Thanks for checking our website! Here are some answers to our most common Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a question that is not addressed here, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you!
Making an Appointment
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How long does it take to get a new patient appointment for pelvic pain, with Dr. Alex Childs?
Because Dr. Alex Childs is the only Pelvic Pain Specialist in the Southeast United States, he does stay booked out approximately six months in advance.
All new patients for Dr. Childs go on a waiting list, and most new patients get moved up 2-3 times from the initial appointment we will give you when you call. So, it’s still a wait to get in with Dr. Childs, but it’s not quite as bad as it seems.
If you are available at a short notice, 24 hours to 2 weeks, please let our office staff know this when you make your initial appointment and we will note this on the waiting list. Please ensure we have all correct daytime phone numbers on your file.
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Can Dr. Childs do my yearly PAP smear at my pelvic pain recheck appointment?
Due to Dr. Childs’ pelvic pain specialty, he does not perform routine GYN exams, including PAP smears and mammograms, during pelvic pain appointments.
You may choose to continue care for your routine GYN appointments with your current doctor, or you may switch your routine care to one of our five OB-GYN physicians within our practice. Dr. Childs’ nurse practitioner, D.J. Franklin, is also happy to continue your GYN care.
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Do I need a referral to make an appointment for the Pelvic Pain Clinic? If I have a referral from my doctor, will I be seen sooner?
No, we do not require referrals for you to schedule with Dr. Alex Childs for chronic pelvic pain. If you are being referred by another physician, please make our scheduler aware of this so she can make a note.
Please note that being referred by another doctor does NOT mean that we can give you a sooner appointment. Out of fairness to all of the patients waiting, we schedule as we receive the calls. You will be added to our waiting list and may be called as we have cancellations.
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What do I do if I have a problem after business hours?
After we close the office each day, or on the weekends, if you have a problem that cannot wait until the next business day, please do the following:
Call our main office number at (205) 397-9000 – wait through our menu options and our after-hours answering service will pickup. Please explain your problem, symptoms, or issues to the operator. They will contact the physician on call and he or she will return your call and instruct you further.
If you think you are in labor after hours, please call to speak with the physician on call BEFORE going to Labor and Delivery. This helps your doctor and our hospital staff be better prepared for your arrival!
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Can I have a walk-in appointment?
No, in order to best service our patient community, we do not see walk-in patients. Please call ahead if you have an emergency to speak with a nurse. In urgent situations, possible labor, or other emergencies, our nurses may work you in with the doctor on call or advise you on what to do for your individual situation.
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Will I get a reminder call for my appointment?
Yes! So please make sure your contact information is correct! For GYN appointments, someone will call 1-2 days in advance to confirm. For Pelvic Pain appointments, someone will call one day in advance. For any OB or diagnostics appointments, we do NOT call.
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Do you charge a fee for cancelling an appointment the same day or no-showing an appointment?
No, we do not charge you a cancellation fee or no-show fee. However, out of consideration to our other patients and our physicians, please give us 24-hour notice if you need to cancel.
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Do I have to wait a full year in between pap smear and mammogram appointments?
Our billing department recommends that you wait a full 365 days in between your yearly pap smear and/or mammogram appointments, then we are certain your insurance will cover your visits. However, individual insurance policies do vary, so if you would like to check with your policy, call your plan administrator or the 800-number on your card. Ask if you have a policy that will cover your pap and/or mammogram at “once per calendar year”. If that is the case, you may make an appointment before you have reached the 365 day mark.
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When am I due for my yearly?
We send out a Friendly Reminder postcard each year, to remind you to call and make your appointment! You may wait for that postcard, or call us anytime and we will look up your last appointment date.
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I am on my menses, can I or may I still see the doctor for my yearly?
Yes, if your flow is light, your physician can still perform an exam and PAP smear. If you are bleeding heavily, please reschedule.
Insurance and Billing
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When can I pre-register for delivering my baby?
Pre-registration may be done beginning at 36 weeks. Please call (205) 877-1000, Brookwood Medical Center’s main switchboard, and ask to pre-registration for maternity, and they will connect you to the appropriate department.
