Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What kind of doctor is he?

A: Dr. Henderson is a family practice doctor specializing in osteopathic medicine.

Q: What are your hours?

A: We are open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. We close for lunch 11:30-12:30. 

A(2): Our phones are open from 9am-11am, and 1pm-4:30pm. I allow thirty minutes first thing in the morning, and thirty minutes after lunch for the staff to get clinic going. 

Q: What time are your appointments?

A:     Mon/Tue: 8:30am to 10:15am for morning clinic. 12:30pm to 2:30 pm for afternoon clinic. I cut them off at 2:30 to allow the doctor enough time to finish before the office closes. He will never cut a patient off because they're time is up, but by not doing so our clinic will sometimes get behind. Please be patient, and realize that may be you one day that needs just that little bit of extra time. 

Q: What is your fax number?

A. Our fax number is (855) 681-1414

Q: Do you offer Telemedicine visits?

A: Yes, we now offer Telemedicine visits for specific situations. Please call the office to inquire if you qualify for a Telemedicine visit. It is your responsibility to ensure your insurance will cover the visit. 

Q: Why can't I get through on the phone if you open at 8:30am?

A: We unlock the doors every morning at 8:20am for the first appointments at 8:30, but we do not turn the phones on until 9:00am. I put this rule in place to allow everyone a chance to get clinic going before we take on phone calls and their inherent sense of urgency.

Q: What types of insurance do you accept?

A: We accept most commercial insurance plans, as well as Medicare, Tricare, and the VA. We DO NOT ACCEPT MEDICAID GA OR AL. It is your responsibility to verify we are in-network with your carrier.

Q: What is the Medicaid is my secondary insurance?

A: If you have an "SNP" plan through a commercial insurance company, that has the Medicaid plan as a built in secondary, we will accept assignment. If the Medicaid portion does not pay, you cannot be balance billed. If you have the regular Medicare, and are in the QMB program, we will accept assignment as well. But if the Medicaid is a stand-alone payor we will not accept assignment since the private practice is not one of his credentialed service locations. 

Q: Do you bill secondary insurances?

A: We will file to all of your carriers as long as they are accepted and we have their information scanned into our system.

Q: Why did I receive a bill from your office?

A: There will be a line item on the bill that explains what the charge is for. You should also receive an Explanation of Benefits from your insurance carrier that explains everything. If your insurance company leaves a remaining balance outside of your co payment that will result in a patient balance and you will receive a statement.

Q: Why did I get a collections letter from your office?

A: That letter is referred to as a soft collections letter. Office policy is to send three statements followed by a soft collections letter. This is to notify you of non-payment and the possibility of collections. All of this can be avoided with a simple call to the office to discuss your bill and your options. If we still do not receive payment after the soft collections letter, a certified collections letter will be mailed. If we still do not receive payment you will be dismissed from the practice.

Q: Why did I receive a bill from Quest Diagnostics?

A: Although they are here in our office, their lab is a separate entity. Quest will bill your insurance independently from our office. The first step is to call the number on your statement to see why a test was denied coverage. If they say there is a coding error then call us to see if there is anything we can do to help.

Q: Do you draw labs in office?

A: We use Quest Diagnostics as our in office laboratory. They are there as a courtesy to our patients, but are a completely separate entity. They do have the ability to send your lab work to LabCorp at your request. There may be a draw fee payable up front.

Q: Is there in office testing?

A. We now offer on-site diagnostic ultrasounds and echocardiograms. The testing is done every other Thursday morning. This is currently on hold as of 1/1/2024 due to a shortage of ultrasound techs in the area.

Q: Can i draw labs if I'm self-pay?

A: We offer a service called "Client Billing" for our self pay patients. Dr. Henderson understands that in todays economic environment, not everyone has the money or ability to pay for all needed testing up front. We have worked out a deal where the Quest tech in office will draw your labs that Dr. Henderson ordered, and bill the office directly. You will then be billed for the exact amount we paid Quest, but you will have the opportunity to pay it off over time as opposed to all up front. 

Q: What do I do if I need paperwork filled out by the doctor? 

A: You will need to submit the paperwork along with a paperwork request form. Within three business days you will be told whether the paperwork has been approved for completion or denied for any reason. You will also be advised of any applicable fee. Then there is a 15 business day turnaround for all requests. The fee will be billed upon completion. 

Q: Can I schedule an appointment online?

A: We only offer online scheduling for Adipex/Fastin Pick-Up appointments at this time. The link is - https://patientportal.advancedmd.com/119782/onlinescheduling

Q:Why do I have to come back every 3/6/9/12 months?

A: As your family practice doctor it is important to maintain your routine appointment schedule so the doctor can monitor your current issues. The number of months in between visits will depend on your individual situation. Regardless of appointment frequency, you must continue to see Dr. Henderson so that your care can continue.

A(2): If you are on a controlled substance for medication therapy you will be required to see the doctor every ninety-days. No exceptions. You can reschedule up to a certain point, after that your prescription could be tapered or discontinued. 

Q: Why is that person going before me when they signed in after me?

