Clinic Policies

Available Services

Financial, Billing & Payment Policies

AKNC strives to provide the finest neurological care in Alaska and to create the best value for our patients. To keep costs as low as possible, we have established the following financial policies.

AKNC is a PPO/Network Provider for all insurance carriers and networks (see list below) and therefore requires all patients to pay their required deductible, co-insurance, and/or co-pay at the time of check in for their visit. There are no exceptions to this rule, as it allows costs to remain low. AKNC is subject to each Payer Contract and requirements, just as you are. Your insurance is your responsibility and as such, all your insurance obligations such as co-pays, deductible, co-insurance, coordination of benefits, etc. are your responsibility to know and expect AKNC to follow and to require of you as well.

PPO Networks:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Aetna

• Cigna

• First Choice Health Network

• United Healthcare

• MODA

• Three Rivers Provider Network

• Tricare

• EBMS

• Anthem Blue Cross

• Humana

• Veterans Administration & VA Choice Program

• Medicare

• Medicare Railroad

• Medicaid

• Multi-Plan

• Workers Compensation

• Motor Vehicle Accident

• Independent Medical Exams

AKNC accepts all forms of payment to include Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card and American Express.  Any NSF/Returned checks are subject to a $50 NSF Fee. Payments can be made in the Clinic, over phone, via mail or at www.aknc.com.

Payment in full is due at the time of service. This includes all insurance deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays. If you are unable to make such payment in full at the time of service, please contact us at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment to determine if other payment options are available. Appointments which you cancel or reschedule less than 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment may be charged a $100 Cancellation Fee. You may also be refused service and charged the Cancellation Fee if you do not pay your portion in full, at the scheduled time of check in for your appointment and you do not agree to another payment arrangement acceptable to AKNC.

AKNC provides insurance eligibility and benefits verification two (2) days prior to every appointment. Should your insurance coverage change, it is your responsibility to inform us in a timely manner. If your carrier’s payments are recouped due to ineligibility, you are responsible for all fees associated with services you received at AKNC. Claims for all services are filed within one year from the date of service. Any services deemed as non-covered by your plan will be your responsibility. Account Statements are only provided once your carrier has processed your claims.

We are happy to arrange payment plans in advance of your scheduled visit. Payment plans can be established by contacting our billing department at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. These plans require a signed agreement and a bank account on file for scheduled payments. Credit Cards are not accepted for reoccurring plans. Payment Plans are setup for a maximum of six months.

It is our policy to avoid overpayments due to proactive actions, but if an overpayment does occur, we will issue a credit to your account, or issue a monetary refund upon written/verbal request from you. As a practice, any overpayments will remain as a credit on your account, until we are informed otherwise.

Should you desire a monetary refund, we ask that you make that request in writing. These requests can take up to 30 days to process. We may not notify you if such a refund is due, and it is your responsibility to proactively notify us of a monetary refund request, as most of our patients come back repeatedly to receive care at AKNC. We only issue refunds on net balances and only after insurance payments are posted on all pending dates of service.

All accounts 90 days past due from Time of Service will be considered delinquent. Ultimately, your account balance is your responsibility — whether your insurance company pays or not. All deductibles, co-pays and non-covered services are due and payable at the time of treatment. It is your responsibility to ensure that your insurance(s) pay your claims in a timely manner. Delinquent accounts (90 days) will be reviewed and considered for collections. If your insurance coverage changes, it is your responsibility to inform AKNC.

If your address or insurance information changes, please inform us immediately, as failure to do so can impede your care and cause financial repercussions.

Prescription Policies

AKNC maintains a 72-hour prescription refill policy and requires patients to contact their pharmacy directly for any refills, except for controlled substances. Pharmacies will work together with AKNC to obtain any required prior authorization, medical necessity, and dosage information. If your pharmacy is unable to process a prescription refill request (for example, if the prescription is for a narcotic), please place a refill request through our website, www.aknc.com or call (907) 565-6000.

AKNC will not refill prescriptions if you have not seen your Provider in over six months. If you are having an adverse reaction to your prescription, please contact our clinic immediately.

