Our FAQ's are divided in two catagories, General Questions and Financial Questions. A click on the question will take you to the answer.

If you you don't find the question you are looking for, you can email or call us with your question.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is the process that I will go through to get an appointment?
How do I read my statement?
Do I need a referral from my insurance?
Do I need a PCP (Primary Care Physician) to refer me to your doctors?
Do the physicians take Medicare and Medicaid?
What are some of the insurance plans your office and physicians accept?
What orthopaedic specialties does your office cover?
Should I bring my X-Ray/MRI films with me to my appointment?
What about my insurance card? Do I need to bring that as well?
Are you affiliated with Cox Hospital or St. John’s?
What facilities do the physicians use for surgery?
What is the best way to get a medication refilled?
What should I do if I have a question?
What do I do if I have something that needs to be filled out by OSS?
How does the process for a worker’s compensation rating work?
How do I obtain a rating percentage?
Who should I contact regarding a work comp rating?
Where can I find Springfield Surgical Specialists ASC and the MRI?
What is your contact information?
How do I get there?
How do get a copy of my medical records?
How long does it take to get my medical records after I requested them?
How do I get a copy of my x-ray films?
How do I get a copy of my operative report or diagnostic testing that was done at another office?

FINANCIAL QUESTIONS

How may I Pay?
When do I Pay My Co-Pay?
Which Plans Do You Contract With?
What is this global surgical package?
What is included in the global surgical package?
What are global days?
What services are not included during the global period?

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

What is the process that I will go through to get an appointment?
Just call our office at 417-882-1900, ask for the appointment desk, be able to provide your insurance, billing, and contact information and our schedulers will get you an appointment in a very timely manner. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How do I read my statement?
The first column is the date of service, which is the day you saw the physician. The second column is the name of the patient the service was for, for example, you or someone else covered with your insurance (spouse, child, etc.) The third column is the treating physician. The fourth column indicates the CPT code used to describe the service given at your visit. The fifth column is a brief description of why you came to see the physician. The sixth column is the total charge amount for the service/item. Insurance receipt will show if your insurance has paid on the account. If the balance shows zero, then your insurance is still pending. Although there may be nothing due now, once the insurance has paid, there may be a remaining balance. When a payment is made, it is applied to the oldest date of service. Any adjustments taken off your bill, due to contractual agreements, will be listed under the adjustments area. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Do I need a referral from my insurance?
This will depend on your insurance plan’s requirements. Please contact your insurance carrier directly for policy provisions. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Do I need a PCP (Primary Care Physician) to refer me to your doctors?
This will depend on your insurance plan’s requirements. Please contact your insurance carrier directly for policy provisions. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Do the physicians take Medicare and Medicaid?
Yes. [Return To The List Of Questions]

What are some of the insurance plans your office and physicians accept?
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Cox Health Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Worker’s Compensation, and all other health plans in the Cox Network System.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

What orthopaedic specialties does your office cover?
Our physicians cover a large variety of orthopaedic specialties; hand, total joints, sports medicine, foot & ankle, spine, trauma, and general orthopaedics. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Should I bring my X-Ray/MRI films with me to my appointment?
If you had your x-rays/MRI taken at Cox Health Hospital or The Martin Center we can access those on line. However, if your test was obtained at a different facility, please hand carry those films with you when you come to your appointment. This will prevent repeating x-rays in our office. [Return To The List Of Questions]

What about my insurance card? Do I need to bring that as well?
Yes, please bring your insurance card with you to your office visit. We need this so we can file your claim for you. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Are you affiliated with Cox Hospital or St. John’s?
No – We are an independent, physician-owned group.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

What facilities do the physician’s use for surgery?
The physicians can perform surgery at different facilities. If it is possible, they prefer to operate at Springfield Surgical Specialists Ambulatory Surgery Center. This is convenient and efficient, as it is located under the same roof as the physician offices and MRI suite. They are also on staff at the following hospitals: Cox Hospital, Ozark Community Hospital, and Citizen’s Memorial Hospital in Bolivar. Facility privileges may vary from physician to physician. [Return To The List Of Questions]

