Appointments

It may be helpful for you to know that our staff has been trained to classify appointment requests into three categories:

If you have an eye emergency, please advise our receptionist, who will ensure that you will be seen.

For a problem which is pressing, but not an emergency, the appointment may have to be delayed one or two days.

For the routine, or regular check-up examination, the period of time required may vary from days to months, depending on the individual doctor's schedule. We urge you to feel free to select any of the doctors whose schedule will enable you to be seen at a convenient time.

Waiting Time:
Our appointments are made from several days to several weeks ahead. We schedule an appropriate amount of time for the technician's screening and the doctor's examination. We do attempt to leave a number of openings during each doctor's schedule to accommodate the anticipated emergency cases which will arise. In spite of these arrangements, there invariably seem to be prolonged and difficult problems, unexpected emergency procedures, and surgeries which interfere with our ability to honor your specific appointment time. We firmly believe in the value of your time and very much dislike long waiting periods in the office. Please accept in advance our apologies for any inconvenience caused by a prolonged wait.

Since our founding in 1977, our practice has been committed to providing the very best in eye care. The eyes are part of the human body and, as such, cannot be considered independently. As physicians specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders, we can often assist in the diagnosis of other bodily diseases which are reflected in the eye. By performing a comprehensive examination of your eyes and prescribing glasses or contact lenses, where necessary, we hope to keep your eyes seeing well.

If eye disease is diagnosed, treatment is instituted when indicated. The prescription of medications and surgery may be required for some ocular conditions. Laser surgery is performed in our offices. Small incision, ambulatory cataract surgery under local anesthesia is our usual method of cataract extraction (phakoemulsification). As new treatment modalities develop, we strive to remain on the cutting edge of developing therapies. This association enables us to better serve you. Every effort will be made for you to be seen by the doctor of your choice. However, in the event of an emergency, you can be comfortable in the knowledge that an excellent ophthalmologist will be available to give you the care you need. Each of us may have a special interest in a particular aspect of ophthalmology, but we are all board certified eye specialists.

FEES, INSURANCE, AND BILLING:
We sincerely believe that our fees are fair and equitable for the services rendered. We appreciate payment at the time of service. We believe in informing our patients about the specifics of our fees. Each of our receipts contains a list of fees for the service rendered. Please call our office and speak with our staff if you have a question in regard to your bill. Please ask us if we participate in your insurance plan before your visit. We participate in a variety of insurance plans.

Insurance Plans and HMOs: If authorization is required you must obtain this from your primary care provider (internist, family practitioner, or pediatrician, etc.). It is your responsibility to obtain authorization. This is required by your insurance plan before you visit, even when the visit is for an urgent problem. Without this authorization you will be responsible for payment in full for your visit.

Medicare: We are participating providers in Medicare. According to the law, patients are responsible for paying annual Medicare deductibles unless they have been met prior to the initial visit. Non-covered services, such as refractions for glasses or contact lenses must be paid by the patient. (The deductible and refraction payment requirement is not our policy, but a mandate of the Social Security Administration for all Medicare recipients.) Since Medicare reimburses 80% of an allowed fee, patients are required to pay the 20% difference at the time of visit., unless they have supplementary insurance which is accepted by our office.

Deductibles: if you have not met your deductible, please pay at the time of your visit. If you are due a refund, we will send it to you after we receive a response from your insurer. Regardless of the status of your claim, you are responsible for payment of your medical care within a reasonable period of time.

Optical Goods: We have an excellent selection of glasses, sunglasses and low vision aids at reasonable prices in our optical dispensary in Bethpage. Our opticians, Shari and Nancy, will do everything possible to make you happy with your purchase. All purchases must be paid for in full at the time of delivery.

Insurance Counseling: before any surgical procedure our office will provide you information and estimate what, if any, balance may remain once your insurance has paid. Please speak with our staff if special financial circumstances warrant an extended payment plan.