Consent For Care

AKNC requires all patients to read and sign a consent for care prior to receiving any treatment and/or services. Should you require additional people to participate in your healthcare, they will need to be on your signed consent for AKNC to discuss your care. Consents for Care can be amended, changed, or redone at any time.

Patients’ Rights & Responsibilities

At AKNC, the patient has the right to:

• Considerate and respectful care.

• Knowledge of the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating care and the names and professional relationships of other physicians and non-physicians who will see the patient.

• Receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as the patient may need to give informed consent or to refuse this course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information shall include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in this treatment, alternate courses of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each and to know the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.

• Participate actively in any decisions regarding medical care. To the extent permitted by the law, this includes the right to refuse treatment.

• Full consideration of privacy concerning the medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. The patient has the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual.

• Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to his/her care.

• Reasonable continuity of care and to know in advance the time and location of appointment as well as the identity of persons providing the care.

• Be advised if the physician proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting care or treatment. The patient has the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.

• Have all patient’s rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on behalf of the patient. This includes Guardians, Conservators and Power of Attorneys, as well as Parents of Minors.

• Have complaints forwarded to administrative personnel for appropriate response via email.

• Know that all the AKNC personnel will observe these patient’s rights.

Clinic Expectations

The care a patient receives depends greatly on the patient. Therefore, in addition to their rights, a patient has certain responsibilities as well.

• The patient has the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information concerning his/her present complaints, past medical history, and other matters relating to his/her health.

• The patient is responsible for making it known whether he/she clearly comprehends the course of his/her medical treatment and what is expected of him/her.

• The patient is responsible for following the treatment plan established by his/her physician, including the instructions of nurses and other health professionals as they carry out the physician’s orders.

• The patient is responsible for keeping appointments and for notifying the office or physician when he/she is unable to.

• The patient is responsible for his/her actions should he/she refuse treatment or not follow his/her physician’s orders.

• The patient is responsible for assuring that the financial obligations of his/her care are fulfilled.

• The patient is responsible for being considerate of the rights of other patients and office personnel.

We also ask that people keep in mind that AKNC is a physician’s office, and as such, there are often ill people present. We expect everyone to treat each other with courtesy and respect, including our physicians, our staff, and other patients. Abusive and unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated, and if we deem a patient’s behavior as unacceptable, we will refer them to another provider.

Release of Information/Medical Records

At AKNC, medical records are maintained in electronic format, in compliance with HIPAA, CMS and privacy policies and only transmitted through secure email or fax. This process is to ensure accountability by both parties.

To comply with CMS requirements, AKNC requires all medical records requests to be submitted electronically or faxed to 907-565-6001. For a copy of your medical record, please submit request online at www.aknc.com or via email: checkin@aknc.com. There is no charge for your own medical records unless there are more than one request. The second copy and any additional copies will have a charge to cover the cost incurred for searching, handling, copying, and faxing or mailing the records. Fees are as follows: For pages 1-25, there will be a minimum fee if $10. For pages 26-100, there will be an additional fee of $.50 per page. For pages excess of 100 pages, there will be an additional $.25 per page. MRI CDs are provided at no cost and any additional copy is $25. Fees must be paid before records can be released. Records are normally ready within 14 days.

Third parties, such as attorneys, compliance officers, or the State of Alaska may request a copy of your medical records as well, provided the release and $75 payment are both on file.

Requests from other physician’s offices or care coordinators are free of charge.

Health Information Exchange/Electronic Medical Record

AKNC currently participates in the health information exchanges (HIE). AKNC utilizes Epic as the primary electronic medical record (EMR) system to document your healthcare. These two applications ultimately help enhance the quality of your care.

The goal of the HIE and EMR is to help participating physicians and providers to provide better, more efficient care to their patients by the sharing of health information across secure systems. This means that wherever a patient goes, the patient’s health information may be available to all doctors who use the HIE or EMR.