Pre-registration is handled through Brookwood Medical Center, NOT through OB-GYN South.
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Is Brookwood Medical Center the only hospital that you use for surgery?
Yes-Brookwood Medical Center is the only medical facility that our physicians currently have surgical rights with to perform surgical procedures.
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Is the 3D/4D ultrasound option covered by my insurance?
In most cases, this is NOT covered by your insurance policy, because it is not a diagnostic ultrasound.
Our out of pocket charges for this special ultrasound is very competitive, at $160.00.
Please make sure you call to schedule this if you know that you would like it performed, as we are only able to accommodate four of these scans each week. This ultrasound can only be done between the fetal gestation of 28-30 weeks. Further than 30 weeks, we cannot guarantee good images of your baby.
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Do the doctors do surgeries only at Brookwood Medical Center?
Yes, our physicians only perform their cases here at Brookwood.
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Will my insurance cover my surgery?
Before calling to schedule your surgery, our surgery schedulers will verify your insurance coverage so that they can give you that information when they call you.
Yearly Appointments and GYN Care
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Can Dr. Childs do my yearly PAP smear at my pelvic pain recheck appointment?
Due to Dr. Childs’ pelvic pain specialty, he does not perform routine GYN exams, including PAP smears and mammograms, during pelvic pain appointments.
You may choose to continue care for your routine GYN appointments with your current doctor, or you may switch your routine care to one of our five OB-GYN physicians within our practice. Dr. Childs’ nurse practitioner, D.J. Franklin, is also happy to continue your GYN care.
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What do I do if I have a problem after business hours?
After we close the office each day, or on the weekends, if you have a problem that cannot wait until the next business day, please do the following:
Call our main office number at (205) 397-9000 – wait through our menu options and our after-hours answering service will pickup. Please explain your problem, symptoms, or issues to the operator. They will contact the physician on call and he or she will return your call and instruct you further.
If you think you are in labor after hours, please call to speak with the physician on call BEFORE going to Labor and Delivery. This helps your doctor and our hospital staff be better prepared for your arrival!
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Can a breast sonogram take the place of my routine mammogram?
Breast sonos cannot replace your routine yearly mammograms. We use breast ultrasounds to help distinguish between a fluid filled cyst and a solid mass, but may not reveal some abnormalities that a mammogram will pick up.
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Can I bring a friend or family member with me for my mammogram?
The mammogram room is a radiation area, so by state regulation, only the patient and your technician is allowed to be in the exam room. Friends or family members may wait in our main lobby.
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Ouch! Why do you have to use so much compression?
We understand that compression during a mammogram is very uncomfortable and painful!
However, the proper amount of compression is needed to separate the breast tissues. If inadequate compression is used, over-lapping tissues may hide and abnormality or even make normal tissue look abnormal. This results in you being called back for additional imaging and delaying the final results of your mammogram.
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Why do I have more paperwork to fill out in the mammogram department?
It is important for the radiologist and the mammogram technician to know your breast health history. Please be sure to fill out this extra paperwork carefully and to the best of your knowledge, so that we can give you the best care and interpretation of your mammogram. Always speak up about any and all symptoms, pain, lumps, or concerns you might have!
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When will I receive my mammogram results?
Your mammogram films are sent to a Board Certified Radiologist for the interpretation. This process usually takes five to seven business days. This process can take longer if you have had mammograms performed with another facility, as we will need to transfer that record to our radiologist for comparison.
Please inform us when you come to your appointment if you have had mammograms at another facility and provide us with that facility’s name and phone numbers.
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Do I need my medical records from a different doctor?
If you are coming to see your physician here for a specific issue, and you have seen other doctors for that same issue, then yes, please make sure your records are sent to us or bring them in with you when you come.
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At what age do you begin having a PAP smear?
Most of our physicians begin PAP smears for their patients at age 21; however this may be individually determined by your doctor.
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How old do I have to be to have a mammogram?
