Frequently Asked Questions Which insurance plans do you accept? At Capitol Hill Medical, we accept most major insurances: Aetna Blue Cross/Blue Shield - most plans Cigna First Choice Health (and the associated Group Health Options) Great-West Lifewise Medicare Pacificare Premera Regence Tricare (US Military health plan) Uniform United Healthcare

Below is a list of some things to consider whether you are a current patient or would like to become a patient at CHM.

• Within every major insurance company, there are many plans. Some plans are more comprehensive than others. Because there are thousands of individual health plans, you will want to contact your insurance company to see if we are contracted with them.
• Some insurance companies require their members to notify them when they have changed Primary Care Providers. For example, Aetna requires this for most of their plans. Insurance companies can deny payment for services if you have not updated your PCP information.
• Most insurance companies require referrals or prior authorizations for services provided by someone other than your PCP. CHM will contact your insurance company to obtain a referral or prior authorization, however, in a lot of cases, the referral has to come from your PCP. The staff at CHM has to know if you are seeing a specialist before your first appointment as some insurance companies will not allow the referral or prior-authorization to be retro-active.
• Some insurance plans do not cover preventative care, which would include annual physicals, lab tests, immunizations or other screenings. Medicare will cover a routine health exam, but only every 4 to 5 years. It is your responsibility to verify with your insurance company what is covered under your plan. While it is the goal of Capitol Hill Medical to provide you with the best care possible, you are responsible for any charges not covered by your insurance plan. It is in your best interest to know in advance what your plan covers. More and more insurance plans require prior authorizations on medications. Your plan has a list of covered medications and generic substitutions.
• If you receive a statement from CHM, it should have the reason for the charge. If your insurance company has denied charges or applied the charges to your annual deductible, you would have also received an explanation of benefits from your insurance company. If you feel your claim was processed incorrectly, please contact your insurance company for a detailed explanation.

Please keep in mind that we also offer cosmetic procedures which are not reimbursed by insurance. For these we accept Cash, Check, Visa, and Mastercard.

What can I expect during the first visit?

For your first visit we ask that you bring your insurance card so that we can record the information and not have to ask you for it again. We will also have you spend a few minutes filling out a brief intake questionnaire, a HIPPA form (detailing your rights with regard to Health Information Privacy), and a Release of Information form so that we may retrieve medical records from any previous providers. We will also ask for your permission to take a one-time face photo to be entered securely into our Electronic Medical Record. For this reason we ask that you come at least fifteen minutes early for your initial visit.

I've finally found a gay doctor in Seattle! How do I establish care with one of them?

It's as easy as calling our clinic and requesting an appointment! 206.568.6320. If you have medical records at another facility, we will ask you to sign a Release of Information form so that we can obtain the records directly from them.

How far out are your schedules booked? Will I have to wait long to see one of your providers?

Our clinic practices "open access" scheduling. This means that, every day, we will set aside a certain number of slots for same-day visits. Our goal is to match our availability to the acuity of your need. However, please be mindful that an outpatient clinic has a very limited ability to care for acute illness. Same-day visit requests are typically triaged by a provider, and if the provider feels our clinic cannot meet the level of care you require, you will be asked to seek immediate evaluation in the closest urgent care center or emergency room. Our number one priority is making sure you receive the best care for your needs.

What if I need to see a specialist?

When you require specialized consultation we will work with you to identify which specialist would best address your needs and send the appropriate medical records to their office. To maintain continuity of care we will request, and ensure that we receive, an update from the consultant. We do ask that you be familiar with the requirements of your insurance plan regarding specialist care, and we will make every accommodation to match those requirements.

How do I get medication refills?

If you still have refills remaining, it's as simple as calling the pharmacy where you originally filled the prescription. If you have no more refills available, we ask that you schedule a visit with your provider before your medication runs out. All prescription medications require some level of patient safety monitoring. It may be as simple as reviewing with your provider any side effects you may be experiencing, but often can require lab tests for checking on the health of your body as it responds to the medication. Your provider will dispense enough medication to last until the next time you need monitoring.

Do you have any female providers?

We do not currently have any female medical providers. But give us a little time! As we grow, our first priority is to increase the gender diversity of our provider group.

Do you accept straight patients into your care?

Of course! Remember that the mission of our clinic is open acceptance of all of our patients.

I am a nurse, a medical assistant, a doctor, a therapist, a front office assistant, [insert what you do here!], interested in working in a gay focused clinic in Seattle. Are you hiring?

We're always looking for opportunities to expand. If you feel you can bring your skills and experience to our clinic to the benefit of the health of Seattle's GLBT community, please send an email to our office manager Denny Herzberger.

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