Drs. SCHMIDT, MICALE, PALANCE, LIN & WELINSKY
It is our goal to treat everyone under our care as a V.I.P.—Very Important Patient! How we begin your experience with us is an important first step. This page will provide you with the practical information about our Practice. Here is where you will find our location, office hours, maps, and general policies regarding insurance carriers and billing policies, scheduling process and information regarding our endoscopy center …..all the facts you need to help you make an informed decision about selecting your GI specialist!
OFFICE LOCATION
Our medical office for Drs. SCHMIDT, MICALE, PALANCE, LIN & WELINSKY is located at:
1086 Teaneck Road
Suite 4C
Teaneck, New Jersey 07666
Phone: 201-837-9449
Fax: 201-578-1699
Our Endoscopy Center, Teaneck Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Center, is conveniently located in Suite3B. at the same address
For a map and driving directions, please click here.
OFFICE HOURS
Our medical office is opened Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and appointments are available from 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Each of our doctors has a specific schedule assigned for office hours. To schedule an appointment, please call 201-837-9449 and one of our medical receptionists will be happy to assist you in finding a mutually agreeable day and time.
LABORATORY SERVICES
Our in-office laboratory and pathology laboratory are certified by the Joint Commission (JCAHO).
- Gold Seal of Approval
www.jointcommission.org
1-800-994-6610
ACCEPTED INSURANCE CARRIERS
Our Practice participates with the majority of insurance carriers with the exception of Medicaid. However, not all our physicians participate with each of the insurance carriers. At the time of scheduling, our medical receptionists will ask you for general insurance information and help you to select a physician that can be seen within the framework of your plan. Before your scheduled appointment, your specific plan benefits will be checked. If any changes are necessary, you will be notified and alternatives or options will be discussed with you.
SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT
We believe that by working hand-in-hand with our patients, we can make the office experience as pleasant, comfortable and efficient as possible. We need certain information from you in advance of your appointment so that we can initiate an accurate patient record, keep your appointment time efficiently focused and provide the physician with the information he needs for making decisions regarding any future testing or procedures.
As part of the scheduling process, our medical receptionist will ask you for the following information:
- the reason for your appointment
- specific information listed on your insurance card
So, please have your insurance card available when calling - the name of your primary or referring physician
- if your plan requires a referral for the visit and if so, do you have one
Please note that some plans require that your primary care physician (PCP) issue a referral to a specialist. It is the responsibility of the patient to obtain the referral. Without the necessary referral, the insurance company will not honor the claim and the patient becomes responsible for the bill. To avoid any unnecessary financial difficulties, if your plan requires a referral, we ask that you please bring your referral with you at the time of the appointment.
- if you have had any recent blood testing, x-rays, etc. and if so, the place of testing
Once your appointment is made, the medical receptionist will send you an introductory package containing confirmation of the date and time of your appointment, any fasting (nothing to eat or drink) requirements, directions to the office, parking information and routine registration, health history and privacy forms. These forms are also available under the FORMS TAB on the Home Page of this website.
OUR MEDICAL RECEPTIONISTS ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU. WE INVITE YOU TO CALL 201-837-9449 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
OFFICE PAYMENTS / BILLING PROCEDURES
If your insurance plan requires an office co-pay for a specialist, payment at the time of service is requested. Following your visit, our billing staff will submit all claims to your insurance carrier on your behalf. Once payment is received by our Office, you will be billed for any deductible or co-insurance, if necessary.
Some insurance companies send the payment due to the physician directly to the patient. In those instances, it is essential for the patient to endorse the back of the check and send it to our billing department for proper crediting so that any further billing, if necessary, is accurate.
CONFIRMING APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
To assist us in confirming appointments for both the Office and the Endoscopy Center, our Practice utilizes the services of CallPointe. Beginning two days prior to your appointment, this automated program will call you to remind you of the date, time and place of your appointment. You can easily confirm your appointment by pressing the number one (1) on your telephone keypad. If you do not respond to Televox after two calls, a medical receptionist will follow-up with a phone call.
We do understand that schedules can change but we would appreciate the courtesy of advance notification. If you cannot keep your appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so that we can make the time available to other patients that are in need of an visit or procedure. You can cancel your appointment by calling the office at 201-837-9449 or by pressing the number two (2) on your telephone keypad when you receive a call from CallPointe.