Our doctors recommend a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40, then a mammogram each year after age 40.
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As a GYN patient, how often should I see my doctor?
Although a PAP smear test may not be done every year, either at an age determined between you and your doctor or due to a complete hysterectomy, you still need to schedule to see your physician. Please schedule to see him or her on a yearly basis to maintain good gynecological health.
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I am on my menses, can I or may I still see the doctor for my yearly?
Yes, if your flow is light, your physician can still perform an exam and PAP smear. If you are bleeding heavily, please reschedule.
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What is included in my yearly appointment?
Typically, we do a pelvic exam, PAP smear and breast exam for your yearly GYN appointment. If you have addition health concerns, please make sure your nurse knows your questions or concerns before seeing your doctor so that she can make him aware.
At age 40, we will add on a mammogram for each yearly visit. Around the age of 50, most of our doctors will request that we add a bone density scan to your yearly visit, doing those scans every other year in frequency.
The frequency of all exams and diagnostics may be adjusted to your individual health history and needs, as directed by your physician.
Obstetrical Care
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When can I pre-register for delivering my baby?
Pre-registration may be done beginning at 36 weeks. Please call (205) 877-1000, Brookwood Medical Center’s main switchboard, and ask to pre-registration for maternity, and they will connect you to the appropriate department.
Pre-registration is handled through Brookwood Medical Center, NOT through OB-GYN South.
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What do I do if I have a problem after business hours?
After we close the office each day, or on the weekends, if you have a problem that cannot wait until the next business day, please do the following:
Call our main office number at (205) 397-9000 – wait through our menu options and our after-hours answering service will pickup. Please explain your problem, symptoms, or issues to the operator. They will contact the physician on call and he or she will return your call and instruct you further.
If you think you are in labor after hours, please call to speak with the physician on call BEFORE going to Labor and Delivery. This helps your doctor and our hospital staff be better prepared for your arrival!
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What can I do for swelling in my feet?
Elevate your feet and drink lots of water.
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When will I feel the baby move?
Usually, you will feel fetal movement at or around 18 weeks gestation.
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Can I record my ultrasound?
You can purchase a DVD for $2.00 when you come for your ultrasound appointment and we will record on this DVD.
If you would like to provide your own DVD, it must be +RW type of disk.
We cannot allow recording of the ultrasound with any smartphone, iPhone, camcorder, or other recording device, due to medical privacy laws.
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Is the 3D/4D ultrasound option covered by my insurance?
In most cases, this is NOT covered by your insurance policy, because it is not a diagnostic ultrasound.
Our out of pocket charges for this special ultrasound is very competitive, at $160.00.
Please make sure you call to schedule this if you know that you would like it performed, as we are only able to accommodate four of these scans each week. This ultrasound can only be done between the fetal gestation of 28-30 weeks. Further than 30 weeks, we cannot guarantee good images of your baby.
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I thought that my big ultrasound is to just find out the sex of my baby? What else do you look for?
Your “big” ultrasound is performed at 18-22 weeks gestation, and is called a “complete” ultrasound, because we evaluate the growth of your baby and survey all of the fetal anatomy to rule out any abnormalities.
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Why do I need a full bladder when I come for my big ultrasound?
Fluid in the bladder created a “window” that enhances the image. Additionally, a full bladder changes the position of the uterus and moves the loops of the bowels out of the way. This gives us a much better view of your baby and it’s organs!
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How many sonograms do I get to have with my pregnancy?
We do a minimum of two sonograms Your first one will be at your initial gyn preg appointment, and it will usually be a Transvaginal (TVS) sonogram. This helps us determine your dates of gestation. The second will be at 18-22 weeks, and is called the Complete sonogram. This is when you will find out the sex of your baby and we ensure your baby’s growth and development is on track.
Additional sonograms may be necessary, as determined by your physician. Please inquire with our billing department if you have questions of insurance coverage for additional sonograms.
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Can I take over the counter prenatal vitamins?
Yes, just check to make sure they provide at least 1 milligram of folic acid.
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How often will I have appointments when I am pregnant?
