Credit Card on File Policy

We have implemented a new, convenient payment policy using Credit Card on File, effective at TP4W on Monday, December 1, 2017. As you are aware, the current state of healthcare in our market has resulted in significant changes in insurance policies, co-pays, deductibles and premiums. Unfortunately, a great deal of the financial burden now falls on the patient as a result. There are insurance plans that require deductibles and copayments in amounts unknown to you, or to us, at the time of your visit. ALL NEW PATIENTS, OB PATIENTS and any SURGERY PATIENTS (both in-office and hospital), will be asked for a credit card at the time you check in, and this information will be held securely. The amount that we will charge to the credit card on file will be the financial responsibility that the insurance company requires you to pay.

Athenahealth, our electronic health record, encrypts and stores card information via Elavon, Inc. a secure credit card processor affiliated with U.S. Bank. Office personnel will not have access to your card information. 

Cards on File will be used for:

* Co-pays - When you come into the office, we will ask you if you want to use your card on file to pay your

copay. You may choose to present another card if preferred, or any other form of payment accepted by our office.

* Deductibles - Your card on file will be utilized to settle any deductible amount due after your insurance plan has paid their portion. Contact your insurance plan to determine how much of your annual deductible has been met, prior to each visit.

* Co-Insurance - Your card on file will be utilized to pay for your percentage not covered by insurance and not

paid at time of service. For example: If your insurance covers at 90% we will require the 10% balance be paid after insurance has paid their portion.

* Outstanding Balances - If your account has an outstanding balance, your card on file may be used to settle that outstanding balance. If the outstanding balance is too large for one transaction, a payment plan may be worked out.

Patients who have a credit card on file will no longer have to worry about statements and mailing in payments. You can also use it to pay for future visits without having to bring your card. Having a credit card on file will make the check-in and check-out process easier, faster and more efficient for patients.

During your visit, we will ask you to sign a “Credit on File Agreement”. As part of the agreement, you will be able to set a maximum amount that can be charged to your card (most patients set a $1,500 annual charge limit on these cards). When our office receives remittance advice/information from your insurance company (typically 2-4 weeks), any remaining portion of charges will be charged to your credit card. We will notify you FIVE DAYS BEFORE the charge is due to take place, and you may call our office if this presents a problem/hardship for you. A receipt will be emailed to you after the payment has been processed. If the payment is declined, we will request updated credit card information or an alternative form of payment. 

It has been our policy that payment is due at time of service. We are encouraging patients to keep their Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) credit cards on file. If you do not have either of these types of cards, then you can use a debit or any other credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. 

Under HIPAA, we are under strict state and federal rules and guidelines to protect patient privacy and the credit card is considered protected health information. Elavon, our credit card processing vendor (as well as a leader in the credit card industry and an affiliate of U.S. Bank), will store your information on a secure and encrypted site, which will enable us to run bank card transactions through our computer system. None of our employees will have access to your bank card information. No credit card information will be stored in athenaNet or at our practice.

This may be different from what you have always been used to, but it is becoming common practice in most health care facilities with the changes that have come about in the insurance industry as a whole. Many, if not most, local practices now require a credit card on file, and payment at the time of service. This policy is being instituted in order to simplify and enhance your patient experience. This change will lower the practice’s administrative expenses in order to allow us to focus more on providing the exceptional patient care that you have become used to at Triangle Physicians for Women.

Should your card be mistakenly run, we will refund your card. We will only charge the amount that we are instructed to by your insurance plan in the EOB they send to us.

Our staff is available to speak with you about your account at any time during regular business hours, or you may call us directly 919-678-6900.