Resources

Payment Policy

At The Woodruff Institute for Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery we make every effort to provide you with the finest care and the most convenient financial options.

• It is the policy of our practice that payment is due at the time of service, unless other financial arrangements are made in advance. We require all patients to pay their deductible, copay and/or coinsurance payment at the beginning of each visit. For your convenience we accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
• We participate with many PPOs and other health insurance plans including Medicare. Although we are contracted with many insurance carriers, our services may not be covered by your particular insurance plan. Being referred to our clinic by another physician does not necessarily guarantee that your insurance will cover our services. Each plan contains unique rules which must be followed by patients. We highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the particular benefits and rules of your health care plan since the contract is between you (the patient) and your health insurance carrier. Please remember that you are 100% responsible for all charges incurred.
• As a courtesy to you, we will file claims with your health insurance plan and assist you in every way we can. Please contact your insurance company prior to your visit to clarify your covered benefits for services. Please bring your insurance information with you to the consultation so that we can expedite reimbursement.
• We do our best to verify your benefits prior to your appointment to make sure we collect the appropriate amount owed and to make sure your visit will be covered by your insurance plan. However, it remains the policy holder’s responsibility to know their insurance policies, as The Woodruff Institute cannot know every detail of your specific plan. Ultimately, you are responsible for knowing what services are covered, how often, and how much of the cost is your responsibility.
• Our office does not guarantee that your insurance will pay. Please understand that if, for whatever reason, the company does not pay for the services, you will be responsible for the unpaid balance.
• Our practice utilizes an Electronic Health Recording system. Occasionally, progress notes may be in a preliminary state and awaiting final review from the provider when a patient checks out. In the event your billing status changes from time of check out, a refund will be issued and/or you will be responsible for the balance. Only finalized notes that have been reviewed and signed by a provider are submitted to insurance companies.
• All cosmetic procedures are paid at the time of service. We do not bill these procedures to insurance companies.
• If blood work or biopsies are done, you may receive a separate invoice from the laboratory or the pathology doctor that interprets your biopsy specimens at a later date. Labs are a separate entity and will have separate billing. The policy holder should familiarize themselves with the insurance policy and any specific laboratory requirements should a sample need to be submitted to the lab for analysis. While most insurances do cover part of this cost, you are responsible for paying all invoices directly to that laboratory or physician.
• Prompt payment of mailed invoices is required. In the event you receive a statement in the mail from us for payment, it is your responsibility to pay that amount within 10 days.
• We reserve the right to refuse to see patients with an account balance and who are not making regular payments on their account balance.
• If you have questions regarding your account, please contact our billing department at 239-596-9337 Option 3 or email at billing@thewoodruffinstitute.com. Many times, a simple telephone call will clear any misunderstandings.