We see you once every 4 weeks until week 30 of your pregnancy. At week 30, we will see you twice a month, and at week 35, we will see you weekly.
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I am experiencing cramping and/or bleeding and I am in my first trimester of pregnancy. What do I do?
While some of this may be a part of your normal pregnancy experience, please call and ask to speak with one of our nurses. They will help you determine if you need an appointment with your doctor or not.
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How quickly can I be seen for a new pregnancy?
In most cases, your doctor will see you between 6 and 8 weeks, based on your last cycle. Please be prepared with your correct cycle dates when you call. Earlier than 6 weeks, we can run an HCG lab work panel, to ensure your hormone levels are correct. If you come in to see your doctor before you are greater than 6 weeks, they will not be able to tell much on your first sonogram.
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I just took a positive home pregnancy test. What do I need to do now?
Congrats! Please call our office, and we will set you up an initial pregnancy visit, called a Gyn Preg appointment, with your doctor. Makes sure that you are prepared to give us the first day of your last cycle, so that we can best determine when to make this appointment.
Mammograms
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Can a breast sonogram take the place of my routine mammogram?
Breast sonos cannot replace your routine yearly mammograms. We use breast ultrasounds to help distinguish between a fluid filled cyst and a solid mass, but may not reveal some abnormalities that a mammogram will pick up.
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Can I bring a friend or family member with me for my mammogram?
The mammogram room is a radiation area, so by state regulation, only the patient and your technician is allowed to be in the exam room. Friends or family members may wait in our main lobby.
-
Ouch! Why do you have to use so much compression?
We understand that compression during a mammogram is very uncomfortable and painful!
However, the proper amount of compression is needed to separate the breast tissues. If inadequate compression is used, over-lapping tissues may hide and abnormality or even make normal tissue look abnormal. This results in you being called back for additional imaging and delaying the final results of your mammogram.
-
Why do I have more paperwork to fill out in the mammogram department?
It is important for the radiologist and the mammogram technician to know your breast health history. Please be sure to fill out this extra paperwork carefully and to the best of your knowledge, so that we can give you the best care and interpretation of your mammogram. Always speak up about any and all symptoms, pain, lumps, or concerns you might have!
-
When will I receive my mammogram results?
Your mammogram films are sent to a Board Certified Radiologist for the interpretation. This process usually takes five to seven business days. This process can take longer if you have had mammograms performed with another facility, as we will need to transfer that record to our radiologist for comparison.
Please inform us when you come to your appointment if you have had mammograms at another facility and provide us with that facility’s name and phone numbers.
Medical Questions
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How do I take my medications that have been prescribed?
Please make sure that while in your doctor’s presence, you ask questions if you are unsure about how to take your medicine. One of our nursing staff members would also be able to help answer your questions about medications. Our staff members in the Front Office area are not licensed medical professionals, and cannot advice on medical questions.
If you leave your appointment and still have additional questions regarding your prescriptions, please call during office hours and ask to speak with a nurse. Additionally, your pharmacist may be able to tell you this information and answer questions or concerns about your medications.
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What do I do if I have a problem after business hours?
After we close the office each day, or on the weekends, if you have a problem that cannot wait until the next business day, please do the following:
Call our main office number at (205) 397-9000 – wait through our menu options and our after-hours answering service will pickup. Please explain your problem, symptoms, or issues to the operator. They will contact the physician on call and he or she will return your call and instruct you further.
If you think you are in labor after hours, please call to speak with the physician on call BEFORE going to Labor and Delivery. This helps your doctor and our hospital staff be better prepared for your arrival!
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What can I do for swelling in my feet?
Elevate your feet and drink lots of water.
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When will I feel the baby move?
Usually, you will feel fetal movement at or around 18 weeks gestation.
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How do I treat vaginal odor?
Call and make a Gyn Problem type of appointment with your physician to have a vaginal culture taken.
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What do I do if I have frequency and burning with urination?
