Ivanka A. Vassileva, M.D. Patient Policies

As a courtesy, we will bill your primary insurance for you. If your insurance has not paid for the services rendered within 30 days, you are responsible for paying the balance in full. If the balance is not paid in full, you will be subject to a $20 processing fee until the balance is paid in full, unless other arrangements have been made. If you are aware that your deductible has not been met or that services rendered are not covered, then you will be required to pay at time of service.

Payment is due at time of service. We offer a 20% discount to patients paying for services rendered in full at time of service. Short term payment plans are available but must be requested prior to services being performed.

If you are a new patient and have a co-pay, then the co-pay is collected at the time of service. Any remaining balance will be billed to your insurance. If you have a balance after your insurance has processed your claim, then you will receive a statement for the remaining balance. If you do not have insurance at the time of service, payment will be required at time of service. The 20% discount will apply for full payments paid at time of service.

We do not treat patients for worker's compensation claims. If you have a work-related injury, please contact your employer and they may refer you to an appropriate clinic or urgent care.

Our office will bill Medicare for you. If you do not have a supplemental insurance, then you will receive a statement for any remaining balance due. However, if you have supplemental insurance to Medicare, we will also bill your supplemental insurance. You will receive a statement from our office once all insurances have processed your claim and there is a remaining balance due.

All co-pays are due at time of services during the check in process. If you do not have your current medical card upon arrival and we are unable to verify your eligibility, then you will be asked to reschedule your appointment or pay for services in full at time of service.

If you are involved in a civil suit, auto, home, or bdsiness owner's accident and are seeking payment from the responsible party, then we will ask for payment in full at time of service. We do not bill the responsible party's insurance or attorney in these situations due to the lengthy time it takes to settle these claims. We will provide a statement for you to provide the responsible party.

You will be responsible for having blood work obtained with an outside laboratory as well as other services such as radiology from an outside ancillary service. You will receive a statement from those parties if a balance is due after insurance has processed your claim for services rendered.

A Minor is someone under the age of 18 years who is not legally emancipated from his/her parents or guardian. We realize there may be an arrangement regarding who is responsible when paying for medical services to a minor. However, it is our policy that the parent or guardian who requests medical care for the minor is financially responsible.

All nonsufficient funds will be subject to a $50 fee. If your account is turned over to collections, you will receive a termination letter to seek medical care elsewhere and the amount charged will be doubled to cover the additional costs.

We will provide a copy of your chart to another physician, clinic or medical services with a Medical Records Authorization at no cost for the purpose of on-going care. However, if you are requesting a copy of medical records for personal use, then there will be a per page fee and payment will be due prior to records being released. Please allow our office 7 to 10 business days to process the request.

We are open Monday through Thursday from 7:45 am to 5 pm. On Fridays, we are open from 7:45 am to 12 pm. This schedule is subject to change at Dr Vassileva's discretion. Office visits are by appointments and should be scheduled in advance. Same-day appointments are reserved for urgent or sudden illness.

If you cannot keep your appointment, we ask that notify us as soon as possible. You will be charged a $20 fee if office visits are cancelled without a 24 hour notice.

If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. If you need to see a physician after regular office hours for urgent or emergent problems please call Comanche County Memorial Hospital or Southwestern Medical Center and ask for the doctor on call.

Walk in visits should be reserved for true emergencies only. They create a scheduling problem. We ask that you please call ahead so we may advise you on the best approach to ensure appropriate medical treatment. In the event you are unable to call ahead and your need is urgent, you will be evaluated and seen on a first come first serve basis depending on the urgency of the situation.

Every phone call is important to us, and we will attempt to answer your calls and return messages as promptly as possible. Please be aware that Dr Vassileva will not leave scheduled patients to return routine phone calls. You may leave a detailed message with a nurse who will in turn speak to Dr Vassileva on your behalf between scheduled patients.
Any new requests such as a new medication for an existing diagnosis or a new one, home health, radiology, or referrals cannot be done over the phone. This requires an appointment so you may be properly evaluated and we can submit proper documentation to your insurance.

Good medical care cannot be accomplished over the phone, so you may be advised to schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns, test results or problems.

Please contact your pharmacy for refills on previously prescribed medications. The pharmacy will fax or electronically submit a request to our office for Dr. Vassileva's approval. Please allow 2 business days for refills to be processed.

Please call the office with your request. Occasionally, there may be a time when you are asked to come in. Please allow 2 business days for your refill to be processed for pick up. You will be notified when the prescription is ready for pick up.

Chronic daily medications will be sent to mail order pharmacies for 90 days or more. Please allow up to 2 weeks to receive the medications in the mail. Please remember you will need to be re-evaluated for these medications regularly at Dr. Vassileva's discretion. Services to Minors If a child requires medical attention and the parent or guardian is unable to be present, we require written consent to treat the patient.

If you are requesting a referral to a specialist, you will need to be seen by appointment. This allows Dr. Vassileva to evaluate you and order any testing that may be needed for the referral. As the patient, it is your responsibility to ensure the specialist you are seeking a referral to will be covered by your insurance plan. It is also your responsibility to inform our office if your insurance requires authorization prior to a new referral.

Referrals are generally sent once all the required testing, such as radiology or blood work, is in your chart. Please allow the specialist's office 2-3 business days to process your referral. All offices work differently to process these referrals. An office may call you directly, contact our office with appointment time and date or mail out new patient paperwork notifying you of your appointment time and date.

Once a referral has been sent and scheduled, it is your responsibility to attend your scheduled appointments, ensure payments are made and to keep Dr. Vassileva informed of your progress and any changes that occur with that new physician.