AKNC currently utilizes EPIC (EMR) and healtheConnect Alaska (HIE) to access and share your health information with other participants for treatment purposes and payment of treatment services. The HIE and EMR allows any health information organization that participates in the HIE to have secure electronic access to the patients’ records. You may opt out of the HIE healtheConnect by going to the website: https://www.healtheconnectak.org/index.php This sight can answer also additional questions and has information about the participation in healtheConnect Alaska. 

Guardians/POA

Should you have a legal Guardian, Power of Attorney or Conservator, AKNC requires the court paperwork in your records to provide care. This person is expected to be present at your first visit to read, review and sign all required documents for you. This person needs to be present for MRI exams.

Minor patients (<18 years old) are required to be accompanied by a legal guardian at every visit.

Notice of Privacy Practices

AKNC is committed to upholding patient privacy standards in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. Our staff is accountable for preserving the privacy and confidentiality of your health information which is created and/or maintained at our clinic. State and federal laws and regulations require us to implement policies and procedures to safeguard the privacy of your health information.  This notice will provide you with information regarding our privacy practices and applies to all of your health information created and/or maintained at our clinic, including any information that we receive from other health care providers or clinics. The Notice describes the ways in which we may use or disclose your health information and describes your rights and our obligations concerning such uses or disclosures.

We will abide by the terms of this Notice, including any future revisions that we may make to the Notice as required or authorized by law. We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised or changed Notice effective for health information we already have about you, as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice which will identify its effective date in our clinic.

The privacy practices described in this Notice will be followed by:

1. Any health care professional authorized to enter information into your medical record created and/or maintained at our clinic.

2. All employees, students, residents, and other service providers who have access to your health information at our clinic; and

3. Any member of a volunteer group which is allowed to help you while receiving services at our clinic.

The individuals identified above will share your health information with each other for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, as further described in the Notice.

Uses and Disclosures of Health Information for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations

Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations. The following section describes different ways that we may use and disclose your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. We explain each of these purposes below and include examples of the types of uses or disclosures that may be made for each purpose. We have not listed every type of use or disclosure, but the ways in which we use or disclose your information will fall under one of these purposes.

1. Treatment. We may use your health information to provide you with health care treatment and services. We may disclose your health information to doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, medication aides, technicians, medical and nursing students, rehabilitation therapy specialists, or other personnel who are involved in your health care.

For example, we may order physical therapy services to improve your strength and walking abilities. We will need to talk with the physical therapist so that we can coordinate services and develop a plan of care. We also may need to refer you to another health care provider to receive certain services. We will share information with that health care provider to coordinate your care and services.

1. Payment. We may use or disclose your health information so that we may bill and receive payment from you, an insurance company, or another third party for the health care services you receive from us. We also may disclose health information about you to your health plan to obtain prior approval for the services we provide to you, or to determine that your health plan will pay for the treatment.

For example, we may need to give health information to your health plan to obtain prior approval to refer you to a health care specialist, such as a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon, or to perform a diagnostic test such as a magnetic resonance imaging scan (“MRI”) or a CT scan.

1. Health Care Operations. We may use or disclose your health information to perform the necessary administrative, educational, quality assurance and business functions of our clinic.

For example, we may use your health information to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We also may use your health information to evaluate whether certain treatment or services offered by our clinic are effective. We also may disclose your health information to other physicians, nurses, technicians, or health profession students for teaching and learning purposes.

Uses and Disclosures of Health Information in Special Situations

We may use or disclose your health information in certain special situations as described below. For these situations, you have the right to limit these uses and disclosures as provided for in this notice.

1. Appointment Reminders. We may use or disclose your health information for purposes of contacting you to remind you of a health care appointment.

2. Treatment Alternatives & Health-Related Products and Services. We may use or disclose your health information for purposes of contacting you to inform you of treatment alternatives or health-related products or services that may be of interest to you. For example, if you are diagnosed with a specific condition, we may contact you to inform you of an instruction class that is offered for your condition.

