Policies
Transparent Policies for Excellence
Explore this section to find comprehensive and straightforward guidelines tailored to your child's healthcare journey. We're committed to transparent communication, ensuring you have a clear understanding of our procedures and how we support your family's health needs.
General Policies
To ensure the safety of all our patients, we request that only one parent or guardian accompany the child during the visit. Please arrange for other children to stay at home or remain with another adult in the car. For added convenience, parents may wait in their car after check-in, if preferred, to minimize time spent in the waiting room. This helps us reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and flu.
Upon arrival, you and your child will be asked triage questions regarding possible COVID-19 exposure. While masks are no longer required, we recommend and appreciate their use.
Please bring your child’s insurance card to every visit.
We accept most commercial and BCBS insurance plans, as well as all current TennCare plans. Please present your insurance card at each visit. TennCare members must designate Cleveland Pediatrics as their PCP.
Our providers allocate time in their schedules specifically for well visits. We recommend scheduling your next well visit at the end of your current appointment to maintain proper timing between visits.
Please review your insurance benefits before your appointment to understand what is covered for well visits. Due to the variety of insurance plans and coverage differences, we cannot verify benefits for you. We will file your insurance claims, but you are responsible for any deductibles or copays.
Same-Day Sick Visits
We strive to accommodate sick visit requests on the same day they are made, with appointments available on a first-come, first-served basis. If no slots are available, we will take a message from our Triage Nurse to assess the illness. In certain cases, we may offer over-booked appointments if necessary.
Appointments must be scheduled in advance. Due to Covid-19, we no longer offer walk-in appointments. If your child’s condition is not an emergency, we may recommend scheduling a visit for the following day. Our experienced nurses are trained to respond promptly to your child’s needs.
Our staff is ready to answer your questions about common illnesses, medications, and developmental or behavioral issues. We're here to assist you with any concerns regarding your child.
Our providers are on staff at Tennova Healthcare of Cleveland. We offer both inpatient and outpatient services for our patients.
If you are running late for an appointment, please call ahead to inform us. We will try to accommodate you, but during peak seasons, we may need to reschedule your appointment.
We cannot track every individual insurance policy's coverage. Please understand your benefit plan to be prepared for any difference due after your insurance payment. Unpaid statements will result in a collection letter and, if necessary, referral to an outside collection attorney. For billing inquiries, contact our billing department during business hours.
We are happy to file your insurance for you. Please bring your most recent insurance card to your appointment. Ensure you update your information sheet at least once a year. If your insurance changes, it is your responsibility to provide the new details.
To file claims with your insurance company promptly, we need current and accurate information on file. This helps us meet the deadlines for receiving payment.
If a check is returned for insufficient funds, your account will incur a $30 return check fee.
We are obligated to collect your co-pay at the time of the visit. To streamline this process, we collect co-pays when you check in. We accept cash, check, debit, or credit cards. If we cannot collect your co-pay, you may be asked to reschedule.
We will bill the parent who brings the child to the visit. However, both parents are equally responsible for the child's medical bill. We do not manage or enforce terms of divorce decrees.
Vaccine Policy Statement
We firmly believe in the effectiveness and safety of vaccines to prevent serious illness and save lives. Our commitment is to following the recommended vaccination schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
We support the current scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. This includes the preservative thimerosal, which has been used in vaccines for decades. Our stance is based on extensive literature, evidence, and ongoing studies.
Vaccinating children and young adults is considered one of the most crucial health-promoting interventions by healthcare providers. The recommended vaccines and their schedules result from comprehensive scientific research and data collected by leading scientists and physicians.
Alternative Schedules
If you choose to refuse vaccines according to the AAP schedule or adopt an alternative schedule, we will request that you seek another healthcare provider who aligns with your views. We do not maintain a list of such providers nor offer recommendations.
Documentation
For vaccines administered outside of our practice, such as the influenza vaccine at schools, pharmacies, or urgent care facilities, we do not require proof of vaccination. Similarly, we do not require proof for the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) given between ages 9-26. We emphasize adherence to the CDC and AAP vaccine schedules.