Summary of the Office Policies

  • PAYMENTS DUE AT TIME OF SERVICE
  • All Co-pay, Deductible, and Coinsurance amounts are due at the time of service. Benefits are checked in real-time to determine the status of deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. In the event that claims process differently than anticipated, this may result in under collection or overpayment. If this occurs, our office will either bill for balances due or provide refunds per our refund policy.
  • CANCELLATION OR APPOINTMENT CHANGES
  • A $50 fee will be charged for missed appointments NOT cancelled or changed within 24 hours of the appointment.
  • RETURNED CHECK FEES
  • A $50.00 fee will be assessed for returned checks.
  • MINORS
  • Any patient under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult or they will not be seen and a missed appointment fee will be due at the time of the visit.
  • NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICE
  • Available upon request.
  • REFUNDS
  • Refunds are mailed from our bank. Refunds are issued once claims from all dates of service are finalized.

Detailed Office Policy

Arrival to the office:

New Patients

All new patients are expected to arrive to the office 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment time. As a convenience, we have provided a portal on our website to submit all information prior to your visit. We also have a printable version of the forms if you would like to bring them to your visit. If you are unable to fill out the forms prior to your visit, we ask that you arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.

Late patients

If you are running late for your appointment, we ask that you contact the office to notify of us of your delay. We will determine whether or not your appointment will need to be rescheduled. If you arrive late to your scheduled appointment, we will make an effort to accommodate you, yet we reserve the right to reschedule that appointment. A missed appointment fee will apply.

Missed appointments

If you are unable to make your scheduled appointment, we ask that you provide 24 hours notice to either cancel or change your appointment. If you do not contact the office within 24 hours of your appointment, then a $50 missed appointment fee will be assessed. This fee must be paid in order to reschedule your next appointment.

Referrals

If your insurance requires you to have a referral, the referral must be in the office prior to the appointment or you must have the referral in your hand at the time of the visit in order to be seen. If we do not have your referral at the time of the visit, your appointment will be rescheduled and a missed appointment fee will apply. We will make every effort to remind you when a referral is required, yet keep in mind that referrals are a patient responsibility and could result in rescheduling of your appointment.

Insurance and patient responsibilities

When a healthcare provider participates with a particular insurance company, they agree to a fixed price for services rendered. This fixed-price, also known as the allowed amount, is a negotiated price between the insurance company and the provider.

In order to understand the payment process in our office, it is important to understand some of the basic terminology listed below.

What is the standard fee?

The standard fee is the amount of money that a physician charges for his or her services. The standard fee applies to services not covered by health insurance and for uninsured patients.

What is the allowed amount?

When a physician signs a contract with an insurance company, they agree to accept the amount paid by the insurance company for each service. This amount of money is known as the allowed amount. The insurance company is charged the standard fee, yet the physician is only permitted to collect the allowed amount. This money can be paid by the insurance company, the patient, or both.

What is the non-allowed amount?

The difference between the standard fee and the allowed amount is known as the non-allowed amount. The non-allowed amount, which only applies when billing an insurance company, is written off by the physician. The patient is not responsible for this money. For example, if the physician’s standard fee for an office visit is $100 and the insurance allows $60, then the non-allowed amount is $40. A payment of $60 will be made by either the insurance company, the patient, or by both the insurance company and the patient depending on the contract.

Co-payment, Co-insurance, and Deductible

Having healthcare does not mean that all of your services will be paid by the health insurance company in full. As a patient with health insurance, you sign an agreement with the health insurance carrier that you will pay your provider out of pocket expenses. These out-of-pocket expenses are termed co-payment, coinsurance, and deductible.

What is a co-payment (co-pay)?

The co-payment represents the patient’s shared cost of the allowable amount for the service. For example, if the allowed amount for a service is $100 and the co-payment is $30, then the insurance company will pay $70 and the patient will pay the $30 co-pay.

Co-payments are typically higher for specialists as compared to primary care providers.

