FAQ (MVMG)

WHO ARE FAMILY PRACTICE DOCTORS?
WHO ARE PEDIATRICIANS?
WHO ARE INTERNAL MEDICINE DOCTORS?
WHO ARE PODIATRISTS?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OPTHAMOLOGIST AND OPTOMETRIST?
ARE INTERNISTS AND INTERNS THE SAME THING?
HOW DO I SELECT A PHYSICIAN WHO IS RIGHT FOR ME?
IS MY PHYSICIAN BOARD-CERTIFIED?
DOES MY INSURANCE COVER PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES?
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT?
SHOULD I TELL MY DOCTOR THAT I AM TAKING VITAMINS?
WHAT PAIN RELIEVER SHOULD I GIVE MY CHILD?
WHAT IS THE QUICKEST, LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO GET A PRESCRIPTION REFILL?
WHAT IS A FORMULARY?
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GENERIC DRUG AND A BRAND NAME DRUG?
WHY DO I HAVE TO REVIEW MY DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATON AND PRESENT MY INSURANCE CARD AT EACH VISIT?
WHY CAN’T MY DOCTOR CHANGE A DIAGNOSIS CODE OR PROCEDURE CODE FOR MY VISIT SO MY INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR MY CLAIM?
WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO EACH APPOINTMENT?
WHAT IS A DEXA SCAN AND WHO NEEDS ONE?

WHO ARE FAMILY PRACTICE DOCTORS?
Family physicians are specialists trained to evaluate your family's total health care needs. Our family practice doctors provide excellent preventative and acute care, and also serve as your advocate when specialty care is needed or required.

WHO ARE PEDIATRICIANS?
Pediatricians are physicians who deal specifically with the health care needs of children, from birth through age 18. Pediatricians are specially trained to monitor your child's growth and development, and treat illnesses common to children.

WHO ARE INTERNAL MEDICINE DOCTORS?
Internal medicine doctors provide healthcare to adults, ranging in age from older adolescents (after puberty) to the elderly. This care can include providing annual preventive health examinations, treating acute illnesses, and management of complex, chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

WHO ARE PODIATRISTS?
Podiatrists (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, D.P.M.) are medical specialists trained in the medical and surgical treatment of all foot and ankle conditions. Common conditions that are treated by podiatrists are: heel pain, athletic injuries, ingrown toenails, bunion and hammertoe deformities, foot fractures, diabetic foot wounds, toenail fungus and children’s foot conditions.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OPTHALMOLOGIST AND AN OPTOMETRIST?
An Ophthalmologist is a physician who specializes in the treatment of disorders of the eye. An Optometrist is not a physician, but one who is skilled in testing visual acuity and prescribing corrective lenses.

ARE INTERNISTS AND INTERNS THE SAME THING?
No. Internists are physicians who have completed a three-year hospital residency in the specialty of internal medicine after they graduate from medical school. Interns, on the other hand, are newly graduated physicians who are in their first year of hospital training. During this year, they choose which medical specialty they wish to pursue.

HOW DO I SELECT A PHYSICIAN WHO IS RIGHT FOR ME?
You can call the Mountain View Medical Group's Physician Referral Line at 590-8899. They have a profile on each physician in the medical group and should be able to answer any questions you may have.

IS MY PHYSICIAN BOARD-CERTIFIED?
All of Mountain View Medical Group's physicians are Board Certified through the American Board of Family Practice, the American Osteopathic Board of Family Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine, or the American Board of Pediatrics.

DOES MY INSURANCE COVER PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES?
Each insurance plan is different, and you need to contact your insurance company to determine your benefits. Medicare and Medicaid do not cover preventive health examinations. Regardless of your insurance benefits, our physicians feel that regular physical examinations and screening laboratory tests are essential in providing you with the best care possible and in detecting health problems early.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT?
If you have an acute illness or urgent problem, such as a respiratory infection or migraine headache, one of our providers can see you within 24 hours, but usually the same day you call. Routine, non-urgent appointments are usually scheduled within two weeks. Yearly physicals can usually be scheduled within 8 weeks, often sooner. We try to accommodate our patients scheduling needs as much as possible, and our providers frequently care for each other's patients in the office if your doctor is not available.

