FAQ2020-10-19T14:03:40-06:00

Mountainland Pediatrics FAQs

How can we help you? This page serves to answer the most common questions about our programs, services, and facility. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please call us at (303) 430-0823.

What if my insurance denies a service as non-covered?2019-04-08T16:13:31-06:00

Non-covered services are your responsibility. Before seeing the doctor, we recommend contacting your insurance and verifying which services are covered under your policy. Although they won’t guarantee payment on a claim prior to the claim being submitted, they can give you a good idea of whether a type of service is covered (e.g.,  preventative care, immunizations, mental health, etc.).

Until what age do you see patients?2024-01-09T14:35:05-07:00
We provide care for children from birth to 20 years of age.
How far in advance should I schedule an appointment?2019-06-13T12:58:36-06:00

Please call our office at least one month in advance to schedule an appointment. If you would like to schedule an urgent appointment or Sick Child visit please call the office at (303) 430-0823 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays. If an emergency should arise, please call 911.

Emergencies are considered to be those conditions that are life-threatening: loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, seizure, severe asthma attack, etc. If you have a minor medical emergency (lacerations, cuts, mild fractures, sprains) during office hours, we will do our best to see your child immediately or refer you to the appropriate facility.

Are same day appointments available?2024-01-09T14:33:53-07:00

Yes! We have same-day appointments available. Availability will depend on previously scheduled appointments.

Do you take insurance?2024-01-09T14:35:51-07:00

Yes, we accept most major insurances.

What are co-pays and when are they due?2019-06-13T12:59:27-06:00

Co-pays are out-of-pocket expenses that are part of your contract with your insurance. Co-pays are usually a specific dollar amount (e.g., $20.00). Your insurance card will usually specify what your co-pay is. You are obligated to pay your portion prior to insurance paying the rest of the claim. Co-pays are due at the time of service, prior to seeing a provider.

What is coinsurance and when is this payment due?2019-04-08T16:18:26-06:00

Coinsurance is another out-of-pocket expense that may be a part of your contract with your insurance company and is usually a percentage of the allowed charges (e.g., 20%). Your insurance card may specify your co-insurance obligation or you may check with your insurance company for your obligation under your policy. Mountainland Pediatrics will submit a claim to your insurance for all charges. After payment and/or notification from your insurance company, we will bill you for what the insurance company has determined is your coinsurance.

What are deductibles and when are they due?2019-02-19T12:24:34-07:00

A deductible is a clause that you may have in your insurance contract that exempts your insurance company from paying an initial, specified amount (for example, you may be required to pay the first $100 or $500 of medical expenses incurred in a given time). Once you have met your deductible amount as specified in your contract, your insurance will pay claims within your plan provisions. We will submit a claim to your insurance company for the fully charged amount so that they can credit the services toward your bill.

Why am I getting a bill when I have insurance and/or Medicaid?2019-06-13T13:00:07-06:00

Our financial contract is with you, not with your insurance company. If there are any unpaid amounts you will be sent a statement to inform you of your account status. There are several reasons why you may be receiving a statement, even with insurance. Some of the most common are:

  • Insurance has denied the claim.
  • Insurance has applied the claim to a deductible.
  • Insurance has not received a copy of your claim, usually due to incomplete/invalid information.
  • Insurance has not responded to the claim within the time frame specified by state law.
  • Accurate insurance information has not been provided.
  • We have received a response from your primary insurance and are in the process of billing your secondary insurance or your insurance company may need information from you regarding coordination of benefits.
  • Insurance has processed the claim and left a higher co-pay or co-insurance amount than what was paid at the time of service.

Please call the Mountainland Pediatrics Billing Office at (303) 853-3440 if there is any part of your bill that you do not understand.

Why do you need my insurance card at every visit?2019-06-13T13:01:55-06:00

Insurance eligibility can change from day-to-day, so we must see your card to verify your benefits are active. Most insurance companies require healthcare providers to check and verify a patient’s current insurance card.