Please make an appointment to leave a urine culture with the Lab. Call and ask to speak with a nurse to have a same-day Lab appointment. The Appointment Desk may help you with an appointment for another day.
Medical Records
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Do you charge for medical records?
We do not charge patients for their records! However, if a signed release comes from an insurance company, a lawyer, or the disability office, we do charge those entities for your records. That charge is billed directly to the respective company, so that there is no expense to our patients.
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How long does it take for my records request to be processed?
Legally, we have 30 days to process our medical records requests; however, it usually only takes our office staff 10 days and less. Please call and ask to speak with our medical records staff person if you need something arranged for a rush request and we are happy to accommodate.
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How do I get my medical records?
Please call our office to have a records release form sent or faxed to you. Once you sign that form, we will mail your medical records to the address indicated.
Pelvic Pain
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How long is a new patient appointment for Pelvic Pain with Dr. Childs?
We suggest that you plan on being here approximately three hours, depending on the testing Dr. Childs may order.
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How long does it take to get a new patient appointment for pelvic pain, with Dr. Alex Childs?
Because Dr. Alex Childs is the only Pelvic Pain Specialist in the Southeast United States, he does stay booked out approximately six months in advance.
All new patients for Dr. Childs go on a waiting list, and most new patients get moved up 2-3 times from the initial appointment we will give you when you call. So, it’s still a wait to get in with Dr. Childs, but it’s not quite as bad as it seems.
If you are available at a short notice, 24 hours to 2 weeks, please let our office staff know this when you make your initial appointment and we will note this on the waiting list. Please ensure we have all correct daytime phone numbers on your file.
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Can Dr. Childs do my yearly PAP smear at my pelvic pain recheck appointment?
Due to Dr. Childs’ pelvic pain specialty, he does not perform routine GYN exams, including PAP smears and mammograms, during pelvic pain appointments.
You may choose to continue care for your routine GYN appointments with your current doctor, or you may switch your routine care to one of our five OB-GYN physicians within our practice. Dr. Childs’ nurse practitioner, D.J. Franklin, is also happy to continue your GYN care.
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Do I need a referral to make an appointment for the Pelvic Pain Clinic? If I have a referral from my doctor, will I be seen sooner?
No, we do not require referrals for you to schedule with Dr. Alex Childs for chronic pelvic pain. If you are being referred by another physician, please make our scheduler aware of this so she can make a note.
Please note that being referred by another doctor does NOT mean that we can give you a sooner appointment. Out of fairness to all of the patients waiting, we schedule as we receive the calls. You will be added to our waiting list and may be called as we have cancellations.
New Patients
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How long is a new patient appointment for Pelvic Pain with Dr. Childs?
We suggest that you plan on being here approximately three hours, depending on the testing Dr. Childs may order.
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Do I need a referral to make an appointment for the Pelvic Pain Clinic? If I have a referral from my doctor, will I be seen sooner?
No, we do not require referrals for you to schedule with Dr. Alex Childs for chronic pelvic pain. If you are being referred by another physician, please make our scheduler aware of this so she can make a note.
Please note that being referred by another doctor does NOT mean that we can give you a sooner appointment. Out of fairness to all of the patients waiting, we schedule as we receive the calls. You will be added to our waiting list and may be called as we have cancellations.
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Do you accept Medicaid?
We are covered under Medicaid for pregnancy ONLY. If you have applied for Medicaid for your current pregnancy, please call the Brookwood Medicaid/Steps Ahead case worker, Janet Hardin, at 877-5327. She will then call us and schedule for initial visit for you.
If you have Medicaid and are NOT pregnant, please call and we will be happy to give you a possible range of what your visit with us may cost out of pocket.
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Do you accept my insurance?
We accept all major private insurances, Medicare, AllKids, Humana, and Tricare. We are covered with Medicaid for pregnancy only. Please check your individual policy for providers in your network to be sure.
Please note you are responsible for getting any insurance-related referrals from your Primary Care Physician, if your policy requires one. We will not be able to see you if the referrals are not in place.
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Which doctors are accepting new patients?
All of our physicians are accepting new patients