A: We see patients by scheduled appointments. As long as someone signs in on time they will be seen by order of appointments. If you like to sign in really early you will see other patients going ahead of you, but if there is a break in available patients you may be called back early.

Q: Will I get a reminder call about my appointment times?

A: We do have an automated appointment reminder system. It will call, text and email you if that information is in our system. It is provided as a courtesy, and you are still responsible for making your scheduled appointments. You will still be assessed a no show fee for missed doctor's appointments. The reminders are sent 7 days and 2 days prior to. If it is the weekend you can request to cancel the appointment through your patient portal. 

Q: I need a surgical clearance for Dr. XXX. What do I need to do?

A: Here is what must be done for surgical clearance appointments. 

1. You need to contact our office to notify us that the clearance is needed.

2. Find out if a separate appointment needs to be made. (Required unless you have been seen within the last 30 days)

3. Pick-up your pre-op orders. Everyone will do a chest x-ray, EKG, and blood work. (You will have to do Dr. Henderson's required tests, not what the surgeon says they want. We will be happy to add any additional tests their office is requesting, but you MUST complete the tests required by Dr. H.

4. You are responsible for ensuring the results get to our office in time for your clearance appointment. We do check charts the day prior and will notify you in the event we do not have it. (If we do not have them the day of the appt you will have to reschedule)

5. The day of your clearance appointment you will be "cleared" or "not cleared".

-If you're cleared you will receive a copy and one will be faxed to the surgeon.

-If not, the doctor will explain why and what needs to be done.

Q: Why can't I get a written prescription?

A: The health care system has moved to an electronics based system and we send all prescriptions electronically. 

Q: "But my friend's doctor still writes paper prescriptions"

A: There are many reasons why one doctor may choose to continue writing paper prescription(s). This practice's situation dictates 100% e-prescribing.

Q: Why aren't you getting my pharmacy's renewal request?

A: A lot of pharmacies are still sending renewal requests by fax. They have the capability to send electronically but sometimes their systems will default back to faxing. It is important when talking to your pharmacy to clarify what their procedures are. All faxes will be automatically deleted.

Q: How do I get my prescriptions during breaks?

A: This is another reason for the switch to 100% electronic prescribing. Our office will monitor the electronic prescription renewal queue during all breaks, to include the holiday break in December. Although it may take a little longer than normal, all correctly sent requests will be renewed.

Q: Why was my renewal denied when it was sent correctly?

A: If your pharmacy is sending the request correctly there still may be a reason for the denial.

   1. You may no longer be a current patient. This happens when you haven't seen the doctor in a certain amount of time with no future appointment scheduled.

   2. It is another doctor's prescription. We cannot renew prescriptions that are prescribed by other doctors. It will cause an issue with continuity.

   3. If it is a controlled drug, and you cancel or miss your routine appointment the prescription can be halted. COMMUNICATION is key!! We can work with you if your forget and call to reschedule right away, or something serious comes up. BUT if you are constantly cancelling or rescheduling your appointments your prescription will be halted. The government has strict guidelines for controlled drugs, and this is the doctor's way of staying within those lines.

Q: How do I transfer my prescription(s)

A: It depends on where you need to transfer to, and where from;

a) Staying with the same company but switching locations: The new location can transfer from the old location regardless of refill status

b) Switching to a new pharmacy company:

  i) Refills Remaining - The new pharmacy can transfer the prescription over for you. Just contact them.

ii) No Refills Remaining - You will need to contact our office to send a new Rx to the new pharmacy.

c) Controlled Rx's: You will need to contact our office. The change in pharmacy will only be sent at the 30 day mark in line with your current schedule. As long as you meet all other metrics.

Q: Why is my prescription so expensive?

A: One cause is that you are using the wrong pharmacy chain. A lot of insurances are now using mail order pharmacies for maintenance medications. You may need to call the or check online for the preferred pharmacy chain.

A2: It may not be a covered drug on your insurance company's formulary. Again, most insurances offer their formulary online for your perusal.

Q: How do I use my new Freestyle Libre 14 day System?

A: If you navigate to their support page on their official website there are quite a few how-to videos showing how to use the system. Click the button below for more.

Q: What happens if I need a "prior authorization"?

A: A prescription could need a prior authorization for a number of reasons.

     1. The insurance covers an alternative but equal medication

     2. Your prescription play may use a step therapy model, and require a lower "tier" alternative first. 

     3. Your plan may have a quantity limit for the requested prescription. Most commonly seen with glucose test strips, and certain controlled medications. 

     4. You may be using the wrong pharmacy. Some plans have preferred pharmacies. Publix vs. CVS, etc.

     5. No matter what reason the PA is needed, you have a few options. 

           i) You can contact your insurance company to find out alternative medication is covered.

           ii) You can ask the pharmacist for information on what's covered.

           iii) The only thing you can't do is ask the doctor what's covered. We aren't privy to you individual prescription plan formularies. The pharmacist, the insurance company, and you are the only ones with access to that information. 

     6. If you decide to request the PA, when there are other options available, there will be a 10 dollar fee billed to your account. If a few rare instance w can waive the fee, but that's on a case by case basis.