How do I know if Mountainland has received my payment?2019-02-19T12:28:27-07:00

If you’ve made a payment on your account and are no longer receiving a statement, it is because your payment zeroed out the balance on your account so a statement is no longer necessary. You can also reference your checking and/or credit card account to see if payments have been cashed or transmitted. Upon request, we can provide a report showing any and all payments received from you. As always, if you see any discrepancies please contact our Billing Office at (303) 853-3440.

Can you bill my ex-spouse for services?2019-04-08T16:23:04-06:00

The person bringing the patient into the office, and who signs our financial agreement, is who we will hold financially responsible for any balances. You may have a divorce decree that states your ex-spouse is responsible for part or all of your dependant’s medical bills, but Mountainland Pediatrics doesn’t have the authority to enforce a divorce decree. It is up to you, your ex-spouse, and the court to work out details and enforcement of a divorce decree. We will send correspondence to the person with whom we have a financial contract. You may forward the statement to your ex-spouse if they require a bill in order to pay their portion, but we do not bill them directly.

When should I add my newborn to my policy?2019-04-08T16:23:58-06:00

Some insurance companies require as little as 24-hour notice of the addition of a baby. Please contact your insurance company for their requirements prior to the birth of your child to so you can meet their deadline and no additional charges occur.

How do I know when my insurance has responded to a claim?2019-02-19T12:22:03-07:00

Most commercial insurance companies will send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) as soon as a claim has been processed. The EOB will show what (if any) was paid on the claim, what (if any) was denied and why, and what (if any) is your portion. Your EOB is usually sent prior to the response being issued to us, so you may see it in 1-2 weeks before the payment is posted to your account. Your insurance may also send a request for information (e.g., other insurance coverage) in the form of a letter, and your claims will be pended until they get the requested information. Always carefully read anything you receive from your insurance company and respond immediately in order to expedite claim response time.

Why do you charge what you charge for services?2019-02-19T12:21:00-07:00

There is a nationally based system (RBRVS) that gives a point value to each service we provide. These points are based on several different aspects of patient care including place of service, level of difficulty, the possibility of malpractice, time spent, etc.

Surgical procedures such as lacerations and fractures also include global packages such as a follow-up for a specific time after the procedure in their value. Our charges are based off of this point value system. Although each medical practice uses the same value system to determine their prices, it is against the law for us to share, or “price-fix”, this information with each other. This is why the same service may cost a different amount at a different doctor’s office.

How much do you charge for office visits and/or other services?2019-02-19T12:19:41-07:00

Although we have specific prices assigned to each code we bill for, we can’t determine what the cost for your visit is until the physician has actually seen your child. There are different levels of office visits, which are determined by the complexity of the condition and/or time the patient is being seen for. There are additional costs for immunizations, medications, labs, etc. that are not known until the services are provided.

You may contact the Billing Office at (303) 853-3440 prior to receiving services for an estimate of charges, but a final determination cannot be made until the physician has seen your child.

What if my insurance denies a service as an inclusive denial?2019-02-19T12:17:13-07:00

An inclusive denial means that the insurance believes that one or more service that was billed should have been included in other services on the claim. An inclusive denial is something we will work out with your insurance through an appeals process. Until we have a response on the appeal you will not be held responsible for the charges that were denied as inclusive.

If your insurance upholds their original denial we will adjust the denied charges according to our contract with the insurance company. If they reverse their original denial, you may end up being responsible for part or all of the charge if it is applied to a co-pay, co-insurance or deductible, or if it is denied for another reason.

Can MLP change how my child’s visit was billed so my insurance will pay the claim?2019-02-19T12:14:47-07:00

We are required by Federal Law to report the exact services provided and the exact reason for providing them. It is fraudulent to report a different procedure or diagnosis code in order to make a visit “fit” your insurance plan. The only time a service or diagnosis can be changed is if we originally reported them incorrectly to your insurance. We recommend contacting your insurance, prior to being seen, to determine whether a service is covered under your plan.