3. Family Members and Friends. We may disclose your health information to individuals, such as family members and friends, who are involved in your care or who help pay for your care. We may make such disclosures when: (a) we have your verbal agreement to do so; (b) we make such disclosures and you do not object; or (c) we can infer from the circumstances that you would not object to such disclosures. For example, if your spouse comes into the exam room with you, we will assume that you agree to our disclosure of your information while your spouse is present in the room. You may also sign a consent of care for a friend or family member who you wish the clinic to release information to regarding a prescription pick up, billing and payment information, and phone numbers to contact for appointment reminders.

We also may disclose your health information to family members or friends in instances when you are unable to agree or object to such disclosures, provided that we feel it is in your best interests to make such disclosures and the disclosures relate to that family member or friend’s involvement in your care. For example, if you present our clinic with an emergency medical condition, we may share information with the family member or friend that comes with you to our clinic. We will need written permission to share your health information with your family and friends regarding your prescription(s).

1. Billing and Financial. We may disclose your information to third party collection agencies if we deem it necessary.

Other Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures of Health Information

There are certain instances in which we may be required or permitted by law to use or disclose your health information without your permission.  These instances are as follows:

1. As required by law. We may disclose your health information when required by federal, state, or local law to do so. For example, we are required by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disclose your health information to allow HHS to evaluate whether we are in compliance with the federal privacy regulations.

2. Public Health Activities. We disclose your health information to public health authorities that are authorized by law to receive and collect health information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability; to report births, deaths, suspected abuse or neglect, reactions to medications; or to facilitate product recalls.

3. Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency that is authorized by law to conduct health oversight information to health oversight investigations, inspections, or licensure and certification surveys. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the persons or organizations that provide health care to individuals and the government to monitor the persons or organizations that provide health care to individuals and to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

4. Judicial or Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose your health information to courts or administrative agencies charged with the authority to hear and resolve lawsuits or disputes. We may disclose your health information pursuant to a court order, a subpoena, a discovery request, or other lawful process issued by a judge or other person involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to (i) notify you of the request for disclosure or (ii) obtain an order protecting your health information.

5. Worker’s Compensation. We may disclose your health information to worker’s compensation programs when your health condition arises out of a work-related illness or injury.

6. Law Enforcement Officials. We may disclose your health information to a request received from a law enforcement official to report criminal activity or to respond to a subpoena, court order, warrant, summons, or similar process.

7. Coroners, Medical Examiners, or Funeral Directors. We may disclose your health information to a coroner or medical examiner for the purpose of identifying a deceased individual or to determine the cause of death. We also may disclose your health information to a funeral director for the purpose of carrying out his/her necessary activities.

8. Organ Procurement Organizations or Tissue Banks. If you are an organ donor, we may disclose your health information to organizations that handle organ procurement, transplantation, or tissue banking for the purpose of facilitating organ or tissue donation or transplantation.

9. Research. We may use or disclose your health information for research purposes under certain limited circumstances. Because all research projects are subject to a special approval process, we will not use or disclose your health information for research purposes until the research project for which your health information may be used or disclosed has been approved through this special approval process. However, we may use or disclose your health information to individuals preparing to conduct the research project to assist them in identifying patients with specific health care needs who may qualify to participate in the research project. Any use or disclosure of our health information which is done for the purpose of identifying qualified participants will be conducted onsite at our clinic. In most instances, we will ask for your specific permission to use or disclose your health information if the researcher will have access to your name, address, or other identifying information.

10. To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use or disclose your health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of you or other individuals.

11. Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may use or disclose your health information as required by military command authorities.

12. National Security and Intelligence Activities. We may use or disclose your health information to authorized federal officials for purposes of intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities, as authorized by law.

13. Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may use or disclose your health information to the correctional institution or to the law enforcement official as may be necessary (i) for the institution to provide you with health care; (ii) to protect the health or safety of you or another person; or (iii) for the safety and security or the correctional institution.