What is the best way to get a medication refilled?
The best way is to have your pharmacy fax a request for refill on your medications. Be sure to contact your pharmacy for refills plenty of days prior to running out of your meds. [Return To The List Of Questions]

What should I do if I have a question?
Call during business hours 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 417-882-1900.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

What do I do if I have something that needs to be filled out by OSS?
Any forms you need to have completed by the office staff can be left at the front desk or faxed to us at 417-882-1966. When dropping/faxing your forms, please be sure to leave instructions indicating where they need to be faxed or mailed back to. Please realize that forms will probably not be completed the same day. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How does the process for a worker’s compensation rating work?
The patient may receive a rating after the physician has released them from his/her care with an MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement). You may call, fax, e-mail, or mail a request for this. Please make it to the attention of our Worker’s Compensation Department. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How do I obtain a rating percentage?
Your rating percentage can be obtained from the paying party (i.e. an attorney, work comp insurance adjuster, or case manager). [Return To The List Of Questions]

Who should I contact regarding a work comp rating?
Please contact your case manager for any questions that you have regarding your work comp rating. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Where can I find Springfield Surgical Specialists ASC and the MRI?
The ASC and MRI are both located on the South side of the building. There is a parking lot and entrance on the south side specifically for the ASC and MRI. When you enter those doors, you may enter the ASC by going to the door on the left. The door on the right will lead you into the MRI suite. [Return To The List Of Questions]

Contact Information:
Orthopaedic Specialists of Springfield, P.C.
3045 S. National, Suite 100
Springfield, MO 65804

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Operating Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Answering Service (for Emergency use): 5:01 p.m. – 8:29 a.m.

Phone: 417-882-1900
Fax: 417-882-1966

Springfield Surgical Specialists ASC
3045 S. National, Suite 101
Springfield, MO 65804

Phone: 417-447-3910
Fax: 417-882-5716

[Return To The List Of Questions]

Directions:
Coming from South of Battlefield, take National north to Montclair. At Montclair take a left (west) at the light. Then take an immediate right (north) into the OSS parking lot. Once in the parking lot you may turn to the left, which will let you park in front of the ASC/MRI entrance. You may continue to the front parking lot facing National Avenue which brings you to the main entrance.

Coming from North of Battlefield, take National south, crossing Battlefield. Turn right (west) at the next light, which will be Montclair. When you turn on to Montclair, take an immediate right (north) which brings you into the OSS parking lot. Once in the parking lot you can turn left which will put you in front of the ASC/MRI entrance. The main entrance is the parking lot facing National Avenue. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How do get a copy of my medical records?
You will need to fill out a “Medical Records Release Form”. You can find this form on our website under “Patient Resources”, then “General Resources”. You can call our office, ask for Medical Records, and they will send you the form. We also have them available at our front desk. All sections on the form have to be completed in full. After the form is completed, you can either mail or fax it to us at 417-882-1966. We do NOT fax records. You can either pick up your records or we can mail them to you. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How long does it take to get my medical records after I requested them?
We have an outside company that takes care of our records requests. It normally takes approximately one week from the time you fill out the release form until the records are completed. However, this will depend on if all recent office notes have been typed and placed in the chart. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How do I get a copy of my x-ray films?
You will need to fill out a “X-Ray/MRI Release Form”. You can find this form on our website under “Patient Resources”, then “General Resources”. You can call our office, ask for Medical Records, and they will send you the form. We also have them available at our front desk. All sections on the form have to be completed in full. After the form is completed, you can either mail or fax it to us at 417-882-1966. You can either pick up your films or we can mail them to you. [Return To The List Of Questions]

How do I get a copy of my operative report or diagnostic testing that was done at another office?
OSS can not release information that did not originate in our facility. If you need an operative note or diagnostic test from another facility, you should request this information from that facility/doctor. [Return To The List Of Questions]

FINANCIAL QUESTIONS:

How may I Pay?
We accept payment by cash, money order, and check, Discover, Master Card and Visa.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

When do I Pay My Co-Pay?
All plan required co-pays are required at the time of check-in.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

Which Plans Do You Contract With?
Currently we are a member of the CoxHealth Network, and are an in-network provider with their affiliated/contracted plans. Due to the continuing negotiations by the Network with plans our contracts may change. Therefore, we encourage all patients to contact their plan to confirm we are still in their network and no recent changes have occurred.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

What is this global surgical package?
There are multiple necessary services rendered by a surgeon when performing a procedure. These services form a “surgical package”. He or she would have to perform multiple services to accomplish this: prepping the patient for surgery, making an incision, and repairing the surgical wound and closure to name a few. When an insurance company pays for the surgery, the payment is made for the entire “package” of services rather than for each individual service provided.