WHEN MY DOCTOR ASKS WHAT MEDICATIONS I AM PRESENTLY TAKING· SHOULD I TELL HIM I AM TAKING VITAMINS?
Yes, definitely be sure to tell your physician all the vitamins, minerals, over the counter medications and herbal remedies you are taking and have taken in recent months. There are significant effects and reactions that these substances can cause or increase. The best plan is to bring your medication bottles to your first appointment with your doctor.

WHAT PAIN RELIEVER SHOULD I GIVE MY CHILD?
Pediatricians used to recommend alternating Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen for fever or discomfort. A new development recently showed some kidney problems occurring in children given alternating doses. The current recommendation is that parents should pick either Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), and give only one drug during an illness without alternating, at the dosage specifically recommended for children.

WHAT IS THE QUICKEST, EASIEST, LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO GET A PRESCRIPTION REFILL?
Provided the prescription is refillable, the quickest most efficient way to obtain a refill is to have the medication package in hand and call a pharmacy participating in your insurance plan (if you use a non-participating pharmacy your cost may be higher). The pharmacist will check refills availability and call the physician for any extra information. If you are required to see the doctor before refills can be issued you will be notified by the physician's office.

TIP: Plan ahead· don't wait till you have only one day's dose of a prescription to call for renewal, and the # of available refills is listed on the label of your prescription. Also be aware of certain prescriptions that are not refillable by phone, or that an "on call" provider will not approve in the evenings or on weekends.

WHAT IS A FORMULARY?
Some insurances provide payment for only their "formulary" medications· this is a way of controlling costs. The formulary list is reviewed and changed by the insurance company every few months. Sometimes there are two or more groups of drugs listed, designating how much of the cost you are expected to pay.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GENERIC DRUG AND A BRAND NAME DRUG?
When a drug company develops a new drug it is given a brand name. For several years after that drug is developed, laws prevent other companies from copying it. When the copyright has expired and the other companies start manufacturing and selling that same drug, their versions are usually known by a different name and it is usually the generic name and often the chemical name as well for the drug. Since generics are chemically the same as the brand names, and they are often less expensive· insurance plans encourage patients to use generics.

WHY DO I HAVE TO REVIEW MY DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATON AND PRESENT MY INSURANCE CARD AT EACH VISIT?
MVMG strives to send “clean” claims to your primary insurance company. In order to do this, we must have current information from you. Each time a charge is entered, we review the demographic information and the information on the card you have presented. Our goal is to provide you with the best possible service in all areas and this helps us to get your claim paid quickly and accurately.

WHY CAN’T MY DOCTOR CHANGE A DIAGNOSIS CODE OR PROCEDURE CODE FOR MY VISIT SO MY INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR MY CLAIM?
Changing codes after-the-fact just so your insurance will pay for your visit is considered insurance fraud, and it is illegal. The documentation your doctor enters in your medical record during your visit must support the diagnosis codes and procedure codes given. We encourage our patients to become familiar with the insurance product they have purchased, and know what benefits their insurance companies will and will not pay for in advance of receiving medical care.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO EACH APPOINTMENT?

1. Always bring your insurance card and copay. Your insurance company requires you to pay your copay at the time services are rendered. A copy of your insurance card helps us to accurately file your claim to your insurance company.
2. A list of current medications, vitamins and/or herbal supplements
3. Immunization record for each child or adult seeking an immunization update

WHAT IS A DEXA SCAN AND WHO NEEDS ONE?
A DEXA scan is a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry test. It is similar to other X-ray tests, only it measures the density of your bones. Patients who are past menopause and have risk factors for osteoporosis should have a DEXA scan.

What Do You Think?
Tell us about your experience with Mountain View Medical Group. Click here to send us your feedback: howarewedoing@mtviewmedgroup.com