Can my child still be seen if I don’t have insurance?2019-04-08T16:11:35-06:00

Mountainland Pediatrics accepts self-pay (uninsured) patients. Self-pay patients are required to pay at the time of service and will receive a 20% self-pay discount on the office visit portion of the bill.

How do I know what services are covered under my insurance plan?2019-04-08T16:11:24-06:00

Your insurance benefit manual will give you a good idea of which services are covered under your plan. When in doubt, call your insurance company. They can give you specific information regarding your plan benefits, although they will not guarantee payment until the claim is processed. If you know of specific services you would like to receive, the Mountainland Billing Department can provide the codes for those services so your insurance can give you more accurate information.

What can I do if I don’t agree with how my insurance processed my claim?2019-04-08T16:10:05-06:00

First, refer to your insurance benefits manual and make sure you understand your benefits. If, after verification, you determine that insurance processed the claim incorrectly, the next step is to call Member Services at your insurance company. They may be able to resolve the issue over the phone and send the claim back for reprocessing. You can also appeal, in writing, with your insurance company and provide documentation supporting your argument that the claim was processed incorrectly according to your benefits. The Mountainland Billing Department may be able to help you with this process but we recommend contacting your insurance company first.

Why should my child receive an Influenza vaccine (flu shot) every year?2019-04-08T16:10:12-06:00

An annual Influenza (flu) vaccination is recommended for all children. Certain groups of children are at increased risk of complications from Influenza.

Even healthy children can experience serious symptoms or even if they get sick with Influenza. Every year in the U.S. during a typical flu season, more than one hundred children die from Influenza. About half of the children who died were previously healthy. Vaccines do not have any underlying risk factors known to increase the risk of poor outcomes. Nearly 100% of the children who die from Influenza are under-immunized.

How often does my child need to be seen?2019-04-08T16:03:55-06:00
3-5 days Weight, length, HC
2 weeks Length, Weight, HC, temp
2 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, IZs: DTaP, IPV, HBV, Hib, Prevnar, Rotateq
4 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, IZs: DTaP, IPV, HBV, Hib, Prevnar, Rotateq, developmental screening
6 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, IZs: DTaP, IPV, HBV, Hib, Prevnar, developmental screening
9 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, developmental screen
12 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, Hgb, Lead (Medicaid), IZs: VZV, Prevnar, HAV, developmental screening
15 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, IZs: DTap, MMR, (Hib), developmental screening
18 months Length, Weight, HC, temp, developmental screen, M-CHAT, IZs: HAV
2 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, M-CHAT, Lead (Medicaid), developmental screening
30 months Height, Weight, BMI, temp, developmental screen
3 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, developmental screening
4 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, hearing, developmental screening
5 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, UA, Hgb, vision, hearing, IZs: DTap, IPV, MMR, VZV, developmental screening
6 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, hearing
7 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP
8 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, hearing
9 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP
10 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, hearing, IZs: Tdap
11 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, IZ: Menactra, Gardasil (HPV)
12 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision
13 & 14 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP
15 years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, vision, Hgb on girls, IZs: MCV4
16 + years Height, Weight, BMI, temp, BP, (vision at 18), IZ: Menactra
Do I need to accompany my child to his/her appointment?2019-07-24T14:57:25-06:00

We do require a parent or guardian to accompany a child at their appointment. If a parent/guardian is not able to accompany a child, then they should send a reliable caretaker in their place. The caretaker will need to have a photo ID and will need to be listed on the authorization to treat form. They will need to be able to consent to treatment/vaccines and to discuss follow-up care.

You can find the Authorization to Treat Form.

What happens if we are late for an appointment?2019-06-14T14:40:15-06:00

When planning a visit to our office, please try to allow extra time for traffic and parking. If you arrive more than ten minutes late for your appointment, we will try our best to still see your child, however, in some circumstances, you may be asked to reschedule.

Please also note that despite all our efforts to maintain a prompt schedule, sometimes the providers run late due to unexpected emergencies and we will ask for your flexibility at that given time.