Look at it this way: When you go the bakery to buy a cake, you are not charged separately for the sugar or the eggs needed to make that cake. The price you pay for that cake includes all the ingredients.
[Return To The List Of Questions]

What is included in the global surgical package?
The services provided by the physician to any patient by their very nature are variable. The procedure codes that represent a readily identifiable surgical procedure thereby include, on a procedure-by- procedure basis, a variety of services. In defining the specific services “included” in a given surgical code, the following services are always included in addition to the operation

• The operation itself and intraoperative care.
• Local infiltration, metacarpal/metatarsal/digital block or topical anesthesia (This does not include more extensive services required by an anesthesiology group)
• Subsequent to the decision for surgery, one related E&M encounter on the day immediately prior to or on the date of procedure (including history & physical.
• Writing orders
• Routine supplies (provided by the surgeon’s office)
• Immediate postoperative care, including dictation operative notes, talking with the family and other physicians.
• Typical postoperative E&M (office visit) follow-up care for a designated number of days (global days) depending on the global period assigned to the surgical code.

** Remember global surgical packages vary by surgery and the individual health plan/payor, this list includes only basics that generally are consider an integral part of a procedure but is not an all inclusive list.

Coding based on standards of medical practice. Any activities that are integral to a procedure are considered to be included in each surgical code. Some examples of services that are integral to all codes are:

• Cleansing, shaving, and prepping of skin
• Draping, prepping and positioning of the patient
• Insertion of IV access for medication
• Anesthesia administered by the physician performing the procedure
  
• Surgical approach including: identification of anatomical landmarks, incision & evaluation/exploration of surgical field, simple debridement of traumatized tissue, lysis of simple adhesions and isolation of structures that are limiting access to the surgical field.
• Wound irrigation and surgical cultures
  
• Insertion and removal of drains, suction devices, dressings and pumps into same site
  
• Surgical closure
  
• Application of the initial dressings, immobilization, including strapping, splinting and casting (Does not include Durable Medical Equipment or casting supplies)
  

[Return To The List Of Questions]

What are global days?
The period of time following each surgery that is included in the surgical package is established by the payor. This is referred to as the global surgery period or global days.

Many payors follow CMS (Medicare) guidelines for determining the number of global days. The global period is usually 90 days for major procedures and 0 or 10 days for minor procedures. [Return To The List Of Questions]

What services are not included during the global period?
Depending on how many global days are assigned to your surgical code/procedure would determine the length of time services that are included would not be billed.

0 (zero) global days –
the global concept does not apply, we would bill any services performed as usual.

10 global days –
1. E&M (office visit) for an unrelated diagnosis/condition.
2. Radiology Services – follow up x-rays, MRI’s or other diagnostic procedures.
3. Complications that require a return to the operating room/more extensive service.
4. Treatment for an unrelated condition.
5. Injections
6. Wound vac application
7. Durable Medical Equipment
8. Anesthesia by Anesthesiologist, NA, or CRNA

90 global days –
1. E&M (office visit) for an unrelated diagnosis/condition.
2. Radiology Services – follow up x-rays, MRI’s or other diagnostic procedures.
3. Complications that require a return to the operating room/more extensive service.
4. Application of subsequent casting, splinting as well as casting supplies.
5. Treatment for an unrelated condition.
6. Injections
7. Wound vac application
8. Durable Medical Equipment
9. Anesthesia by Anesthesiologist, NA, or CRNA

Follow up appointments scheduled outside the global period:
Unfortunately we can not control how/when your follow-up visits are scheduled based on your specific care needs and or scheduling conflicts that may occur. Should any of your follow-up visits fall outside of the assigned global period, we would be entitled to bill an appropriate level E&M (office visit) and/or other services performed as usual.

[Return To The List Of Questions]