Normal Business Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Weekend Hours: On Saturday and Sunday, appointments are reserved for acutely ill children only. On Saturday, you may call the office from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, on Sunday from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. (for insurance purposes, evening, weekend and holidays are subject to an afterhours visit charge)
After Hours: We are available through our answering service. Please call (585) 453-2211.
Q. How far in advance can I make my appointment?
A: You can schedule well child visits, physical exams, and follow-up visits up to 4-6 months in advance by calling your team receptionist (see the "Contact Us" section).
Sick Care
Q. Do you offer same day sick visits for your patients?
A: Yes. Same day visits are available each day for sick children. Please call your physician’s team receptionist line to schedule same day appointments.
Q. What do I do if my child is sick at night or on the weekend?
A: If your child is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, dial 9-1-1. If you have questions about a sick child, please call our answering service at (585) 453-2211.
Q. Who takes sick calls at night?
A: Phone coverage is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When no one is at the office, a professional is on call and can be reached through the answering service at (585) 453-2211. After 9 pm and on weekends after the office closes, your calls are first answered by a trained pediatric nurse, one of our nurse practitioners, or our physician assistant. A physician from the practice is also on call and available for consultation.
Q. Do you have separate well and sick waiting areas?
A: Yes, our office has separate sick and well waiting areas.
Well Visits
Q. How often do I need to bring my child in for a routine check up?
A. The frequency of routine well-child visits (physicals) is determined by age & are expected at our office:
During your children’s first year of life, well visits are scheduled 1-2 days after hospital discharge, and then at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months and at 12 months.
During your child’s second and third year, well visits are scheduled for 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, and 30 months.
Children over age 3 are generally seen once a year for their annual check up. The easiest way to remember this is to schedule his/her visit around their birthday.
Q. Will I always see the same doctor?
A: In the interest of continuity of care, we encourage you to schedule your well visits with your primary physician or nurse practitioner. If your child is sick, we will try to schedule you with your primary physician, nurse practitioner or a provider on their team whenever possible.
Requests for Forms, Records, Refills, Referrals
Q. How do I get a referral for a specialist?
A: For most initial referrals, a patient needs an appointment with their primary care physician first. After that initial visit, our team will guide you on the next steps (as they will differ depending on the specialist).
Q. How do I get a prescription refill?
A: The most expedient way to request a refill is through the patient portal; each account has a list of the patients medications, where you can check the box of the medication you need refilled, pick a pharmacy, and submit.
Q. How do I request a copy of my child’s records for any reason? Is there a fee?
A: Please go to our Forms & Policies section. Download the Medical Record Release form, fill it out and fax it to the office, (585) 385-7572. Nominal fees will apply for additional copies.
Q. How do I request a copy of a School Form (for school, daycare, camp, etc.) for my child?
A: Please contact our office with your request via the patient portal, under reason for the message choose “Other”
Patient Portal
Q. How do I get a Patient Portal Account?
A: Any parent, legal guardian or patient 12 yo and older can request an account by calling our office or asking at a visit. We will need a valid e-mail address to activate.
Q. Can I have two accounts?
A: No. We recommend setting up a shared password if you need others to access your account.
Q. What is the portal to be used for?
A: Non-urgent medical requests, such as, forms, prescription refills and simple questions that do not require clinical judgment.
Q. When should I expect a response?
A: Within three business weekdays (Monday-Friday 7:30-4 p.m.)
Q. What are the benefits of the portal?
A: You have full access to your Electonic Medical Record which contains appointment information, test results (not from outside sources), medications, access to forms, visit notes and immunizations. You can schedule flu clinic appointments using our Portal and upload information, such as forms.
Q. Why does my 12 yo get offered to reset the portal?
A: The CURES Act was passed to give better access to patients and managing their own medical record. Additionally, New York State requires consent for patients 12 years and older before sharing confidential health information. Through this transition, our goal is to support your teen and family, but also encourage your teen to take responsibility for their health and medical record. Your teen’s patient portal account may be reset around their 12th Birthday and a consent to renew access to the Patient Portal will need to be completed by your teen and subsequently thereafter at future visits.
Child to Teen Transition
Q. At what age should I expect my child to start being more involved in their care?
A: As your teen approaches the age of 12, we want you to start thinking of them taking more responsibility for their own health and health information. Many teens continue to share information with their parents, which we believe is important, but in the event your teen wants protected information to stay between them and their doctor, they have the choice to keep it private. At all Wellness visits (from 12 yo and on), your teen will receive a set of questions about their physical and emotional health. These answers are considered confidential unless there is an immediate danger. Additionally, we will spend part of the exam with your teen without the parent/guardian present. This will assist your teen in becoming more independent with their healthcare.
Q. When should my child start thinking about transferring to an adult physician?
A: At age 18, youth legally become adults and have all rights to make decisions for themselves. The transfer process to an adult physician can begin as early as 18 yo and as late as 22 yo.