Co-payments are due at the time of service. Patients will not be seen without paying their co-payment.

What is coinsurance?

Coinsurance represents the percentage of payment that the patient is responsible for at time of service. For example, if a patient has 80% coverage for a service, they are then responsible for 20% of the allowed amount. If the allowed amount is $100, then the patient will be responsible for $20 and the insurance company will pay $80.

Coinsurance payments are due at the time of service. Patients will not be seen without paying their coinsurance.

What is a deductible?

The deductible is the amount of money that a patient must pay out of their pocket before the insurance company will make any payment for services. For example if a patient has a $1000 deductible and the insurance company allows $100 for the services rendered on that day, then the patient is responsible for $100 and $900 remains on the deductible. The insurance company will not pay any money for services applicable to the deductible until $1000 has been paid by the patient.

Deductibles are due at the time of service. Patients will not be seen without paying their deductible.

Questions regarding office policy

If you have any questions regarding our office policy feel free to contact us at 410-431-1261 or email the office at info@timoniumfootandankle.com.

Privacy Policy

We have created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm and continuing commitment to the privacy of personal information provided by those visiting and interacting with this website. We hold the privacy of your personal information in the highest regard. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for this website.

We recognizes the importance of protecting your privacy and our policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use, and safeguard the personal information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our site. This policy will be continuously assessed against new technologies, business practices, and our customers’ needs.

What information do we collect?

When you visit this website you may provide us with two types of information. First is personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and second is website use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our website.

1. Personal Information You Choose to Provide

Registration Information

When you register for any of our products, services, or newsletters you will provide us information about yourself.

Email Information

If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses. We provide the same protections for these electronic communications that we employ in the maintenance of information received by mail and telephone.

2. Website Use Information

Similar to other commercial websites, our website utilizes a standard technology called “cookies” (see explanation below, “What Are Cookies?”) and web server log files to collect information about how our website is used. Information gathered through cookies and web server logs may include the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent at our website, and the websites visited just before and just after our website.

How Do We Use the Information That You Provide to Us?

Broadly speaking, we use personal information for purposes of administering our business activities, providing the products and services you requested, to process your payment, to monitor the use of the service, our marketing and promotional efforts and improve our content and service offerings, and customize our site’s content, layout, services and for other lawful purposes. These uses improve our site and better tailor it to meet your needs.

Furthermore, such information may be shared with others on an aggregate basis. Personally identifiable information or business information will not be shared with parties except as required by law.

Occasionally, we may also use the information we collect to notify you about important changes to our website, new services, and special offers we think you will find valuable. You may notify us at any time if you do not wish to receive these offers by emailing us at the link provided on the newsletter.

What Are Cookies?

A cookie is a very small text document, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a website, that site’s computer asks your computer for permission to store this file in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites. Browsers are usually set to accept cookies. However, if you would prefer not to receive cookies, you may alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of our site will not function as effectively when viewed by the users. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive or pass on computer viruses.

How Do We Use Information We Collect from Cookies?

As you visit and browse our website, the site uses cookies to differentiate you from other users. In some cases, we also use cookies to prevent you from having to log in more than is necessary for security. Cookies, in conjunction with our web server’s log files, allow us to calculate the aggregate number of people visiting our website and which parts of the site are most popular. This helps us gather feedback to constantly improve our website and better serve our clients. Cookies do not allow us to gather any personal information about you and we do not intentionally store any personal information that your browser provided to us in your cookies.

IP Addresses

IP addresses are used by your computer every time you are connected to the Internet. Your IP address is a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer. IP addresses are automatically collected by our web server as part of demographic and profile data known as traffic data so that data (such as the web pages you request) can be sent to you.

Sharing and Selling Information

We do not share, sell, lend or lease any of the information that uniquely identify a subscriber (such as email addresses or personal details) with anyone except to the extent it is necessary to process transactions or provide services that you have requested.

How Can You Access and Correct Your Information?

