Covenant Cardiology Associates - Patient Information

Covenant Cardiology Associates - (806)725-1801, (800)692-4313

Patient Information

Patient Education (Warning Signs, Surgical Procedures, etc.)
Specialized Services We Provide
What to Do in an Emergency (Warning Signs of a Cardiac Emergency)

In emergency situations, please call our regular office number, day or night: (806) 725-1801. After office hours, our answering service will notify your doctor or the doctor on call. Time counts! If you have any of the warning signs of a cardiac emergency, do not delay! Call EMS or 911 and get to a hospital as soon as possible.
Practice Hours

Appointments for routine visits and follow-up care are available from Monday through Friday, between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
In emergency situations, please call our regular office number, day or night: (806) 725-1801. After office hours, our answering service will notify your doctor or the doctor on call. Time counts! If you have any of the warning signs of a cardiac emergency, do not delay! Call EMS or 911 and get to a hospital as soon as possible.
Appointments

We try to see all patients on an appointment basis, and we request that you call in advance so we may prepare for your visit. A referral from your family or primary care physician is normally required, except for post-operative or follow-up patients. We will try to see unscheduled patients as soon as possible, based on availability of staff and the number of patients with appointments.
Pre-Admission Review

Most insurance companies now have a pre-certification process, which means that we must have prior approval from the company before many diagnostic tests and other procedures can be performed. If prior approval is not obtained, the insurance company may reduce or deny benefit payments. In some instances, the patient may also be required to either obtain or notify the insurance company of care requested or provided. Please review your policy coverage or check with your insurance agent for your plan requirements. Although we routinely attempt to obtain necessary pre-authorization clearance, it may not always be possible due to necessity or patient convenience. If you are not sure that your plan requirements have been met, you should verify authorization with your company.
Medical Insurance and Professional Fees

We normally file claims to your insurance company for most of our fees. However, except for managed care plans, your insurance company will not usually cover all charges.
It is the patient's responsibility to insure that charges are paid on a timely basis. If payment creates an unreasonable hardship, please see the Director of Business Services to discuss payment arrangements. We accept MasterCard and Visa for payment of accounts.
If there is a legitimate reason for delay in payment of an account, please discuss the matter with us as soon as possible. In fairness to those patients who do pay their charges on time, and because we do not charge interest, penalties, or late charges on accounts, we will take appropriate collection action on past due accounts.
Prescription Refills

Most prescriptions can be renewed by telephone, and requests will be directed to an automated voice mail system which will give you specific instructions about how to leave the request. Unless there is an emergency, please place refills on this system. If you feel you need to speak with a nurse or physician, please call during normal office hours and your call will be returned as soon as possible.
Managed-Care Patients

If you are a member of a managed care plan, such as BlueChoice, FirstCare, or others, you have special requirements for obtaining care. If you require a referral from your primary care physician, you must have the referral form or number with you, or we must have received it in advance. Also, most plans require that a co-payment be paid at the time of the visit. Failure to follow plan requirements may result in reduced benefits or delayed service.
Confidentiality

Your medical record is strictly private. We will not give out information regarding your condition to your employer, friends, or relatives without your permission. The only exception to this protocol is when required by law.
Office Visits and Forms
- Forms available to download and fill out before your office visit:
- We apologize for the number of forms to be completed, but they are necessary to comply with insurance requirements as well as to help insure good medical care. Taking time to fill out these forms also helps make sure you don't forget to tell the doctor or nurse something important. Many times patients call for prescription refills or other information. Because of this, it is important that we know your complete medical history.