Uses and Disclosures Pursuant To Your Written Authorization

Except for the purposes identified above in Sections B through D, we will not use or disclose your health information for any other purposes unless we have your specific written authorization. You have the right to revoke a written authorization at any time if you do so in writing.  If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your health information for the purposes identified in the authorization, except to the extent that we have already taken some action in reliance upon your authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the following rights regarding your health information. You may exercise each of these rights, in writing, by providing us with a completed form that you can obtain from the business office. In some instances, we may charge you for the cost(s) associated with providing you with the requested information. Additional information regarding how to exercise your rights, and the associated costs, can be obtained from our business office.

1. Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and receive copies of health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. We may deny your request to inspect and copy your health information in certain limited circumstances. If you are denied access to your health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.

2. Right to Amend. You have the right to request an amendment of your health information that is maintained by or for our clinic and is used to make health care decisions about you. We may deny your request if it is not submitted in writing or does not include a reason to support your request. We may also deny your request if the information sought to be amended: (a) was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment; (b) is not part of the information that is kept by or for our clinic; (c) is not part of the information which you are permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) is accurate and complete.

3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request an accounting of the disclosures of your health information made by us. This accounting will not include disclosures of health information that we made for purposes of treatment, payment or health care operations or pursuant to a written authorization that you have signed.

4. Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the health information we disclose about you to someone, such as a family member or friend, who is involved in your care or in the payment of your care. For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information regarding a particular treatment that you received. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree that agreement must be in writing and signed by you and us.

5. Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health care in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail.

6. Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this Notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this Notice.

Questions or Complaints

If you have any questions regarding these Notices of Privacy Practices or wish to receive additional information about our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at 565-6000. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our clinic or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  To file a complaint with AKNC, contact our Privacy Officer in writing at 1100 E. Dimond Blvd Anchorage, AK 99515.

Transfer of Care

Transfer of care is the process whereby a physician who is providing management for some or all a patient’s problems relinquishes this responsibility to another physician. The physician transferring care is then no longer providing care for these problems though he or she may continue providing care for other conditions when appropriate. If you would like to transfer your care to another physician, please inform AKNC via writing or email and we will process your request within 7 days.

Communication Policies

AKNC has invested time and money in a HIPAA-compliant state-of-the-art phone system. It allows us to provide the best and most efficient care possible. Please do not abuse this system and follow all instructions. Patients who abuse the phone system will be referred to another provider.

If you would like to call us and have to leave a message, please leave one voicemail message. If we receive the message before 4 p.m., it will be returned as soon as possible. Calls are prioritized in the order of importance; urgent calls are returned first.  If you have a medical emergency, please call 911.

Appointments can most efficiently be made via our website at www.aknc.com or email scheduling@aknc.com. If you would prefer to make an appointment over the phone, please call 565-6000 and follow the instructions provided over the phone.

Referrals from other physicians can take up to 7-10 business days to process. The referral process includes gathering all required information and evaluating your condition to assign the most appropriate care provider. Our staff will promptly call you as soon as the referral is processed.  After 48 hours, please feel free to follow up with us.

We expect all our staff to be treated with courtesy and respect. Any patient who fails to do so will be referred to another provider and discharged from AKNC.

At AKNC, we strongly encourage the use of e-mail. The use of electronic mail establishes accurate records and helps us to provide highly personalized care. All inquiries may be sent to info@aknc.com, where they will be promptly routed to the appropriate staff member and returned by the next business day.

Our website, www.aknc.com, is a comprehensive resource for patients.  It provides a wealth of information on neurological conditions, our providers, and our practice. It also allows patients to pay bills online and effectively communicate with staff.

Faxes may be sent to 565-6001 or toll free 1-866-201-8222. They are electronically routed to the proper staff member.  Please allow 24-48 hours for processing.

Our providers are tasked with providing direct health care and rely on support staff for all non- emergency issues. Therefore, we ask that you communicate with our practice via the means outlined above and for emergencies, dial 911. Providers will not directly communicate with patients outside of a face-to-face encounter, but rather communicate through their highly skilled nursing staff.

At your first visit, AKNC staff will provide you an Acknowledgement of Receipt for review and signature. By signing this receipt, you acknowledge you have read, understand, and agree to comply with all AKNC policies outlined above.

Updated 10/1/2022