You may request access to all your personally identifiable information that we collect online and maintain in our database by emailing us at the usual address.

What About Legally Compelled Disclosure of Information?

We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so, in other words, when we, in good faith, believe that the law requires it or for the protection of our legal rights. We may also disclose account information when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be violating our Terms of Service or to protect the safety of our users and the Public.

What About Other Websites Linked to Our Website?

We are not responsible for the practices employed by websites linked to or from our website or the information or content contained therein. Often links to other websites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of our website.

Please remember that when you use a link to go from our website to another website, our Privacy Policy is no longer in effect. Your browsing and interaction on any other website, including websites, which have a link on our website, is subject to that website’s own rules and policies. Please read over those rules and policies before proceeding.

Your Consent

By using our website you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to amend this privacy policy at any time with or without notice.

Our Commitment To Data Security:

Please note that your information will be stored and processed on our computers in the United States. The laws on holding personal data in the United States may be less stringent than the laws of your Country of residence or citizenship. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Choice/Opt-In/Opt-Out

This site allows visitors to unsubscribe so that they will not receive future messages. After unsubscribing we will discontinue sending the particular messages as soon as technically feasible.

Surveys & Contests

From time-to-time our site requests information from users via surveys or contests. Participation in these surveys or contests is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose this information. Information requested may include contact information (such as name and shipping address), and demographic information (such as zip code, age level). Contact information will be used to notify the winners and award prizes. Survey information will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction of this site.

A Special Note About Minors

Minors are not eligible to use our services unsupervised and we ask that minors (under the age of 18) do not submit any personal information to us. If you are a minor, you can use this service only in conjunction with permission and guidance from your parents or guardians.

Acquisition or Changes in Ownership

In the event that the website (or a substantial portion of its assets) is acquired, your information would be considered part of those assets, and may be part of those assets that are transferred.

Policy Modifications

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If/when changes are made to this privacy policy, we will email users who have given us permission to do so. We will post any changes here, so be sure to check back periodically. However, please be assured that if the Privacy Policy changes in the future, we will not use the personal information you have submitted to us under this Privacy Policy in a manner that is materially inconsistent with this Privacy Policy, without your prior consent.

Terms of Use

Web Site Terms and Conditions of Use

1. Terms

By accessing this web site, you are agreeing to be bound by these web site Terms and Conditions of Use, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this web site are protected by applicable copyright and trade mark law.

2. Use License

1. Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com’s web site for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:

1. modify or copy the materials;

2. use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial);

3. attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com’s web site;

4. remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; or

5. transfer the materials to another person or “mirror” the materials on any other server.

2. This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

3. Disclaimer

1. The materials on https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com’s web site are provided “as is”. https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its Internet web site or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site.

2. Patient Disclaimer: Results illustrated by testimonials, demonstrations, case studies, and other media on this site are those of the Doctor and other patients of the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center and are not necessarily representative of the average patient experience.  Please keep in mind that results will vary dramatically from one patient to another and individual circumstances and compliance with recommended treatment plans are the primary factor of success in any podiatric endeavor. The information on this site is for Educational Purposes Only and is not designed to diagnose, treat, mitigate, prevent or cure any health conditions.

3. The Timonium Foot and Ankle Center complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

4. Limitations

In no event shall https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption,) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com’s Internet site, even if https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com or a https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.

5. Revisions and Errata

The materials appearing on https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com’s web site could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com does not warrant that any of the materials on its web site are accurate, complete, or current. https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com may make changes to the materials contained on its web site at any time without notice. https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com does not, however, make any commitment to update the materials.

Note – we may make money in the form of commission from links referred to in this site if you make a purchase.

6. Links

https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com has not reviewed all of the sites linked to this site and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com of the site. Use of any such linked web site is at the user’s own risk.

7. Site Terms of Use Modifications

https://www.timoniumfootandankle.com may revise these terms of use for its web site at any time without notice. By using this web site you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these Terms and Conditions of Use.