Appointment Information
Skin, hair, and nail conditions are not only health issues, but can also influence your self-confidence. Providing exceptional dermatology care is our focus, so let us help you with your concern to improve your health, well-being, and appearance. With easy scheduling, flexible appointments available, and no doctor’s referral required, scheduling an appointment is as simple as calling us at 218-454-3376 to speak with one of our friendly support staff or using the link below for our self-scheduling option.
APPOINTMENT POLICY
Missed appointments represent a cost to us, you and to other patients who could have been seen in the time set aside for you. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify the office at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to provide 24-hour notice will result in a no-show charge. This charge is not billable to your insurance. The first no-show will not be charged. A second no-show fee of $25 will be charged. The third no-show will result in a $50 charge and the fourth will result in a $100 charge. If you no-show or cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your appointment for a fifth time, we will discharge you from the practice.
We encourage you to schedule your next appointment before you leave the office to reserve the most convenient time for you.
Arriving late for your appointment deprives you of valuable treatment time and potentially delays appointments for other patients. To respect the patients who do arrive timely for their appointment, if you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment you may be asked to wait to be seen until we can work you in with the least amount of disruption for other patients or to reschedule your appointment. If you know you are running late, please call our office so that we can make any necessary adjustments to the schedule to accommodate you as well as our other patients.
NEW PATIENT APPOINTMENTS
Please arrive 15-20 minutes prior to your appointment to allow time to complete paperwork.
Self-Scheduling Information
The self-scheduling tool cannot be used for all appointment types. Surgery and PDT (blu-u light) appointments must be scheduled by our staff to ensure that the appropriate amount of time is reserved for you. Cosmetic consults are available in the self-scheduling tool, however, cosmetic treatments must be scheduled by our staff as the length of appointments vary depending on the treatment area and services performed.
No Surprise Billing
GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE
In accordance with federal law, health care providers are required to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance a Good Faith Estimate of the total expected cost of medical services. This estimate includes costs related to your services such as pathology or laboratory fees. You have the right to receive the Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day prior to receiving your medical services. If you receive a bill at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you have a right to dispute the bill.
BALANCE BILING AND “SURPRISE” BILLING
When you receive medical services, your provider will bill your insurance company and you may owe out-of-pocket expenses such as a copay, deductible or coinsurance. When Central Minnesota Dermatology is contracted with your health plan, or “in-network”, you are responsible for the patient responsibility amount determined by your health plan and applicable contractual adjustments will be applied when the insurance payment is posted. If Central Minnesota Dermatology is not contracted with your health plan, or “out-of-network”, you may be responsible for the difference between the charge amount and the amount paid by your health plan. This is called balance billing. Charges processed out-of-network typically incur a higher cost for the patient than when the provider is in-network, and usually are not applied toward your annual out-of-pocket limit. It is the patient’s responsibility to contact their health plan and determine if Central Minnesota Dermatology is “in-network” for their specific policy.
“Surprise billing” is when the patient receives an unexpected balance bill. The two most common scenarios are 1. when you can’t control who is involved in your care, such as when you have an emergency, and 2. when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. Central Minnesota Dermatology makes every effort to ensure that ancillary services such as laboratory or pathology services, are sent to providers that are in-network with the patient’s health plan to minimize the out-of-pocket expenses.
Visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information regarding Good Faith Estimates and Surprise Billing.
Gift Cards
Central Minnesota Dermatology is excited to offer gift cards so you can give the gift of beautiful, healthy, and youthful looking skin. Gift cards are available at our Brainerd and Pine River offices in convenient denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, and $250. The cards may be used to purchase any cosmetic treatment or skincare product and are not redeemable for cash.